MANSFIELD, PA— Lee Stocks, associate professor of Geosciences at Mansfield University, spent part of his summer teaching in China.
Administered by China Center for International Educational Exchange (CCIEE), Stocks’ opportunity also came about as part of MU’s participation in the Sino-American 1+2+1 Program, which allows Chinese students to spend two years studying at Mansfield.
After spending his first few days in Beijing for orientation, Stocks travelled to Nanjing Normal University, where he spent four weeks teaching a geomorphology class to 20 Chinese students. The students understood and could communicate in English, although outside of class was a different situation.
“It was a great experience but can be somewhat isolating when you only speak a few words of Mandarin,” Stocks said. “After many gesturing and signing attempts and using Google translate, I could usually make myself understood enough to get some food.”
Stocks’ class met three hours a day for four days a week, which allowed him time to travel and e
xplore on weekends.
“I couldn’t turn down the chance to explore Chinese culture and geology,” he said. “The bullet rail system is China is fast and cheap, allowing travel pretty much all over the country in less than eight hours.”
This fall, a visiting scholar from Xian University of Science and Technology in China, Professor Li Wang, will be conducting research in safety management and observing classes at Mansfield, and Stocks will serve as Professor Wang’s faculty mentor.
To learn more about studying Geosciences at MU, go to geoggeol.mansfield.edu
To learn more about the 1+2+1 program and other opportunities for international students to staying at Mansfield, go to admissions.mansfield.edu/international-students