Weiming Education Group to sponsor NMC trip to China
TRAVERSE CITY — An NMC vice president will depart April 11 for a nine-day student recruitment trip to Beijing, China.
Chris Weber, vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Services, will visit four Beijing high schools affiliated with the Weiming Education Group. She and Wei Cao, a Beijing native and 2009 NMC graduate, expect to speak to about 500 Chinese high school students and their parents. Students who are seniors could choose to enroll at NMC as soon as this fall semester.
Weiming will cover all of Weber’s expenses, including round-trip airfare, accommodations, meals and in-country transportation. NMC is part of a three-school contingent sponsored by Weiming. Officials from Adrian College and Saginaw Valley State University will also be recruiting.
"Weiming is thrilled to have a partnership with Northwestern Michigan College. We are eager to have Dr. Weber return to China and continue our cooperation,” said Laurel Capobianco, vice president of Weiming, USA.
The trip was made possible by a memorandum of understanding NMC signed with Weiming in March, when Weber, NMC President Timothy Nelson and Vice President Marguerite Cotto traveled to China as part of NMC’s strategic effort to expand international engagement and recruit international students.
“It’s rewarding to see the relationship between NMC and Weiming progress,” Weber said. “I’m looking forward to speaking directly with students and parents about the many opportunities NMC offers.”
NMC will pay for Cao’s interpretation and translation services during the trip. As an NMC alumnus who returned to live in Beijing, her voice will be a valuable addition, Weber said.
“Alumni are always among NMC’s best messengers. To have a local alumnus in Beijing is a real bonus,” she said.
International student enrollment at NMC currently stands at 40, or almost 1 percent of total enrollment. As part of its strategic goal to ensure that NMC learners are prepared for success in a global society and economy, the college is seeking to increase international student enrollment to five percent of total enrollment.
In pursuit of that goal, NMC hosted six Chinese college presidents and vice presidents in October 2012 as part of the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Vocational Education Leadership Training. This visit led to two MOUs with Huanggang Polytechnic College and Yellow River Conservancy Technical Institute. In fall 2013 Weiming representatives visited Traverse City to further relationships with both NMC and Traverse City Area Public Schools. Most recently, NMC officials visited China last month.
Dennos Museum Center director Eugene Jenneman was also in China in March to further solidify connections with Chinese artists and museums that have led to multiple exhibitions and concerts at the Dennos since 2006.
Release date: April 10, 2014
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Public Relations & Marketing
(231) 995-1027
cnoga@nmc.edu