Chinese

Why choose Chinese at North Central College?

The demand for talented Chinese speakers in schools, government, business and entertainment has grown worldwide. At North Central, you’ll learn to speak, read, write and understand Chinese. You’ll master the grammar as well as the distinctive tones and characters of the language. And if you wish to teach Chinese, you will need only obtain an endorsement.

You can also:

Study abroad at the prestigious Peking University in Beijing.
Take advantage of on-campus tutoring options and the Roberta I. Myers Language Resource Center.
Enjoy the Chinese Corner’s speakers and cultural events, including its Chinese New Year’s celebration.
Participate in cultural immersion experiences with nearby Chinese communities.
Earn an English language learning (ELL) minor if you plan to teach abroad after college.
Take advantage of internships with Chinese-American companies.
Qualify for induction into Phi Sigma Iota, the honor society open to students studying Chinese.

Experience Japanese culture during Japanese Spring Festival

North Central College’s Japan Club and Japanese program present annual Japanese Spring Festival May 6 with music, food, games, art and more.

North Central College to host Chinese Spring Festival Celebration Feb. 2

North Central College’s Chinese program and Xilin Community Center co-present the eighth annual Chinese Spring Festival Celebration Feb. 2.

College's German Club hosts booth about German culture

North Central’s 17th annual International Festival is Jan. 27

North Central College welcomes members of the community to its annual International Festival Jan. 27 to experience different cultures from around the world.

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Internships

Marketing intern, Ai Media Group, Beijing, China
Logistics intern, C.H. Robinson International, Tuttlingen, Germany
Finance intern to second vice president of Wealth Management Smith Barney, Citigroup, Naperville

Graduate schools

Recent graduates in Chinese have been accepted at:

University of Illinois, East Asian Languages and Cultures
Valparaiso University, IN, Chinese studies
National Taiwan Normal University

Careers

Recent graduates in chinese include:

777 Operations business & planning analyst, The Boeing Company, leadership development program
Chinese contract analyst, Infor Global Solutions

Hannah Zimmerman

Chinese

Hannah has developed a keen interest in languages and decided learning Chinese would be a great addition to her studies in English and French. “Knowing Chinese is a growing need and it’s not something you can learn easily on your own. I think knowing the language is an invaluable skill and the culture is beautiful, too.”

Hannah chose North Central for its small size and proximity to Chicago. “It's a great atmosphere and a perfect size-I know lots of people but still meet new ones all the time.” she says.

She also appreciates the student-faculty interaction and getting to know her professors, especially those in her department. “Even if I have the most obscure question, they help me find the answer...

Michael Gross

International Business, Chinese minor

“Knowing Chinese opens a lot of doors and carries that ‘wow factor,’” says Michael. In fact, he believes his proficiency in Chinese helped him land an internship with The Boeing Company—and later a spot in the company’s prestigious leadership development program. “When 10 candidates apply for a job and you’re the only one who knows Chinese, you really stand out from the crowd,” he notes.

Michael took Chinese courses during his first three years at North Central, then joined one of the College’s study abroad programs in China. He also worked in Beijing as a marketing intern with Ai Media Group.

North Central’...

Mark Zajac

Global Studies: International Business, Spanish, German triple major, Chinese Minor

Mark has truly become a student of international cultures. He came to North Central College to continue his high school studies in Spanish and German. “I decided then to take Chinese on a whim and have really enjoyed the program,” he says. “I am gearing my studies toward Taiwan,” he says.

He’s planning to visit Taiwan as soon as he can schedule it around his other travels. His study abroad experiences have included terms in Heidelberg, Germany and Sevilla, Spain. On campus, he’s been involved with the multicultural student clubs Fusion Espana, Chinese Club and International Club and has presented research at North Central’s Rall Symposium for Undergraduate Research.

In addition to his minor...

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