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Archives of Peking University News - PKU English - 北京大学

Archives of Peking University News - PKU English - 北京大学

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<strong>北京大学</strong>英语新闻网/<strong>Peking</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>News</strong><br />

International Academic Exchange<br />

Program Series: the Dickinson Beijing<br />

Program at <strong>PKU</strong><br />

By Chang Huili<br />

http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=101174131<br />

Dickinson College (http://www.dickinson.edu ) was established in Carlisle, a town<br />

founded in 1751 in Central Pennsylvania, USA, on September 9, 1783, when<br />

Benjamin Rush, a prominent Philadelphia physician, signed the charter <strong>of</strong> the new<br />

college. It was named after John Dickinson--known widely as the "Penman <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Revolution" and then the governor <strong>of</strong> Pennsylvania. It was the first college charted in<br />

the newly formed nation. Tuta libertas--"A bulwark <strong>of</strong> liberty" -- were the words that<br />

John Dickinson used to describe the new college and its <strong>of</strong>ficial college<br />

seal--featuring a liberty cap, a telescope, and an open Bible. This represents a<br />

mission that has been ingrained in Dickinson College for nearly 225 years: to <strong>of</strong>fer<br />

students a useful and progressive education in the arts and sciences, and an<br />

education grounded in a strong sense <strong>of</strong> civic duty to become citizen-leaders. It<br />

emphasizes firsthand experiences <strong>of</strong> students, and this engagement with the wider<br />

world continues to guide Dickinson through internships, field studies, workshop<br />

science, and one <strong>of</strong> the most extensive global education programs in the nation.<br />

The Dickinson Beijing program was started by three Dickinson College pr<strong>of</strong>essors<br />

first with Renmin <strong>University</strong> in 1992. In 1997, the program was moved to <strong>Peking</strong><br />

<strong>University</strong>. Its goal is to immerse the selected American students in the Chinese<br />

language and culture as much as possible, so they attend regular foreign student<br />

language classes at <strong>Peking</strong> <strong>University</strong> instead <strong>of</strong> having their own classes.<br />

Opportunities for an internship in the spring and home stay are also <strong>of</strong>fered. In total,<br />

some forty to fifty students have come to China on this program, and five students<br />

are currently studying at <strong>Peking</strong> <strong>University</strong>. Peter Wing, a junior majoring in<br />

International Business and Management at Dickinson, is one <strong>of</strong> them, and <strong>PKU</strong><br />

<strong>News</strong> is lucky to have interviewed him.<br />

"The best part is learning about the Chinese culture," said Peter, recalling the two<br />

months he has already spent in China, "and I am slowly understanding what life in<br />

China is like now." He said few Americans know much about China, but it is<br />

becoming a more and more popular topic. "Most Americans are only concerned with<br />

China's growing economy, but they don't really understand the culture."<br />

1129

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