XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE NEWS
Volume 1, Issue 1
Xavier University of Louisiana
Confucius
Institute
News
XAVIER SUMMER CAMP STUDENTS ON THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA
Faculty and Student Exchange Focus of
Hebei University Visit to Xavier
Professor Wang Peiguang, Vice President of
Hebei University, the partner school of Xavier
University of Louisiana, led a three-person
delegation to Xavier’s campus on May 15 and
16, 2013. He was hosted by Dr. Marguerite
Giguette, Associate Vice President for
Academic Affairs at Xavier University. During
the visit, Professor Wang Peiguang emphasized
that Hebei University administrators are highly
supportive of the development of Xavier’s
Confucius Institute. He further mentioned that
his school has started to construct a state of the
art library on the HBU new campus, and would
like to have spaces reserved for showcasing the
achievements of Xavier and the Confucius
Institute.
Dr. Giguette praised the significant progress
that the Confucius Institute has made, with
increased Mandarin course enrollment, the
highly successful collaboration between Xavier
and HBU that includes the possibility of mutual
recognition of credit courses, a 2 + 2 degree
model, and logistics such as tuition, travel, and
lodging. The Chinese New Year celebration, the
China-themed Business Week, and several
community outreach presentations that drew
very large crowds were presented. Both schools
recognized the various strengths that both
universities have that enhance and complement
each other. It was agreed that the latter part of
October, 2013 will be the optimal time to hold
the second Confucius Institute Board of
Directors meeting on Xavier’s campus.
Professor Wang Peiguang was joined by
Professor Feng Jun, Director of the Human
Resources
Department,
and
Associate
Professor Liang Weige, Head of the Foreign
Affairs Division, Office of International
Cooperation and Exchange. From Xavier, Dr.
Kathleen Kennedy, Dean of the College of
Pharmacy, Dr. Rosalind Hale, Chair of the
Division of Education, Dr. Yu Jiang, Director of
the Confucius Institute, Professor Rongyao
Wen, the Associate Director from HBU,
Professor Ron Bechet, Chair of the Art
Department, Dr. Tim Turner, Chair of the Music
Department, Mr. Torian Lee, Director of the
Center for Intercultural and International
Programs, and Ms. MaPo Kinnord-Payton,
Associate Professor of Art, attended the various
meetings.
U
IN THIS ISSUE
Hebei University Visits Xavier
1
Chinese New Year Celebration
2
China Business Week
2
Excellent Debut at Chinese Bridge Contest
3
CI Draws Crowd at the Children's Museum
4
Chinese Culture Impresses USDA Scientists
4
A Fruitful Trip – China Summer Camp
5
Confucius Institute Hosts Art Colloquium
6
Nanchang and Xavier Joint Concert
6
CI Sponsored Asian Festival Children’s Tent
7
Mandarin Courses at Xavier
8
Confucius Institute Future Events
8
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Xavier University of Louisiana Impacts
Community through a Grand Chinese New
Year Celebration
Xavier University of Louisiana, through its
Confucius Institute, hosted a grand Chinese
New Year celebration for members of the
Xavier and the Greater New Orleans
community. This event was held on February
15, 2013 in the University Center Mary and
William McCaffrey Ballroom.
Over 400 Xavier University students, faculty,
and staff, and friends from different ethnic
groups in the New Orleans area joined this
celebration and welcomed the arrival of Spring,
2013.
Xavier University Senior Vice President for
Academic Affairs, Dr. Loren Blanchard, offered
his opening remarks and recalled how Xavier
was able to establish the first Confucius
Institute among America’s Historically Black
Colleges and Universities and the first in the
State of Louisiana.
As the first celebration of the Chinese New Year
on the Xavier campus, this event consisted of
three parts: Chinese cultural activities, Chinese
food, and performances with Chinese folk
music, poem recitations, and dances.
The celebration engaged everyone who
attended. The many activities included writing
spring couplets, championship gongs, lantern
riddles, using chopsticks, paper coloring, table
tennis, and shuttlecock kicking. Guests of the
celebration were amazed at the variety of the
activities.
With the highly successful celebration of the
Chinese New Year on Xavier’s campus, the
University established a closer bond with the
surrounding community and, particularly with
the Asian/Chinese community. By showcasing
the variety and beauty of Chinese culture and
history, Xavier also laid a solid foundation for
the Confucius Institute to further promote
Chinese language teaching on campus in the
future.
