KU News Release

Graduation stories: Coaching, language skills break ice for architecture senior

Grant Chien-Hao Huan

LAWRENCE — When Grant Chien-Hao Huang graduates from the University of Kansas with a master’s of architecture May 17, he will receive cheers of congratulations not only from youngsters he has coached in ice skating but also from children he has taught Mandarin Chinese.

Huang moved to the United States from his home in Taiwan at the age of 12, and he knew he wanted to go to a U.S. college. He didn’t know that he might be going to KU nor that he would be able to help with his college expenses by working as an ice-skating coach and as a teacher of Mandarin Chinese.

Huang had visited the United States every year since age 8, when his mother, Caroline Lu, married his stepfather, Gerald Bernatz of St. Louis. At age 12, his parents arranged for him to move with them to St. Louis in preparation for college. He was fascinated watching figure skaters on television glide across the ice, leaping and and spinning effortlessly. His parents signed him up for lessons. Huang spent five days a week skating. His skill and grace on the ice began to win him acclaim in the St. Louis area. College was on the horizon, so Huang did not pursue athletic competition but did develop professional coaching skills.

After enrolling at KU, which offers reciprocity with Missouri high school graduates interested in architecture, Huang looked for an ice skating rink to stay in shape.

He not only found two rinks in Johnson County but coaching opportunities as well — and another weekend job using his language skills. The parent of an ice-skating student invited Huang to teach conversational Mandarin Chinese to elementary students in Sunday classes.

Huang also has served in leadership roles in KU’s Asian American Student Union, including president, and the Midwest Asian American Student Union.

Huang is hopeful he soon will be working as an architect.

“With the economy the way it is, it is hard for architecture graduates right now,” Huang said.

Last summer Huang had an internship with Ateliar Christian de Portzamparc, an architectural firm in Paris. A $500 study aboard scholarship and his earnings from skating and language lessons helped, he said.

This summer, he plans to visit family in China, making a stop for his first view of the new Beijing and the Olympic stadium, and to visit friends in Japan.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.