New York Governor Paterson announced yesterday that twenty-two SUNY campuses, including Monroe Community College, are opening their doors for the next year to 150 Chinese undergraduate students from the Sichuan Province of western China, site of a massive earthquake in May.
MCC faculty, including Suzanne El Rayess (ESOL and Foreign Languages), are already connecting with the three students from China who plan to attend MCC this fall.
The students will study for two semesters as full-time students at their assigned SUNY college. The goal of the program is to build a team of young leaders based on their common experiences in the U.S. When they return to China, the students will help re-build the local economy and infrastructure in the region the earthquake impacted. Each student has committed to return to China upon completion of the program and serve in the Sichuan rebuilding effort.
“On behalf of all New Yorkers, we are pleased to welcome these students to our State University system and to ensure that there is no interruption in their college studies despite the tragic natural disaster that hit Chengdu in May,” said Governor Paterson. “SUNY will provide these students with valuable leadership training which will help prepare them to return to China to assist with rebuilding efforts and the aftermath of the Earthquake. SUNY’s deep educational ties with China allow our state university campuses to play a global role – and to be at the forefront of international educational experiences.”
“SUNY has been collaborating with Chinese universities for more than 25 years,” said Interim Chancellor Dr. John B. Clark. “I commend Governor Paterson for his support of China 150 and thank each of the SUNY campuses for their participation in this most important international initiative.”
To read more, please click on the link below
https://www.suny.edu/sunyNews/News.cfm?filname=2008-07-31%20final%20China%20150.htm
Rosanna Condello
College and Community Relations
08/01/2008 |