How Heran Zhang (G’25) is Shaping Global Impact Through Fashion, Art, and Accessibility

Second-year CCT student Heran Zhang was just honored with the Graduate Global Citizen Award at the Georgetown University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Student Awards last week.

Heran says, “As a Chinese international student at Georgetown, I’ve been passionate about building bridges across cultures through academic, entrepreneurial, and artistic pursuits.

One project I developed during my time at CCT is UrClo, a concept for an inclusive and sustainable fashion platform designed for people with disabilities. Using CLO 3D technology, UrClo aims to customize garments to promote accessibility and sustainability. I shared this idea during the Rocket Pitch competition, where it was recognized with the Entrepreneurship for the Common Good Prize, and further refined it through my participation in the
Georgetown Summer Launch Incubator (SLI).

Within the Georgetown community, I served as a Teaching Assistant for Chinese over four semesters. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to guide students not just in learning Mandarin but also in understanding Chinese traditions, history, and social issues, encouraging thoughtful cross-cultural dialogue in the classroom.
My internship at Forever 21 HQ in California also expanded my intercultural business experience. Selected from over 2,500 applicants, I worked closely with more than 50 international vendors and supported DEI initiatives that reached over 700 employees through cross-cultural awareness and inclusive workplace workshops.

In the arts, I co-created and performed in a reimagined version of the Butterfly Lovers legend, blending feminist themes with Chinese cultural motifs. I also took a lead acting role in a theatrical production—”To Tell a Story About the Earth”, a collaborative project with Georgetown’s Department of Performing Arts and LubDub Theatre Company. This play focused on climate storytelling and the ecological environment of Georgetown.

These interdisciplinary experiences have allowed me to promote global-mindedness and foster inclusive communities. I’m incredibly thankful that the Graduate School recognized this work”.

Congratulations, Heran!