Bridge Cultural Exchange Academy, or BCEA, was founded in 2022 at the University of Southern California as USC’s first citizen diplomacy club. Created by a group of freshmen who believed meaningful exchange is essential to a more connected world, BCEA has grown into a youth led organization that equips young people to build trust across cultural, geographic, and ideological differences. As division and misunderstanding deepen, young people need the skills and spaces to build trust across communities. BCEA empowers a generation of bridge builders for a more connected world.

BCEA’s Global Intelligence framework, known as GQ, was developed by mediator Mark Gerzon to equip young people to approach difference with empathy, curiosity, and action. Through the Four Opens of Heart, Mind, Eyes, and Hands, participants strengthen the listening, perspective taking, and collaboration skills needed to build trust across cultures and communities.

The Global Intelligence Summit is BCEA’s flagship training platform. Offered both virtually and in person, the Summit brings students together to explore identity, culture, international relations, and shared global challenges through facilitated dialogue, peer learning, and conversations with practitioners. Since 2022, BCEA has hosted five virtual exchange summits, connecting more than 300 participants from 27 countries. BCEA has also convened two in person GQ Summits in Beijing and Los Angeles, giving young people opportunities to build relationships across borders and apply their learning through direct exchange. Following each Summit, BCEA helps participants refine and incubate proposed bridge building projects through mentorship, expert guidance, and peer support, enabling them to turn dialogue into practical community impact.

These programs produce practical and transferable outcomes. Participants strengthen active listening, intercultural communication, perspective taking, and collaborative problem solving. BCEA does not ask young people to agree on every issue. Instead, it gives them the tools to stay engaged through disagreement, ask thoughtful questions, and identify opportunities for common ground. These skills extend beyond a single program, supporting participants in their classrooms, families, workplaces, and local communities.

Storytelling is equally central to BCEA’s impact. Through the Quiet Diplomats profile interview series, BCEA highlights the power of human connection to bridge divides between communities. The series features bridge builders including Dr. Sherry Mueller, Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, University of Washington student Katelyn Denny, and MyTeapal founder Vincent Liu. By sharing their experiences as bridge builders between communities, BCEA inspires young people to become active contributors to global understanding.

With chapters in Beijing, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Bologna, and Nanjing, BCEA is building an international network of emerging bridge builders. Funding will enable BCEA to expand virtual and in person GQ programming, reach more students across borders, strengthen chapter communities, and amplify stories that model citizen diplomacy in action. By investing in BCEA, funders help equip the next generation with the skills, relationships, and confidence to turn difference into dialogue and dialogue into durable community connection

Project Director Bio

Having moved to the United States at sixteen for high school, Junlong developed a strong interest in strengthening mutual understanding and building trust between the United States and China. Junlong Wang is Founder of the Bridge Cultural Exchange Academy (BCEA), a youth-led initiative that equips emerging leaders to develop “Global Intelligence (GQ)” and serve as citizen diplomats through dialogue, exchange, and storytelling. Under his leadership, BCEA has convened five Global Intelligence Summits bringing together 300 participants from 27 countries, launched chapters in Beijing, Geneva, and Los Angeles, and engaged more than 3,000 young people worldwide.

Previously, he interned at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN in Rome to support systematic approach to agrifood system transformation. He also worked with the National Committee on U.S.–China Relations and the United States Heartland China Association, supporting programs that promote dialogue and exchange between the two countries. In addition, he is active in global youth leadership initiatives advancing public diplomacy and international cooperation. He is a member of the President’s leadership Council at Search for Common Ground, Advisory board member at Youth Center for Dialogue and Peace, Professional Development Committee of the Public Diplomacy Council of America, a One Young World Ambassador, and an Enlight China Fellow at the Watson Institute.

Junlong is currently pursuing his graduate degree (2025–Spring 2027) in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Junlong graduated from the University of Southern California in 2025