The Summer China Experience is a unique opportunity for incoming freshmen to experience one of the world's most dynamic regions and meet new classmates and teachers before arriving on campus in the fall. All incoming freshmen are eligible to apply in March for one of the twelve fully funded SCE scholarships that cover all of the expenses for their two-week study tour to China in July. Successful applicants are notified the first week of May. In exchange for this rare opportunity, students commit to a year of Chinese language study during their freshman year and a First Year Seminar in the fall on China. The Summer China Experience is designed to engage students not only in books and ideas, but also in people and places.  The program will run as follows:  the selected students will meet the Furman program directors in Greenville in June and depart the next morning for Shanghai, China.  Students will have ample opportunity to experience the old and new aspects of Suzhou, just two hours from Shanghai, during the first week, when afternoons and evenings will be devoted to group projects and group outings.  Participants can expect to visit sites of historical and contemporary cultural significance, eat regional cuisine, and attend evening shows with Furman and Chinese friends.  Mornings will be devoted to classes and discussions co-taught by Furman and Suzhou University faculty.  Students from both campuses will engage (in English of course) in what we hope will be enlightening cross-cultural dialogue.  The Suzhou student will be a part of the entire experience during the first week – living in dorms, working on projects, and taking outings with the Furman students.  The second half of the program will be a tour of several important sites in China. Students return to Greenville in mid-July.

One of the goals of Summer China Experience (SCE) is to provide early experiences with Asia so that students will have time to explore Chinese or Asian Studies in depth.  All students who participate will take one year of Chinese language their freshman year.  Further language study beyond one year is available but is completely optional.  SCE participants will also be registered for a First Year Seminar exploring current issues in China.  The language courses and the seminar meet general education requirements of the university so should fit quite readily into any chosen course of study.