In short, the Chinese New Year celebration
marked an auspicious start for the Xavier
University of Louisiana Confucius Institute in
2013.
China Business Week
Xavier’s Division of Business and Confucius
Institute co-hosted the 2013 Business Week that
featured discussions and programs focusing on
Chinese business, culture and history. The Week
kicked off on the UC yard with music,
calligraphy, and Chinese food on March 18.
Karl Turner, President and Founder of
A La Carte Specialty Foods, shared his
trade experience in China during
Xavier’s Business Week
The highlight of the China Business Week was a
lecture by Karl Turner, president and founder of
A La Carter Specialty Foods. Mr. Turner shared
his thoughts on business etiquette in China,
including the concept of harmonious
relationships (duty, respect, and loyalty) and
aversion to conflict and maintenance of
demeanor as advocated by Confucius.
thus a fitting end to an inspiring presentation by
Mr. Turner.
The 2013 Xavier Spring Business Week and Karl
Turner’s talk in particular, increased the profile
of Xavier’s Division of Business and Confucius
Institute on campus and in the community. It
also showed the importance of studying the
Chinese language, its culture, and economic
development for student career development.
Below: Leonard Clay, a Confucius Institute Ambassador, won
a raffle prize for Business Week, a Google Nexus tablet
Toward the end of Mr. Turner’s talk, raffle
prizes were awarded to the audience, including
the top prize: a 16 GB Google Nexus 7 tablet
that was claimed by a Xavier student, who also
happened to be studying Mandarin Chinese,
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE NEWS
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CHINESE BRIDGE CONTEST
Sarauniya Zulu earning third place at the Houston
Chinese Bridge Contest. At right is her Mandarin
teacher, Ms. Nina Jing.
From left: Confucius Institute Associate Director
Professor Rongyao Wen, Xavier college student
Briana Edwards, International High School student
Sarauniya Zulu, and International High School
Mandarin teacher Nina Jing.
3
Briana Edwards from Xavier
University of Louisiana and
Sarauniya Zulu from the
International High School
represented Louisiana students at
the Chinese Bridge Contest in
Houston.
Excellent Debut of Xavier Confucius Institute at Houston
“Chinese Bridge” Contest
The Xavier University of Louisiana Confucius Institute made a successful debut at the
Houston Consulate District Chinese Bridge Preliminary Contest on April 21. The contest,
entitled the 12th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College
Students, and the 6th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign
Secondary School Students, drew 31 non-ethnic Chinese college and secondary school
students from 16 Confucius Institutes within the Consulate District. Xavier’s two
representatives were the first students to be sent by Xavier’s Confucius Institute, which
opened in October 2012. Xavier’s Chinese Director Rongyao Wen, a professor from Hebei
University, led the two young students, who excelled at the competition and drew
applauses from both judges and the audience.
Briana Edwards, a student from the Xavier University Confucius Institute, was the focus of
attention among many reporters with her red Chinese qipao. Using her own Mandarinlearning experience, Edwards’s lecture on “My Love with China” deeply touched the
audience. Judges and the audience marveled at her beautiful peacock dancing, too. In the
words of Edwards herself, this competition “opened my eyes, and I matured!”
PARTICIPATE CHINESE BRIDGE CONTEST
Xavier University of Louisiana will organize a state
Chinese Bridge Contest each year and select winners
to participate in the regional contest in Houston. For
more information, email us at [email protected] or
call 504-520-7237
Sarauniya N. Zulu represented Louisiana secondary school students. “You Can Win, Only If
You Work Hard” was the title of her opening speech. Indeed, a hard-working spirit was the
theme of her entire contest. Her speech was well-paced, and her accent perfect.
Afterwards, the audience gave Ms. Zulu a standing ovation for her brilliant stilts
performance. Ms. Zulu won third prize, an excellent achievement.
By participating in the Houston contest, the Xavier University Confucius Institute
showcased the motivation and multifaceted talents of college and secondary school
students from Louisiana who aspire to learn the richness of Chinese history and culture.
.
Below: China Summer Camp Students in Beijing
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE NEWS
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Xavier University Confucius Institute Presentation
of China the Most Popular at the Louisiana
Children’s Museum’s World’s Fair
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“Let’s Go to China!”
