Hsu GS '07 makes TV debut in a race around the world

Christina Hsu GS '07 finished her MPA at the Wilson School this spring and decided to put her education to good use in a race around the world for a $1 million prize.

Hsu and her father, Ronald, competed in the 12th edition of CBS' "The Amazing Race," which premiered Sunday night to an American audience of more than 13 million, according to the network.

On the show, 11 pairs of people navigate the globe performing a series of extreme or culturally significant tasks, all while rushing to avoid last place and elimination from the contest.

Hsu, a longtime fan of the show, said she first began to "build a small dream" of appearing on the program several years ago. A 2003 Duke graduate and recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship for studies in China, Hsu wanted to finish her education before going on TV.

"I was going to graduate in 2007, so I decided to put in an application [for the show] early that year," she said.

Teamwork is the biggest key to success in the race, but Hsu said she decided to apply with her father for more than just strategic reasons.

The two had never spent much time together due to Ronald's busy work schedule, she explained, so the show provided an opportunity for some much needed father-daughter time.

" 'The Amazing Race' embodies everything we bond on," she said. "We have two major things in common — first is our love for travel, second thing is the 'Race.' "

Support nonprofit student journalism. Donate to the ‘Prince.’ Donate now »

After being cast, Hsu and her father prepared for the competition by reviewing past episodes and spending more time together to improve their communication. "With any intergenerational team, there's going to be some push and pull" that needs to be worked out, she said.

In the week before the race began, Ronald also tried to teach Christina how to drive a manual-transmission car in case they needed to drive one during the competition. "That was kind of a disaster," she said.

Nevertheless, the Hsus did well in the show's first episode, where the competitors traveled to rural Ireland and rode bicycles across a high-wire suspended above a windy ravine. Ronald pedaled the bike while Christina dangled below to lower their center of gravity and keep the vehicle from falling over.

Later in the show, Christina proved an adept donkey wrangler when teams were forced to lead the animals across a stretch of rocky Irish landscape. The Hsus finished seventh in the episode and avoided elimination.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered to your doorstep or inbox. Subscribe now »

Though the tasks on "Race" often challenge contestants' nerves as much as their intellects, Hsu distinguished herself in the academic sphere before becoming a reality television contestant. In addition to receiving a Fulbright Scholarship, Hsu won a National Security Educational Fellowship during her first year at the Wilson School. The prize allowed her to study relations between the United States, Japan and China while studying in Japan.

She later concentrated in Development Studies at the Wilson School, focusing on Chinese development. For her graduate policy workshop, she examined how China's economic development has affected political and economic relations in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Her policy adviser for that project, Wilson School professor Aaron Friedberg, praised his former pupil. "Christina was a very good student," he said in an email. "[She is] smart, highly motivated and well-organized — all qualities that should serve her well in the real world, as well as on reality TV."

Hsu said the knowledge she acquired at the University has aided her on the show. "The Wilson School is a very culturally competent program," she said, "and more specifically, my language skills helped out. Regardless of the languages I spoke, just being able to go into new situations with confidence helped a lot."

It remains to be seen whether Hsu's talents can help her in the next episode, when the teams will try their hands at fierjeppen, the traditional Dutch sport of pole-vaulting over a canal.

But while Hsu is sworn to secrecy about the competition's outcome, she was quick to gush about her overall experience. "We had an amazing time," she said. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure."