Spring Arbor University to offer course in Mandarin Chinese
By Leanne Smith
Learn Chinese in 5 Minutes: www.learnchinesein5minutes.com
Spring Arbor University will become the Jackson area's first college or university to offer a formal on-campus course in Mandarin Chinese when a new class in the language begins in early February.
The course is part of the university's initiative to become more global in its offerings to help students expand their opportunities after graduation, said Carla Koontz, chairwoman of the university's international initiatives committee and assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies and education.
"We are pretty excited about this," Koontz said. "We are looking to develop a minor here in Chinese language and culture, and this is the first step."
The program also will enhance the international business major and minor programs Spring Arbor will add to its undergraduate curriculum next fall, she said.
When the 3-credit course starts will depend on the arrival of the teacher, Li Lifang, an instructor at China's Wuhan University of Technology.
The class, which will meet from 3:50 to 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through April, is open to all students and area residents interested in learning conversational Mandarin Chinese, Koontz said.
"It's a beginning course, so it's appropriate for those who have studied Chinese in the past and for those who have never spoken a word before," she said.
Joel Marquart, a 23-year-old SAU senior and psychology major, already has signed up for the class.
"I'm pretty excited about it," he said. "Opportunities in China are greatly expanding, and this language is becoming more popular and widespread. I'll be able to further my language skills and maybe have an opportunity to go to China to teach English there if I want."
Teaching English as a second language in China is a viable job opportunity for people with Chinese language skills, Koontz said.
China, as a nation and people, also is the largest player among emerging economies, so the class could be important for business students, said Troy Peterson, SAU's director of international student services.
"The world is increasingly becoming competitive on a global scale," Peterson said.
Wuhan University of Technology, in Hubei Pronvince in eastern China, has sent instructors to Spring Arbor University for about eight years to teach an introductory class in Chinese culture and language.
"I took that class," Marquart said. "It was challenging, and I loved it. I just wanted more, so this new class is going to be great. Chinese is the language for me."
The Mandarin Chinese class is an expansion of the university's agreement with Wuhan and another way Spring Arbor can introduce different cultures to its students, Koontz said.
"We try to influence our students to think globally and hopefully that will stick with them the rest of their lives," Koontz said.
"The benefit of learning about different world views goes beyond what they learn here."