On May 11, 2013, the Louisiana Children’s Museum in New Orleans
th
welcomed a highly popular event among kids, the 14 World’s Fair
that saw nearly 1,000 visitors. Representatives from the local
community presented eight countries, including China, Argentina,
Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Monaco, Panama, and Vietnam. Xavier
University of Louisiana Confucius Institute, in collaboration with Ms.
Sandra Pierre-Kazi, President and CEO of Worldwide Concepts
Vacations, showcased China.
The first ever presentation of China at the Children’s Museum by the
Institute turned to be the most popular. The China hall was
characterized by its large space, distinctive Chinese culture, and
abundant kids-friendly activities. When one stepped into the China
hall, one was faced with uniquely “Chinese auspicious reds”: the
brilliantly red five-star national flag, the large red lanterns all across
the hall, the Chinese dragons lining up at the entrance, and the red
qipao robe dressed by Confucius Institute staff. The Xavier University
Confucius Institute banner was prominently hung above the entrance.
The China hall was filled with a variety of programs: paper making
demonstration, ink painting and calligraphy show, water writing
paper, Chinese transliteration of English names, Chinese naming on
bookmarks, Chinese abacus competition, lantern making, fan coloring,
Mandarin Chinese touching and learning, Chinese theatrical art
appreciation, mask wearing, and power-generating bicycling.
th
The 14 World’s Fair by the Louisiana Children’s Museum ended at
5pm in the afternoon. Marveling at the wonderful success in the China
hall, the Director of the Museum, Julia Bland, gave the Confucius
Institute staff a huge hug: THANK YOU ALL! THANK YOU CHINA!
Chinese Culture Impressed Scientists at
USDA’s Agricultural Research Services
Invited by Dr. H. N. Cheng, Chair of the Asian Pacific American Heritage
Month Committee at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Services (ARS) in
New Orleans, the Confucius Institute celebrated the historical
achievements of China in front of an audience of over 80 scientists on May
21, 2013.
Dr. Yu Jiang, Director of the Xavier Confucius Institute, presented the
mission, developmental goals, and the many community outreach services
that the Institute offers to the Greater New Orleans Region.
Professor Rongyao Wen discussed China’s Higher Education system by
using Hebei University as a case study. Professor Hu Jingwu, a visiting art
faculty member from Hebei University, outlined the different approaches
between Chinese and Western traditional artistic practices. Using the Four
Treasures of the Chinese Studio, namely brush, ink, paper, and ink stone,
Professor Hu demonstrated the variety that the Chinese brush brings to
the paper media by painting landscapes, bamboos and rocks, and Chinese
calligraphy.
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CHINA SUMMER CAMP ACTIVITIES
At the Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters in Beijing
Learning paper cutting at HBU camp
A Fruitful Trip – China Summer Camp
The first year of the Xavier Confucius Institute (CI) Summer Camp in China was extremely successful. A
group of nine students, led by Ms. Shu Peng, the CI Administrative Specialist, and Dr. Lori Crawford, a
faculty member from the College of Pharmacy, attended the camp at Hebei University and in Beijing
from May 15 to May 29. They were joined by Mr. Gang Wang, the Confucius Institute Mandarin
instructor. The students, who all studied Mandarin at Xavier, came from various disciplines including
chemistry, biology, pharmacy, education, music, and political science. Everyone returned with talking
about eye opening experiences and wonderful memories.
Busy Schedule, Rich Program
Students tried out various Peking Opera costumes
In this camp, students learned paper cutting, Chinese calligraphy and painting, tea culture, Peking opera,
Chinese folk music, and Taichi. They also visited local hospitals and pharmacies, a Han Dynasty royal
tomb in Hebei, a historic Zhili Provincial Governor's Office and a famous solar power manufacturer. Dr.
Crawford and two pharmacy students visited the Traditional Chinese Medicine hospital and the herb
market. The group left Hebei on May 26 and spent 3 days in Beijing. There they visited the Great Wall of
China, the Forbidden City, the Beijing Zoo, and the Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters.
A Great Success
The trip was a tremendous experience for all the students. Every one enjoyed the entire trip and learned
quite a lot about China and Chinese culture. They were so glad to see the true picture of China. This trip
increased the students’ interest in further exploring Chinese culture and learning Mandarin. Some
students expressed strong interest in obtaining a Confucius Institute scholarship to study in China for a
year. Several students wanted to take an Advanced Mandarin class this fall.
