Linxi Yu was happy to see Dr. Gama Perruci, her Leadership professor and Dean of the McDonough Center, stop at her poster displaying photographs and information about her hometown in southeast China.
Yu, who is an exchange student from a university in Beijing, was among several students presenting during Marietta College’s Chinese Culture Day, which was held in Upper Gilman. She spent several minutes speaking with Perruci about her home.
“It’s very interesting to introduce my culture to others,” she said. “China has a long history and we learn from our elders and their stories. … We are willing to introduce our rich culture to people from other places.”
Assistant Professor Ni Zhang, who is also the Director of the Asian Studies Program, said the free, cultural event included traditional paper cutting, calligraphy lessons, chopsticks lessons and competitions, hacky sack games, food and musical performances by students from Marietta High School.
“Students from my FYS class are giving presentations on different cities and areas of Chinese culture,” she said. “The FYS class is Journey to the East, and it has all American students in it. The Chinese students (at Marietta College) volunteered to set up for the event.”
Bri Hartshorn, a ninth-grade student at Marietta High School, traveled to campus with dozens of fellow students and her teacher, Andrew Shu, to perform and celebrate the Chinese culture.
“I’m taking Chinese 2 this year,” she said, adding that Zhang was her teacher last year when she was a student at Marietta Middle School. “I really miss her. She’s one of my favorite teachers ever. I also like Mr. Shu.”
Hartshorn, who has visited campus to watch basketball games, was happy to be able to interact with professors and Marietta College students.
“It’s nice to be able to come here,” she said.