BR greets 11 from China
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The Chinese flag flew alongside Old Glory on Thursday outside City Hall in honor of LSU’s new partnership with Disney International Programs and the visiting college students from China.
The 11 Beijing students at LSU even received “honorary mayor-president” certificates on Thursday from Mayor Kip Holden’s Office.
“It’s incredible — such a high ceremony we can get from the government here,” said Wang Chen, who prefers to go by Bob.
But what the trip really represents is a complement to LSU’s China Initiative and the beginning of a new LSU relationship with Disney, which brings international students worldwide to learn and work at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
Part of the experience also involves international students spending time and learning at select universities, which now includes LSU.
“For most of them, this is their first time in America,” said LSU kinesiology instructor Katherine Hill, who is teaching the Chinese students during their few weeks at LSU.
“One of our main motivations for this was they’d have such a good time here, they might come back to LSU to get advanced degrees,” Hill said.
Indeed, about 250 students from China attend LSU per year, many of them coming as graduate students.
LSU hopes to expand the Disney program to Brazil next year.
Zhao Xue, who goes by Emily, said her newfound love of Baton Rouge and LSU has convinced her she wants to return eventually for her master’s degree.
Like with most of the students, this is their first time in the U.S.
“Everything’s new for me,” Xue said, noting that they have already taken a swamp tour, visited the French Quarter and eaten Louisiana oysters and crawfish. “It’s exciting. I’m curious about everything.”
Chen said he cannot get over how friendly people are in Louisiana, always smiling and greeting them.
The 11 students live in LSU’s East Campus Apartments. Their mornings are spent in English language orientation programs and afternoons in kinesiology coursework in their fields of interest, including athletic training, coaching, sports management, and health and physical education.
Their sports interests range from basketball to badminton and table tennis, all of which are hugely popular in the People’s Republic of China.
Irma Plummer, Holden’s assistant chief administrative officer, tried to explain to the students how big a deal LSU and athletics are in Louisiana.
“It is a culture unto itself,” Plummer said. “Sports is a way of life from cradle to grave.”
Noting the sports connection, Plummer also praised the “beyond awesome” Summer Olympics opening ceremony last year in Beijing.
To her surprise, Plummer quickly learned several of the students volunteered and performed.
Xue said she trained four months to work as a cheerleader during the globally televised ceremony.
Some of the students expressed their joy in getting to see American athletes such as basketball player Kobe Bryant and swimmer Michael Phelps in person.
Although the American and Chinese governments may not always be on the best of terms, Xue said she sees the “relationship gets better and better” to the point that eventually both powerful nations can be a “big family.”
The Chinese students leave for Disney World on Aug. 16 for additional coursework. When the program ends in January, they each will have earned 12 hours of course credit from LSU.
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