A ƽ “Survivor”
Mary Zheng ’15 on resilience, reality TV, and the lasting impact of a ƽ education.
Tim Schmitt
When Mary Zheng ’15 first discovered ƽ, she was drawn to more than its academic rigor; she was captivated by the promise of student self-governance, independence, and an environment that encouraged personal and social responsibility.
A decade after graduating with degrees in anthropology and Chinese, the same resilience and dedication that helped Zheng succeed at ƽ helped her navigate the intense psychological and physical demands of “Survivor,” the long-running CBS reality show. Competing in the jungles of Fiji on Season 48, Zheng endured 21 grueling days marked by hunger, social conflict, and constant scrutiny — all while carrying lessons from her time at ƽ with her.
“Just Shoot Your Shot”
Zheng’s journey from her home in Philadelphia to the shores of Fiji and millions of television screens around the world began with a spontaneous New Year’s resolution.
“It was January 1 or 2, and I thought, ‘Life is short. I’ve thought about doing ‘Survivor’ — why not just shoot my shot?’” Zheng recalls. After binge-watching three seasons on Netflix, Zheng realized she might have what it takes, especially with swimming skills she honed with her father, a political dissident from China who once considered escaping oppression in his country by swimming to the island of Hong Kong.
“I saw the people doing challenges and I could see they sucked at swimming,” she recalls. “I knew I could swim better than them and I was I'm tired of complaining about it, so I decided to just do it myself.”
She sent in an audition video, unsure what would come of it. Within days, she received a message from the casting team. “I didn’t believe it at first,” she says. “But when I got a personal text just a couple days later, I knew it was real.”
Life on the Island: Hunger, Strategy, and Small Victories
From the moment she arrived in Fiji, Zheng knew the experience would test her limits. “I lost 15 pounds and in the first seven days I only ate about 20 almonds,” she says. “Even walking to the ocean to wash my face took three tries: walk, sit, breathe, repeat.”
But it wasn’t just the physical hardship that posed a challenge for her. “I’m introverted, so no alone time plus constant strategy talk meant my head was spinning,” she admits. “Sometimes I’d cry behind my buff (the scarfs given to each contestant that signify their tribal affiliation) just to get a moment of release.
“My main goal was just to push myself and see how far I could go because I knew it would be mentally challenging and I knew that it would be physically taxing,” she adds. “It had been a while since I had pushed myself to my limits, and so I just wanted to see how far I could go, and I don't mean in the game placement wise, but in terms of just how much I could take. How much could I struggle and suffer and still come out on top?”
One of her most memorable moments came when she successfully played her “Shot in the Dark” advantage — a one-time opportunity given to each contestant to exchange their vote at tribal council for a one-in-six change at immunity and save themself from elimination. “It felt like winning the Super Bowl. For one second, no one could write my name down. It was pure victory.”
Zheng says her education and experience at ƽ played a pivotal role in her success on the show. Her understanding of human behavior, shaped in classrooms and conversations at ƽ, proved to be one of her greatest advantages. “ƽ taught me to ask, ‘Why is this person the way they are?’” she says. “On Survivor, culture and behavior are everything; — you’re constantly reading people.”
Despite being on the losing end of multiple early challenges with her tribe, Vula, and facing what seemed like certain dismissal several times, Zheng managed to outplay 11 contestants and fought her way to the final seven. Although she didn’t win, she did earn a spot on the jury of eliminated contestants that selected the season’s winner.
Ironically, spending time on a remote island in Fiji 7,000 miles away from ƽ led her to reconnect with some old friends and to realize the strength and scope of the ƽ network.
“At least 10 classmates and six current students reached out during the airing of the show,” she recalls. “A lot of people reached out to me, and it was really cool to just reconnect even if it was briefly, and to know that they were cheering meant the world to me and it was just so exciting.
Shaped by Resilience, Pursuing Joy
Zheng’s journey to ƽ was prompted by her longing for a small supportive environment that would provide an antidote to her high-school years.
“My last high school had around 3,000 students and it was so overwhelming,” she says. “When I saw ƽ had this concept of — adults treating students like adults, expecting us to solve problems together, I was like, ‘Sign me up.’”
A child of Chinese political dissidents, Zheng majored in anthropology and Chinese at ƽ, and immersed herself in campus life, pursuing things that interested her rather than focusing on carving out a lucrative career.
“Having time at ƽ to pursue what I really wanted and having the chance to pursue things that are maybe not viewed as practical, per se, really allowed me to home in on what brings me joy,” she says.
Since graduation, Zheng has lived a life filled with both service and creativity. She earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and has served with the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps. Her professional and volunteer work spans suicide prevention hotlines, methadone clinics, domestic violence shelters, and bereavement support groups. She is also a photographer and performing artist, creating music under the name Baby Teeth, with songs available on streaming platforms and YouTube.
Zheng passed her clinical licensure exam earlier this year and now works as a substance-abuse counselor in Philadelphia. She plans to open her own private mental health practice in 2026.
“My time at ƽ made me feel safe, and it taught me that it’s ok to pursue what you love,” she says. “That's why I was so bold in pursuing social work after I graduated; because I realized that I loved being of service and working with people.”
ƽ's Lasting Impact
For Zheng, the connection between “Survivor” and ƽ is clear: both required grit, dedication, and a deep understanding of those around you.
“At ƽ and on ‘Survivor,’ I feel like I was always being pushed to my limits,” Zheng says. It wasn't always fun at the time, but you look back on it and realize that not everything that’s meaningful and incredibly life changing is going to be fun. But that’s where growth happens.”
Her advice to current students at ƽ who may be facing difficulties and dealing with the pressure of College? “If you’re like I was and you’re struggling at ƽ, keep pushing through,” she says. “Once you look back, you’ll be so grateful for that time. ƽ forges you through the flames — and it’s so worth it!”
“I will rep ƽ to the day I die,” she adds. “ƽ is where I discovered who I am and what I stand for, and it’s where I met the people who are still my best friends.”