"We spent time learning about business concepts, like, 'What exactly is your market?' and 'How exactly is your product going to be produced?'" he says.
As part of the experience, Cai and his classmates toured factories in Shenzhen, China, to see how products are made, an experience he calls "eye-opening."
"The conditions were pretty bad and made me realize that everyone might not have it as good as you and if you want to go into business, you should try to be ethical about it."
Paying it forward
Of all of Cai's undertakings at Exeter, he cites his most impactful as his work with the School Participatory Action Research Collaborative, or SPARC. With the support of advisers Hannah Hofheinz and Aviva Halani, Cai and 12 group mates studied how students' socioeconomic status effects their experience at Exeter. After collecting data through surveys, focus groups and in-person interviews with his peers, Cai and the other members of SPARC analyzed their findings before presenting to school administrators.
"We found areas where the Academy could improve, like creating more awareness about the different types of financial aid that's available," he says. He said the group found that, regarding class dynamics across campus, students are generally supportive of one another.
Cai says this lower-year experience inspired the other types of extracurricular opportunities he'd pursue, including his work on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion as a member of student council and in his time as the news editor for the school newspaper.
"Whenever there are issues regarding socioeconomic status. I've been quick to work with my writers and editors and assign an article," he says about his work at The Exonian. "It's important to acknowledge financial-aid students' struggles and also their successes."
