General Information

Leading Instructor: Su Rui/Susan Butler

My Passion For Students

I went to China with thirteen K-12 educators for the 35-day in-country study in 2000, which was sponsored by the Fulbright Hays Scholarship. We visited major cities, countryside, elementary schools, middle schools, prestigious universities, and attractive sightseeing. It was a life long experience for us because the educational tour was very well organized, and the fascinating culture in China also played an important role. I was able to take care of my group because of my language ability, and the passion to be an ambassador to connect both countries. 

When I first mentioned the idea that I would like to bring my students to China for the educational tour, the reactions from my students were very positive. I started to write a proposal, choose cities, write itineraries, and details of the trip last year. In August this summer, my husband and I went to China for over a month to visit my family. 80% of my family members are professors in China, and they support me to complete my plan thoroughly. With their help, I was able to meet officials from different universities to set up the plan for 2003’s trip. Some of them I knew from the 2000’s trip, and they are very happy to welcome me with my students in 2003. After we came back from China, I felt confident about the detailed tour. I am going to bring my students to go to China. 

I checked my 'to-do-list,' there were overseas insurance, financial support, information dissemination, promotions, and etc.  How can I finish those things on time?  Luckily, Sue Curtin, Supervisor of Liberal Arts Tutoring Center, and Larry Gamboa, Manager of Continuing Education and Distance Learning, have also seen the long-term benefits for both students and school-to-school exchange programs.  We have had lots of 'discussions and actions' to make this great project happen since then.  Sue and I were working on details during the Thanksgiving holiday.

We plan to set this program up annually, and anyone who has taken Chinese classes from English/Foreign Languages Department or basic Chinese from Continuing Education, which offers non-credit class, may apply for this Educational trip.  Our SCC China Study Abroad Program enables participants to increase their awareness of the Chinese Language and Culture through classroom activities; interact with native Chinese speakers in an authentic environment; gain field experiences in authentic settings throughout China. 

It will be the first time that SCC offers this unique opportunity to discover the Asian country, and our faculty members are welcome to GO to China with me.  There was no money to start this program, and we would like to get as much help financially as we could.

My warm thanks go to Sharon Kelly for her openness and encouragement to me, and I would love to invite her to China.