Benedictine University offers minor in Chinese language
China has the second-largest economy in the world and is one of the United States’ largest trading partners, and one-fifth of the world’s population speaks Chinese.
Students who hope to prosper in such an environment must have more than just a passing familiarity with Chinese language and culture, say officials at Benedictine University in Lisle, Ill.
To help students prepare for “an increasingly China-centric global community,” the university announced it’s offering a minor in Chinese language (Mandarin) with an option for a Chinese culture track, beginning with this fall semester.
“Our students are wonderfully prepared in the sciences, education and the arts, but now they will have a very distinct advantage when they enter the workforce,” said William Carroll, Benedictine University’s president.
The university has formed 14 partnerships with Chinese universities and offers master’s degrees in business administration and management information systems in China.
Loyola Marymount’s film school among top 10 in country
Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television has landed in the ninth spot on The Hollywood Reporter’s recently released list of “Top 25 Film Schools of 2013.”
It was the editors’ third annual film school rankings, based on ratings from “industry insiders.”
The university in announcing its film school’s ranking said that it earned inclusion on the list because of its growing animation program, internship and post-graduate programs, as well as for its alumni, who include James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.
The school’s faculty specializes in topics including ethics and social issues in film, video gaming, animation, documentaries and comedy screenwriting.
College to foster entrepreneurship in urban schools
The National Science Foundation has awarded a $1.2 million grant to a team of Boston College faculty and community-based organizations to foster entrepreneurship in urban high school students by using various technologies to grow produce to sell at neighborhood farmers’ markets.
Boston Public School students will use hydroponics, aquaponics, solar panels, windmills and other technologies to power and cultivate indoor fruit and vegetable gardens, then sell their produce at neighborhood markets, according to G. Michael Barnett, associate professor of education.
Called “Seeding the Future: Creating a Green Collar Workforce,” the project will work with approximately 1,000 students and 40 to 60 teachers at 20 schools.
It is being funded through the foundation’s Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers program.
“Students and teachers will learn how to conduct scientific investigations while developing small businesses’ initiatives to sell fresh produce in their communities,” said Barnett, a specialist in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, known as STEM. He is the principal investigator on the project.
University, company partner to increase diversity in science
St. Louis University and Jost Chemical Co., in St. Louis have created a joint partnership to address the need for increasing diversity of the scientific workforce.
Such diversity is an important issue for the U.S. “as global competition necessitates that countries take advantage of all the natural talent in their populations,” said an announcement.
The partnership will provide local high school students internship and training opportunities at the university and Jost, a manufacturer of specialty chemicals, such as high purity citrate salts, for the pharmaceutical, nutritional, food and other specialty markets.
In the program, high school students from the St. Louis City school district are recruited to work on research projects under the direction of faculty members in St. Louis University’s department of chemistry.
