As part of the efforts to implement the college's nine core values, Marietta College (MC) has singled out its China-focused Asian Studies program as one of the college's top priorities. With the help of U. S. Department of Education grants, MC has been offering Chinese language, culture, and other China- related courses since 1988. In addition to its regular faculty specializing in Chinese language, culture, history, literature, political science and philosophy, MC every year invites visiting scholars from Foreign Affairs College and University of International Relations in Beijing, China, to teach courses ranging in subject matter from international relations to leadership. The college also regularly invites scholars and teachers from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China, and key high schools in China, to study and conduct research at MC. Because of the college's commitment to the China-focused Asian Studies program, and its strong connections with key universities and high schools in China, MC has so far recruited over 150 mainland Chinese students to study for the bachelor's and master's degrees at MC (the largest number of mainland Chinese students at any liberal arts college in the U. S.). Over 40 MC faculty and alumni have studied, taught, and conducted research in China. The college has also successfully placed MC students in Chinese institutions to study Chinese, teach English, and intern in China. MC currently offers a minor in East Asian Studies and a major in International Business Management, with a Chinese language concentration. MC continues to offer undergraduates a rich variety of courses and opportunities for learning about China.