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WWU student Lilly Hessari wins Chinese proficiency regional final; will go to China for global competition this summer

by Lili Luna Cruz

WWU Communications intern

Lilly Hessari receives her award for winning the Chinese Bridge regional competition in San Francisco on May 24; next to her is Zhou Jun, a foreign language and cultures professor from Pacific Lutheran University, one of the competition judges.

WWU student Lilly Hessari from Tehran, Iran, placed first at the San Francisco Consular District 2025 Chinese Proficiency Competition Regional Final for World College Students on May 24.

The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco hosted the competition, also known as the “Chinese Bridge.” Fourteen finalists competed in a comprehensive style format that evaluated language proficiency, cultural understanding, and overall communicative competence. The competition included four segments: Prepared speech, cultural Q&A, talent performance, and a written exam.

In the competition, Hessari showcased her fluency in Mandarin and Chinese culture through a speech themed “Chinese as a Bridge to the World,” nuanced interpretations of Chinese idioms, and a performance of a classical Chinese dance. Hessari also received the highest overall score on the written exam.

“Learning Chinese has opened a new world for me,” Hessari said. “I look forward to representing the U.S. this summer in China and further deepening my understanding of Chinese culture. I hope to serve as a bridge between cultures.” This victory follows her earlier top-prize win at the Washington State Preliminary Round of the 24th Chinese Proficiency Competition for World College Students, held in Tacoma on April 12.

“The Chinese Bridge competition is more than a language contest — it is a profound exercise in cultural exchange and mutual respect,” said Claudia Liu, faculty advisor and instructor of Chinese at Western. “This is a proud moment for WWU. Lilly’s achievements are a testament to the strength of our language programs and the dedication of our students to global learning.”

The Chinese Bridge competition, launched in 2002 and sponsored by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China’s Ministry of Education, has grown into the most influential international contest for university-level Chinese learners. This year’s San Francisco regional final attracted over 100 attendees, including educators, students, and families from more than 20 institutions.

As the San Francisco District Champion, Hessari will represent the region — and Western Washington University — this summer in the Global Finals of the Chinese Bridge competition in China, competing alongside students from more than 100 countries. 

Find out more about the Western Chinese Language program here.