"From the beginning of the summer program through to the end the one thing that remained consistent was the intensity of study.  The teachers seemed to always know right where our limit was, and then would stretch us just beyond that!  Looking at the program from a basic perspective this approach to our learning and study helped me to make immense progress in my language ability, as well as establishing some great language learning habits and skills.  I think the true value of an experience or education comes not just in measuring how much intellect was gained, but also by how the experience or knowledge changed you, and I feel the opportunities that I was given while in China, both in and out of the classroom, provided me both with a deeper understanding of the Chinese language and culture, as well as changing me personally."

Brody Bluemel
2008 Summer Advanced Chinese Program Participant

"VU’s summer program had an incredible impact on not only my Chinese language level but my knowledge of China as a whole. The program did an outstanding job of dealing with students from various different backgrounds and improving their language capabilities in an efficient manner. Aside from just being in China with amazing instructors who cared about your progress, one of the more beneficial aspects of the program was the one on one session we had three times a week with a native speaker of Chinese. Through these means the Summer Intensive Program helped solidify my confidence in both my career endeavors and language capabilities."

Brenden Ryan
2008 Summer Advanced Chinese Program Participant

"Exhaustingly rigorous, yet highly effective, Valparaiso’s Summer Immersion Program offers you nearly every imaginable tool and opportunity from which you can use to improve your Chinese language skills and fluency:  native-Chinese speaking teachers and personal tutors, home-stays, field-trips to the beautiful (Suzhou), the modern (Shanghai) and the historically political (Nanjing), but most importantly, an environment into which you can go and practice what you have learned in the classroom.  Designed to enhance your fluency, the program is more than just a three month crash course in survival Chinese.  Delving into topics beyond “How to Order…” and “How do you say…”, you leave with skills that enable you to engage in more legitimate conversations with topics that seem to require a certain command of the language and a higher understanding and sensitivity of the culture, pollution problems and the one-child policy, being two examples of such."

Annie Nawrocki
2008 Summer Advanced Chinese Program Participant

Article about the VU China Summer Immersion Program:
"Immersed in the Culture of Business: China's growing influence on world economy draws region educators there"  VU's Summer Advanced Chinese Program article in the Northwest Indiana Times, June 8, 2007.