Sharon Hanks
In keeping with its mission of meeting the needs of the community, Grand Rapids Community College will offer for the first time Arabic and Chinese language classes for beginners starting this fall.
Laurie Chesley, GRCC Dean of Arts & Sciences, says the four-credit classes will be held for 15 weeks in the downtown Grand Rapids campus.
"We're very excited about it," she says, adding the college is pleased to have found two professional instructors who are proficient in the languages and the cultures of those countries.
"In the world we live in today, there is a great interest in China and the Middle East," Chesley says, noting that 11 students have already enrolled in the Arabic class and five in the Mandarin Chinese course. If interest remains high, the college will develop additional courses so students could complete two years of studies in those foreign languages.
Teaching Arabic will be Dawn Cheikh, who learned language mostly from her Arabic-speaking husband. ARA-294 will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays beginning August 30.
Chinese-born Anling Lai will teach CHI-294 from 2 to 4:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays starting August. 31.
Source: Laurie Chesley, Grand Rapids Community College Dean of Arts and Sciences
Sharon Hanks is innovations and jobs news editor at Rapid Growth Media. Please send story ideas and comments for the column to Sharon at [email protected]. She also is owner of The Write Words in Grand Rapids.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.