Chinese Faculty and Students Visit CSB/SJU

Collegeville, Minn. - Kevin Clancy, a 2000 Saint John's University graduate, Nancy Deng, professor at Zhanjiang Normal College (ZNC) in China and four ZNC students arrived in the United States on Thursday, Jan. 17, to spend three weeks as guests of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University Asian Studies Learning Community, a program funded by the Bush Foundation. Their visit is the culmination of a well-established Asian Studies program at CSB/SJU and Clancy's dream to link the ZNC community with his former community at CSB/SJU.

ZNC is a branch of the Maryknoll Volunteer Program in China. Like many of the volunteers, Clancy joined the volunteer program after participating in CSB/SJU's study abroad programs and receiving an Asian studies minor at CSB/SJU. Determined to connect his China community with the CSB/SJU community, Clancy developed an intercultural communications course at ZNC, and with the help of CSB/SJU communication professors Don Turk and Jeanmarie Cook, established a telecommunications link with the CSB/SJU classes.

Having success with this connection, Clancy aspired to bring some of his Chinese students to the United States and meet their American classmates. With the help of Dave Harrison, recruiter and on-site coordinator of the Maryknoll Volunteer Program, Maryknoll volunteers, ZNC and the CSB/SJU community, Clancy was able to fulfill his dream of bringing the two groups together.

The ZNC group will participate in several CSB/SJU activities during their visit, including the Asian New Year celebration on Feb. 9, sponsored by the CSB/SJU Asia Club.

The Center for International Education at CSB/SJU provides intercultural education experiences for undergraduate students in 14 programs. Each year, more than 400 CSB/SJU students take semesters abroad. CSB/SJU is ranked first in the nation among undergraduate colleges for the number of students studying abroad, according to Open Doors 2001.

The College of Saint Benedict for women and Saint John's University for men are partners in liberal arts education, providing students the opportunity to benefit from the distinctions of not one, but two nationally recognized Catholic, Benedictine, residential undergraduate colleges. Together, the colleges challenge students to live balanced lives of learning, work, leadership and service in a coeducational environment.