NNU held ribbon cutting ceremony for Center on Chinese Studies

NNU held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Center for Chinese Studies March 19. NNU students have been taking language and culture classes from two visiting professors, Jing (Jenny) Chen and Lixia (Lisia) Shen, who will be faculty members for at least the next two years.

Approximately two years ago, NNU and China’s Northwest University, in Xian, Shaanxi Province, applied for the opportunity to teach these courses at NNU. Vice President for International Studies Changan Li was present to assist Dr. David Alexander in the ribbon cutting ceremony, which was held in the atrium of College Church of the Nazarene.

“We are pleased to be offering courses to our students that will prepare them to live in an ever-shrinking world,” said Eric Kellerer, director of international relations. “With Mandarin Chinese being the native language of one-fifth of the people on our planet, it makes good economic and community sense for us to learn to communicate with our neighbors across the Pacific.”

In addition to the ribbon cutting, NNU students from these classes shared a presentation in Mandarin, and members of the Boise Chinese Association performed traditional dances.

To learn more about NNU’s Center for Chinese Studies, visit nnu.edu/chinesestudies or call (208) 467-8510.