Academics

Graduate studies at Penn State help shape journalist-turned-educator

Across the globe, Penn Staters display drive, determination, hard work, passion and skill on a daily basis. And, sometimes, people from across the globe come to Penn State because they possess those same qualities.

For Yong Tang, an accomplished journalist from China who earned his doctoral degree at Penn State and currently serves as a faculty member at Western Illinois University, the trip was not easy.

Tang, 43, was born in a small village in the Sichuan province of southwest China when the country was struggling economically. His family struggled as well.

When he was growing up, Tang was always hungry. Every weekend, he would run home from school to see if his mother had left any food in the kitchen. If she did not, he would share two meals with his six brothers and sisters. They would sometimes skip dinner in order to save food.

At the same time, Tang was regularly working in the village’s rice and wheat fields and was motivated to excel in school because he believed education was the key to escape poverty. In 1989, Tang was accepted to study English literature and culture at Sichuan International Studies University as the first college student in his family -- and the first from his village -- to have such an opportunity.

After earning his first degree, Tang completed his second degree in English reporting and editing at the China School of Journalism. To date, Tang has two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree and two doctoral degrees. He earned his second doctorate from Penn State in 2012.

Along with his multitude of educational qualifications, Tang has rich work experience. He worked for People’s Daily, China’s largest newspaper, for almost 15 years as the international news journalist. And, in 2004, he was dispatched by the newspaper to the United States as a foreign correspondent based in Washington, D.C.

While working in Washington, he scored interviews with high-profile politicians such as former President Jimmy Carter, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. 

Life in Washington, D.C., was not always pleasant for his family, though.

“My wife and son came here with me and it was a very difficult start for my wife. At the beginning, she did not know a word of English so she didn’t have any friends. When we just moved from Beijing to Washington, D.C., she cried a lot and it was just very tough for her because I would work long hours and spend very little time with my family,” said Tang. “It was very hard to juggle both my work and my family. But it was worth it. I think it was worth it. To me, you just have to sacrifice a lot if you want to be successful, and I am very fortunate my family understands.”

In 2009, Tang was invited to a Penn State open house where he spoke with then College of Communications Dean Doug Anderson. After being granted a fellowship to pursue his doctorate at Penn State, Tang left his job at People’s Daily and moved his wife and son from an apartment in Virginia to a much smaller apartment in State College. “I did this because Penn State is really a good institution. The faculty is top-notch and State College is quite a beautiful place,” said Tang.

An exceptional reporter and a gifted student, Tang made a lasting impression on his doctoral adviser, Martin Halstuk, an associate professor of journalism. “Tang is one of the best Ph.D. students I’ve ever had. He’s extremely intelligent, and in many ways he has a better understanding of how American government works than most Americans do,” said Halstuk. Tang’s doctoral dissertation focused on freedom of information law and government transparency in China.

Before completing his dissertation in 2012, Tang was offered a tenure-track position in 2011 at Western Illinois University. He took that opportunity and is still teaching at the university -- something that gives him more time with his family and a chance to nurture future generations of journalists. “Teaching is exciting because I have a lot of knowledge and experiences to share with future reporters. My work is more spread out so I am able to do a lot of research while watching my son grow up,” said Tang.

Tang’s research and studies focus on First Amendment issues, mass media law, press freedom and government transparency in China and the United States. He feels through his work, he can play a big role in Chinese mass media law.

“The Chinese Constitution protects the freedom of the press but in reality these rights aren’t well protected. Reporters in China are always losing lawsuits mostly because there is no concrete law that protects them. My goal is to, through research and advocacy, help give better legal protection for reporters to do their job,” said Tang.

Earlier this year, he published a four-volume book titled "America in the Eyes of Yong Tang." The books document his reporting and writing experiences as a foreign correspondent in the United States. The books have been well received in mainland China, but they are not set for reprints in English.

Tang’s long list of honors includes the Western Illinois University Professional Achievement Award (2014), a ranking among the Top 50 Journalism Professors from Journalismdegree.org (2012), an Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) First Place Faculty Paper Award (2012) and an AEJMC Best Research Scholar-to-Scholar Presentation Award (2011).

Tang’s passion -- a hunger for knowledge -- has driven his career as journalist and educator.

“If you want money, do not chase this industry. This industry is for history makers, people who expose corruption, people who fight for justice and people who want to make the world a better place,” said Tang.

In addition, Tang advises aspiring journalists not to give up. “Keep on improving yourself. Broaden your knowledge base because as a reporter you must be a jack of all trades. Read books that have nothing to do with journalism. Work hard and it will pay off,” said Tang.

For leisure, the Tang family enjoys outdoor activities such as cycling and hiking. His son, George, enjoys the outdoors. The family has also tried fishing recently but the wait was agonizing for the active and driven Tang. “I found out I am a really impatient person, so I am unsuitable for fishing,” said Tang. 

Yong Tang is an assistant professor of journalism and media law at Western Illinois University. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated June 2, 2021