Cheer Pan

New year. New title. The Year of the Fire Horse begins — and here I am, newly Dr. Pan, standing in front of a symbol of courage. Strength. Resilience. Forward motion. The timing feels symbolic. The journey feels humbling. Grateful for the village that made this possible. Ready for the next chapter. #uscalumni #ArtsEducation #culturalheritage #yearofthehorse #gratitude

Today I embark on a new journey in life. My hope is to become a leader who understands the importance of appreciating culture diversity, preserving our heritage and promoting art education when serving my community; a leader who can lead with love, passion and compassion. I also hope that I will still have hair when I finish the program! Wish me luck! #usc #uscrossier #doctoralstudent #backtoschool #convocation #blessedandgrateful

What an amazing weekend spent at the USC Rossier School of Education! Meeting my cohort and the faculty for the first time in person was nerve-racking but by the end of the first day, I knew that I was in the right program with the right people. We all traveled different paths in life to meet here for many different reasons but we share at least one thing in common - we believe in ourselves that we can make changes in this world! #fighton✌️

Inspiring 24 hours in San Francisco with our partners as we work toward expanding our meaningful @thinktogether programs. Bringing the arts to more deserving students and collaborating with phenomenal colleagues in the Bay Area!

Feeling truly honored and humbled to receive recognition from Irvine Valley College’s ELEVATE AAPI Program as a community partner at their end-of-year celebration. What began as a conversation and a few ideas has become such an unexpected and meaningful journey. From having students perform at the Lunar New Year celebration, to joining the Great Park parade, to being trained as dragon dance teachers and bringing East Asian cultural dance into Paramount schools — this partnership has grown in ways I could not have imagined at the beginning. A heartfelt thank you to the leadership of ELEVATE and IVC, especially Dr. Deejay Santiago and the leadership team, for being so open-minded and welcoming toward ideas that were sometimes unconventional. It takes real vision to say yes to something new before it is fully formed, and I am deeply grateful for the trust and space to explore what this partnership could become. And to Vivian and Riley — thank you🩷Although you were the ones who nominated me for this recognition, I feel I should be the one thanking you. Your support, trust, and willingness to step into each new opportunity helped turn these ideas into something real. What moved me the most is that I was once where many of these students are now — trying to find my voice, trying to understand where I belonged, and learning how to carry my culture in a world that did not always know how to see it. At their age, I never could have imagined that the very thing that once made me feel different would one day become the center of my life’s work. That is why seeing these students step into spaces with confidence, support, and community means so much to me. With the resources, mentorship, and sense of belonging that ELEVATE has created for them, I have no doubt that when they reach my age, they will not simply be following the paths we tried to open. They will be standing on higher ground — seeing further, reaching wider, and building futures that many of us could only dream of. ❤️

My dad gave me a birthday present, except it’s not my birthday #huaweimatebookfold #父爱如山

Can I discuss USC OCL 24 Cohort Mate Cheer Pan for just a minute? Our dissertation Chair Dr. Hasan suggests we work together bringing her work bringing Cultural Dance systemically as core curriculum to higher education B.F.A. Dance programs with mine in Design Instinct Learning looking at the role of a B.F.A. in Graphic Design across the lifespan. Just Google her! @cheerpan @pacda_dance @chinesedancecompany @taoliworld

Another surprise that truly touched my heart—walking into rehearsal yesterday and being greeted by the sweetest celebration from our dancers and their parents. I thanked them because my doctoral degree isn’t mine alone—it belongs to all of us. I couldn’t have done it without their support, patience, and their belief in me. What meant the most were the personal notes the dancers wrote for me—words I’ll treasure for a lifetime. So much love for this beautiful community we’ve built together.

One of the sweetest surprises today—seeing dear friends who have been part of my journey since the very beginning. We first met when their eldest daughter joined my class at age five, then their second followed, and over the years, our connection grew into something that feels like family. Grateful for friendships that have grown with time, and for the quiet, steady presence of people who believe in you long before you believe in yourself.

Came home to the kindest surprise — two beautiful arrangements from my beautiful friends @melyao Melody and @marleenabarber Marleena. The last three years have been completely occupied by school, and I haven’t had much time to spend with friends. Now that it’s all wrapped up, I’m so ready to reconnect and just be present again. Really grateful for the ones who’ve been patient and constant through it all.

Opened this card from my god sister Doris on graduation day… She wrote, “Never thought I’d be calling you Dr. Pan.” Honestly? Same. But here we are! So grateful for the friends and family who’ve cheered me on every step of the way. Love you, 小多

After working a long weekend, my friend Johnson still took the time to drop off a graduation gift. It caught me off guard—in the best way. I met Johnson because of @pacda_dance PACDA’s very first event in 2015. It’s been 10 years of showing up, capturing moments, and believing in the vision—sometimes more than I believed in it myself. His support has never been loud or showy, but it’s been there—steady, generous, and always heartfelt. I’m deeply thankful for friends like him who remind me that I’ve never walked this path alone. #Gratitude #SupportSystem #GraduationMoments