Virginia State University News January 13, 2012 Caterpillar Foundation Grant of $84,000 Provides Support for Students Headed to China The Caterpillar Foundation recently awarded a grant of $84,000 to VSU that provides scholarships for students participating in study abroad programs in China. The first group of students, Nakeya Johnston-Peterson, Valarie Simpson and Cierra Wilson will participate in the University Studies Abroad Consortium Chinese Studies and International Business program in Shanghai, China. The students left for China on Jan. 4, 2012 and will return May 13, 2012. While abroad, the students will study International Business, Chinese culture, and Chinese language at Shanghai University and travel to Chengdu, China. The grant provides round-trip airfare to China; housing; study aboard program fees; textbook and meal allowances; and reimbursement for passports, visas and travel immunizations. The program is administered by Dr. Maxine Sample, Director of VSU's Dr. George H. Bennett Office for International Education. The grant is part of Caterpillar's support of President Barack Obama's "100,000 Strong Initiative" to increase the number of American college students studying in China, "The Caterpillar Foundation is proud to support U.S. college students studying abroad in China through our $1 million pledge to the '100,000 Strong Initiative,'" said Michele Sullivan, Caterpillar Foundation Vice President. "It is our hope that this experience will give students some valuable insights on the global economy, the importance of China on the world stage and an unforgettable cultural experience. U.S. companies, including Caterpillar, have been rapidly expanding operations in China, and students with a firsthand knowledge of the country and culture will have a strategic advantage in any field they choose to enter upon graduation." When the students return, they will share their experiences with the VSU community, as well as provide the Office for International Education assistance in promoting the importance of studying abroad. In February 2012, another group of students will receive scholarships to participate in a summer program in Beijing, China. Students involved in the program must be enrolled in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics or business program. "I am extremely excited about the Caterpillar Foundation's partnership with Virginia State University," said Dr. Sample. "It represents a tremendous investment in our students' education. The cultural immersion experiences in China that the Caterpillar funding makes possible will globalize our students' academic experiences in meaningful ways. I am certain that the impact on their personal and professional lives will be felt for years to come." VSU's commitment to this program will help address the significant underrepresentation of minority college students who study abroad overall, and in China in particular. For more information, please contact Dr. Sample, Director, Dr. George H. Bennett Office for International Education, at 804-524-5986 or MSample@vsu.edu. More information on the "100,000 Strong Initiative" may be found at www.state.gov/100000strong. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.