LAWRENCE: Rider welcomes students from China

Just days before the opening of the spring semester, Rider University President Mordechai Rozanski hosted a reception at his home for a group of 30 newly arrived Chinese students and their three accompanying faculty members.
    The house was filled with excitement and hearty welcomes as the Chinese students met a number of the Rider faculty and staff with whom they would interact as they embarked on their studies in the College of Business Administration.
    The event celebrated the Jan. 15 arrival of the fifth cohort of students and faculty from Sanda University, a private university in Shanghai, China. Rider and Sanda signed an agreement in 2002 that saw the first cohort of Sanda students enroll at Rider for the 2005 spring semester.
    Through the program, more than 120 Chinese students from Sanda have combined undergraduate and graduate studies at Rider over an extended two-year period. The students then return to China to complete their studies, subsequently earning either their Master of Business Administration or Master of Accountancy from Rider.
    During their first few days on campus, the students participated in orientation and prepared themselves for the upcoming semester by buying books, getting their ID cards, opening up bank accounts and taking a tour.
    The students not only had a chance to get acquainted with the Lawrenceville campus, but also the surrounding area, including a field trip to Princeton Art Museum and a day in New York City.
    The Sanda students will also have the guidance of student mentors from Rider’s various colleges.
    Jinling (Julie) He, one of the students from the fifth cohort, plans to receive an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and a Master of Accountancy.“I want to improve myself academically, but also socially,” she explained about her goals while in the Rider-Sanda program. So far, Jinling has been wowed by her experience in the United States. “I think it’s incredible,” she added.
    Li Li, an English lecturer from Sanda, also attended the reception. This is Li’s second time at Rider, where she serves a dual role as both teacher and administrator. She is also pursuing her master’s in business administration from Rider.
    Li says she consistently notices a difference in the students from when they first start the program to when they have completed it.
    “When they are here, they become very independent and very confident,” she explained. “With this confidence and experience, they will have a stronger advantage in finding a job for themselves.”