Interacting with HBU students at the HBU English Corner
STUDY MANDARIN AT XAVIER
Xavier offers Mandarin classes throughout the year.
Registered Xavier students are eligible to take Mandarin
and enroll in Confucius Institute programs such as the
China Club and the China Summer Camp.
Dr. Crawford met with the staff from the HBU College of Pharmacy, the College of Chinese Medicine and
the local Chinese Medicine Hospital about future research and teaching collaboration and student
rotation opportunities.
Overall, this was a productive trip and a successful beginning of summer cultural camps that will be
sponsored by the Xavier Confucius Institute in the years to come.
To view the details of this trip, please visit http://www.xula.edu/confucius/news.php.
Beautiful HBU campus
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Nanchang and Xavier Joint Concert a Wonderful Feat
Friday April 19, 2013 was a wonderful day for the citizens of
the Greater New Orleans Region in as Nanchang University
from China and Xavier University of Louisiana showcased
the essence of Chinese folk songs, instrumental music,
theatrical art, dancing, and New Orleans jazz.
The Xavier University of Louisiana Confucius Institute was
the final stop of the six-performance Nanchang University
tour in the U.S. Xavier President Dr. Norman C. Francis and
Nanchang University Vice President Huang Yun blessed
the occasion at the beginning with welcoming remarks.
The 320-seat Xavier University Mary & William McCaffrey
Ballroom was filled to capacity with members of both the
Xavier campus and the surrounding communities.
The audiences were very impressed by the beauty of both
the Chinese and New Orleans music, and the talents of
Nanchang and Xavier University faculty and students.
“Marvelous,” “great,” “splendid” were some of the words
that concert attendees used when they unanimously
praised the concert. In the words of
Vice President Huang Yun, the Xavier concert was the best
of Nanchang’s whole tour.
Xavier Confucius Institute Hosts Chinese and African Art Colloquium
The presentation of Chinese and African art in western museums should be multi-layered, using a variety of exhibition
approaches and methods to engage the visitors. This was the consensus among top experts from the New Orleans,
Louisiana region at the colloquium hosted by Xavier University of Louisiana Confucius Institute on May 9, 2013. Entitled
“Enjoying Chinese and African Art,” the colloquium focused on how best to exhibit Chinese and African art, especially
spiritual works, in western museums, so that the audience will not only learn – the mission of a museum – but also have fun.
The colloquium brought together a stellar panel of experts, including Dr. Yu Jiang, Director of the Xavier Confucius
Institute, and Dr. Mora Beauchamp-Byrd and MaPo Kinnord-Payton, both art faculty members at Xavier; Lisa RotondoMcCord, Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs & Curator of Asian Art, and Bill Fagaly, Curator of African Art, at the New
Orleans Museum of Art; and Dr. David Riep, a Museum Studies professor from Southern University at New Orleans.
In the afternoon, Rotondo-McCord, Jiang, Fagaly, and Jingwu Hu, a visiting art faculty member from Hebei University, gave
the audience a tour of the Chinese and African art collections at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Through this colloquium,
the Confucius Institute at Xavier created a dialogue among top local experts on Chinese and African art. By investigating
contextual meaning of art and their interpretation and presentation in museums, the colloquium enhanced people’s
understanding of the sociopolitical functions of these artworks.
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Xavier Confucius Institute-Sponsored
Children’s Tent the Best Ever
7
Xavier University of Louisiana Confucius Institute was in charge of
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the Children’s Tent at the 34 Annual Asian Heritage Festival, held
at the Audubon Zoo, in New Orleans on Saturday May 25, 2013.
The Children’s Tent was located in an excellent position. Any visitor
to the festival could easily see the large 5 by 10 feet Confucius
Institute banner at the front of the tent. The tent was decorated
with beautiful red lanterns sent by Hanban in 2012, with the
Chinese Spring Festival banner and a Confucius banner serving as backdrops and reminding visitors when the Institute opened: October
2012.
On the other side of the tent was a prize wheel, which faced the central performance stage of the festival. Many children and adults
were interested in spinning the prize wheel in order to win some Chinese souvenirs. The wheel itself had 18 questions, including six
hexagrams (of the 64 hexagrams from the Book of Changes), three zodiac years, five map questions about China, and four Chinese
character deciphering. Inside the tent, there were Chinese abacus demonstrations and learning, dragon mask coloring, paper folding,
Chinese painting and calligraphic demonstrations, writing Chinese characters using water paper, and models of the Great Wall,
Tian’anmen Square, and a Chinese traditional courtyard.
