Xavier finds success with first Chinese minor at a coed HBCU

April 9, 2024

By Tatum Register, Staff Writer

With a renowned reputation as the top producer of Black doctors in America, Xavier has added another accomplishment to its belt—it is the only coeducational historically Black university to offer a Chinese minor. While the minor is relatively new, it is making waves on campus by contributing to the university’s efforts for students to grow their global intellect.  

“I believe learning languages, specifically Chinese, gives people the opportunity to learn more about the culture behind one of the world’s leading powerhouses,” said Brier Evans, a senior mass communication major, from Dominica. Evans is currently enrolled in Xavier’s Intermediate Chinese 2020 course. “I wanted to have a language as my minor and I thought learning Chinese would be an important future skill in this age.” 

Like Evans, the 12 other students currently studying Chinese at Xavier share her enthusiasm for the language and its value to their professional journey. As China continues to play a vital role in the global economy, fluency in Chinese not only sets students apart in a competitive job market but also equips them with the skills to engage directly with one of the largest trading partners in the world. Understanding the language and culture can especially lead to opportunities in various fields such as international medicine, business, diplomacy, and education.  

Officially beginning in the fall of 2019, the Chinese minor is a recent addition to Xavier’s course offerings. Students must earn 16 credit hours in the language to obtain the minor. Before creating the Chinese minor, Xavier offered Chinese language classes for elective credit dating back to 2012.

According to the United Negro College Fund, over ten historically Black institutions offer International studies that include Chinese studies, but only two offer Chinese studies. Morehouse College, an all-male college in Atlanta, Ga., offers both a major and minor in Chinese studies. The nearby Spelman College, an all-female college, offers a minor in Asian studies. This makes Xavier the only coeducational historically Black university offering the minor.

The introduction of Chinese language courses would not have been possible without the work of Dr. Yu Jiang, Xavier’s Director of International Education. Jiang also serves as the director of the Center of Intercultural and International Programs. 

In 2012, Jiang began the Chinese language program at Xavier through the creation of the Confucius Institute, offering Elementary (Chin 1010, Chin 1020) and Intermediate (Chin 2010, 2020) courses. Xavier was the first historically Black institution to have this institute.

That spring Xavier hired its first Chinese language professor from Hebei University, Professor Gang Wang, who would kick start the instruction of the first Chinese language courses offered at Xavier in Fall 2012. The university has had four Chinese language instructors since Wang was hired.

The Confucius Institute formed a partnership between Xavier and Hebei University in Baoding, China. Jiang received support from former Xavier President Dr. Norman C. Francis, who shared his appreciation for the language and China’s growing influence on the geopolitical stage.

“As a byproduct of cross-cultural education both in East Asia and the United States, I wanted to share and be able to help our students understand and muster a major foreign language skill, ” Jiang said. “Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, and I want our students to have a competitive edge when competing with students from other universities in the U.S. and across the world.”  

The Confucius Institute not only allowed Xavier students to study the language at Xavier but also at Hebei. From 2013 to 2018, 10-15 Xavier students were sent to study at Hebei University. The Institute also hosted Chinese cultural celebrations, hosted Chinese instructor colloquiums, and sent delegations to International Chinese language conferences. 

However, after the university closed the Confucius Institute in 2021, the fate of Xavier’s Chinese program was unclear. That is until the university brokered a partnership between Xavier and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) through the Huayu Best Scholarship. Dr. Elizabeth Smith Rousselle, the head of the Department of Languages, then formed a search committee to review language instructor candidates from NCKU and found the perfect candidate in Professor Ssu-Yu Chang, who is Xavier’s current Chinese language instructor. Beginning this semester, Chang said she is excited about her position.  

“I think Chinese is the most beautiful language in the world,” Chang said. “I also want to promote my culture and inform students about the distinction between Taiwan and China.”   

According to Chang, she has been impressed with the number of Xavier students interested in the language. Within her class, she incorporates vocabulary students would use daily if living in China or Taiwan. Chanh said she is proud to already see growth in her students from the beginning of the semester and looks forward to having more students in future semesters.   

“I love the interpersonal aspect of the class,” said freshman Shekinah Boswell, who is currently in Chang’s Elementary Chinese 1020 class pursuing a minor in the language. “I love how much speaking and reading experience we get.”  

Other students in Chang’s classes share Boswell’s perspective on how Chang’s instruction has created an enjoyable experience. Their opportunity to study Chinese and earn credits toward their minor is not just limited to the school year. This summer, Chang and a few of her students will be attending classes at NCKU through the Huayu Best scholarship program.  

Planning for the fall semester, Chang plans to incorporate more cultural days within her classes to give students an even more engaging experience.  

“It’s never a waste of time to learn a new language and to cultivate a skill that not many do,” Evans said. “It’s rewarding, and it’s fun.”  

With registration for classes in the fall opening, Xavier students have the opportunity to take advantage of this unique opportunity to study Chinese. As the only coed historically Black institution to offer the minor, Xavier is dedicated to its mission for excellence through breaking barriers and preparing graduates to excel academically and as global citizens in an ever-connected world.