When Shuo “Rick” Li ’20 arrived at The Harley School from China as a 15-year-old, he was both nervous and excited. He had dreamed of studying in the United States and was drawn to Harley through an international student agency that ranked the school highly for its academics, particularly its AP offerings. “Harley is pretty popular at the international student agencies,” he recalls. “New York State is also a very popular destination.”
From the moment he arrived, Rick found himself surrounded by warmth and support. “The teachers were so friendly and accessible,” he says. He remembers with gratitude David O’Brien P ’19 (English, 2011-present), who taught him International English, and Lyn Parsons, who encouraged his creativity in art. “Harley’s teaching style is so different from China’s—it’s more open and interactive—and that really changed me.”
Rick noticed early on that Harley’s students were just as remarkable as the teachers. “Everyone was so kind and open-minded. There were no bad feelings like you might find in some public schools,” he says. Those friendships have lasted, even after graduation.
Some of Rick’s favorite Harley memories include the Cape Cod trip and a visit to New York City. He also fondly remembers his host family, who welcomed him as one of their own. “They included me in family events, holidays, and trips. They made me feel at home,” he says. Although they’ve since moved away, he remains grateful for their kindness.
Rick acknowledges that moving to a new country and learning a new language was not easy. “The language barrier was the hardest part,” he admits. “But I had been to the U.S. once before, and I knew this was what I wanted. I told my parents I wanted an American education—the system here felt more favorable for me and for many Chinese students. It was a big challenge, but also very exciting. I felt like I was finally fulfilling my American dream.”
After Harley, Rick attended Temple University and then Arizona State University, where he majored in economics. He credits Harley—and Amanda Edelhart P’25 in College Counseling (2017-present)—for her guidance. He’s also thankful for teachers like James Aldrich-Moodie’s (JAM) (English, 1998-2003, Math, 2003-present) for preparing him well for college courses. “Harley classes were just as hard, if not harder,” he laughs, recalling the rigor of JAM’s math courses. Now he’s at Widener University Delaware Law School. “I wish I had taken AP History,” he admits, “it would’ve helped with law school!”
Rick’s decision to pursue law came naturally from his background in economics. “Economics and law are very similar,” he explains. “When studying economics, I could analyze the impact of laws—taxes, tariffs, antitrust—but I couldn’t do anything to change them. In law, I can actually challenge those systems in court.” He hopes to become an SEC antitrust or corporate lawyer after graduation.
Rick hasn’t been back to China since before COVID, but his family visits him in the U.S. “Harley really prepared me for college and law school, especially the English language aspect,” he says. “I learned how to speak and write English at Harley. That built such a strong foundation for everything I’ve done since.”
He also offers advice to international students following in his footsteps: “Harley is such a supportive community, but you have to be self-motivated and excited to learn. When I first came, I tried speaking English right away, and everyone was so open and patient. If international students don’t speak, it’s not because they don’t want to—it’s because they’re afraid. That fear is real. But once you push past it, there’s so much to gain.”
