Texas Southern University students will learn Mandarin, participate in study abroad and exchange programs, and register for courses of study related to Asian/Chinese History, Chinese Literature in Translation, Study of Houston International Communities, The Chinese Community in Texas, and Chinese Language. When the Confucius Institute officially opens on campus it will usher in this new partnership with Beijing Jiaotong University, the premiere technology university in China, and will be marked with a three-day celebration, April 10 - 12.
The celebration begins Wednesday, April 10th with a Confucius Campus Kick-off beginning at noon. The kick-off will be complete with a Chinese Dragon Parade featuring the Ocean of Soul Band on the Tiger Walk, A Taste of China with refreshments for students in front of the Student Center, remarks from Dean Danille Taylor, vice-chair, Confucius Institute and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences.
The afternoon will continue with student activities/performances from 1 to 2:30 p.m. There will be a Shaolin Kung Fu performance from 2:30 to 3 p.m. followed by a prize drawing and Chinese Film Festival, Hero, featuring Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung.
On Thursday, April 11th, TSU’s Drum Corp will perform during the Lion Dance Parade on the Tiger Walk starting at noon. There will be more student activities/performances from 1 to 2:30 p.m. followed by a T’ai Chi Ch’uan Performance. A second Chinese Film Festival, this time Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon featuring Yun-Fat Chow, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi.
The grand opening ceremony Friday, April 12th will include a Continental breakfast at 8 a.m., Plenary opening session from 8:30 to 9:20 a.m., Breakout sessions from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m., Plenary concluding session from 10:30 to 11 a.m., lunch in the President’s Lounge from 11:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Opening Ceremony featuring President Rudley and Dean Taylor from 1 to 3 p.m. and the Opening Ceremony Reception from 3 to 4 p.m.
“Texas Southern students will be able to access and engage in many unique opportunities and activities provided by the Confucius Institute, and students will be able to access the international experience opportunities of its partner institution in China,” President Rudley explained.
Already one of the most diverse universities in the nation, TSU is proactively expanding efforts in Asian studies in a number of areas. “We are seeing an increased Asian enrollment at the university, and more importantly, there is an increased interest in all of our students for more academic opportunities in international programs,” the president expressed.
The partnership between the Confucius Institute and Texas Southern has the full support of TSU’s Board of Regents. President Rudley met last summer to finalize the agreement with the leadership of Beijing Jiatong University and the HanBan Institute, the Chinese government organization that oversees the Confucius Institutes worldwide.
The Confucius Institute at Texas Southern is the only one in Houston and one of only four in Texas.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Thursday, April 4th 2013 at 4:23PM
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