Asheville School connects with Tsinghua University In China, hosts Summer Program in 2015

Here’s the press release from Asheville School:

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (June 26, 2014) Thanks to a recent agreement, Asheville School now has international connections to a secondary school affiliated with Tsinghua University, one of the top three universities in China. In the summer of 2015, the small co-ed boarding school will develop and host a summer academic and cultural program in Asheville for approximately 30 gifted Chinese students, says Jay Bonner, Associate Head of Asheville School.

“We are really excited to have signed this new agreement with Tsinghua University High School. Using a signature American Studies unit from our acclaimed Humanities program allows us to develop a unique three week experience for some of the brightest high school students in China,” Bonner says. “We’re also thrilled to have new study abroad opportunities in Beijing for our students who are currently studying Mandarin Chinese or who simply want Chinese cultural immersion.”

Administrators at the Tsinghua University High School are enthusiastic about having their students studying in Asheville — especially at one of America’s premier boarding schools.

“This partnership will allow Asheville School and Tsinghua to co-develop programs that will educate the future leaders of the world,” said Wang Dianjun, Principal of Tsinghua High School. “From Tsinghua, we really want to send our best students to this campus to experience this premier boarding school and open their eyes to a new world where students will be immersed in this cross cultural community with American students. We think it will help to foster 21st century future leaders.”

As part of the program, these 30 Chinese students will spend three weeks next summer studying Asheville School’s signature Jazz Age unit in American Studies. The summer school curriculum will also include experiential elements as well: art deco architecture in downtown Asheville, Biltmore Estate, Grove Park Inn, and Tourist baseball games, to name a few.

“We will select our best students to have this opportunity to study at Asheville School,” Dianjun said.

Located in the mountains of North Carolina, Asheville School is a nationally acclaimed co-ed, college preparatory boarding and day school, enrolling approximately 285 students from 20 states and 15 countries. Recent graduates have been accepted to UNC-Chapel Hill, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, UCLA, Davidson, NC State, University of Virginia, Emory, Duke, Wake Forest, and Yale among others.