Children and parents waited in long lines asking Professor Jingwu Hu, a visiting art faculty member from Hebei University, to paint their
newly-purchased paper umbrellas, or write their names in Chinese. Kids enjoyed the composition, line quality, and balance of Chinese
painting and calligraphy. As the Confucius Institute was among the sponsors of the Asian Heritage Festival, another 4 by 10 feet Institute
banner was placed prominently above the central stage. An image of the Institute plaque is constantly featured on the Asian
Pacific/American Society homepage, too. The Children’s Tent was a huge success, with many kids and parents frequenting the tent and
experiencing Chinese culture. With an enormous sense of pride, the Institute staff was exhausted, albeit very happily, toward the end of
the festival, after hosting at least 800 visitors to the tent.
According to Ms. Sun Kim, the Asian Festival Event Coordinator and past President of the Asian Pacific/American Society that organized
the festival, “All day long many children and their parents came to the tent and they all had a great time learning about Asia and the
Confucius institute. I received many good comments about the children's tent and it was the best Children's Tent we've ever had.”
Another community leader, Ms. Li Li (Vice Chair of APAS) observed the Children’s Tent as “the busiest and most crowded tent” at the
festival. It “attracted a lot of children and young adults by all kinds of fun stuff” that the Confucius Institute team designed. “Children
not only played but also learned about Chinese calligraphy and painting arts, Peking opera masks, abacus and some famous places in
China.” Li Li congratulated the Institute: “Your professional works impressed everybody and made our event even more successful!”
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Mandarin Courses at Xavier:
STUDY MANDARIN AT XAVIER
Currently we are offering two Mandarin Courses open to registered XULA students:
Elementary Mandarin – MDRN 1010-01
TR 10:50am - 12:05pm
Elementary Mandarin - MDRN 1020-01
TR 2:40pm - 3:55pm
Course Description:
This course is ideal for students without any Chinese language
background.
It aims to help the learners with their communicative ability in Chinese
through learning language structures, functions, and related cultural
background knowledge as well as through structured listening, speaking,
reading and writing skill training.
Course Description:
This course is ideal for students who have completed MDRN 1010 or have
studied Chinese for at least one semester. It aims to help the learners
further enhance their communicative ability in Chinese through learning
language structures, functions, and related cultural background
knowledge as well as through structured listening, speaking, reading and
writing skill training.
Required Course Texts:
1. New Practical Chinese Reader 1 Student's book 2nd edition with mp3
Publisher: Beijing Language and Culture University Press; 2nd edition
(2010)
ISBN-10: 7561926235
Required Course Texts:
1. New Practical Chinese Reader 1 Student's book 2nd edition with mp3
Publisher: Beijing Language and Culture University Press; 2nd edition
(2010)
ISBN-10: 7561926235
2. New Practical Chinese Reader Vol. 1 Workbook 2nd Edition With MP3
Publisher: Beijing Language and Culture University Press; 2nd edition
(2010)
ISBN-10: 7561926227
2. New Practical Chinese Reader Vol. 1 Workbook 2nd Edition With MP3
Publisher: Beijing Language and Culture University Press; 2nd edition
(2010)
ISBN-10: 7561926227
In the future, we will also offer Chinese language courses as well as cultural courses to the community at different levels. Please check our website for updates.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE EVENTS:
September 5, –Study Abroad Info Sessions –UC
……Find out how you can get scholarship to study in China!
September 20, Friday -Mid-Autumn Festival –UC Ballroom
……Come celebrate with us and enjoy games and prizes!
For more information and future events, visit us at http://www.xula.edu/confucius
Xavier University of Louisiana
Confucius
Institute
News
Our Mission
Xavier University of Louisiana Confucius Institute, in partnering with
Hebei University in China, is the first Confucius Institute among the
nation’s HBCUs and in the State of Louisiana. The Confucius Institute
helps prepare students to become global leaders, and to teach Chinese
language, culture, and economic development courses to Xavier students
and the surrounding communities, including local groups, government
agencies, and businesses. It also aims to facilitate research activities in
the above areas and promote increased understanding between the
United States and China.
1 Drexel Drive
New Orleans, LA 70125
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