China Night to Celebrate Chinese New Year

January 25, 2016 (Notre Dame, Ind.) – Saint Mary’s College will hold “China Night” Sunday, February 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. in Little Theater, Moreau Center for the Arts. A reception will take place at 5 p.m. outside O’Laughlin Auditorium. The event celebrates the Chinese New Year with a show of folk dances, traditional songs, instruments, Asian fashion show, and lottery drawing games. Children and students attending will receive a red envelope as a New Year gift, which is a Chinese festival tradition.

The Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival in China that celebrates the coming spring and the start of a new year for harvest. Hosted by the College’s Center for Women’s Intercultural Leadership (CWIL), the Chinese Culture Club, and the Multicultural Services Office, “China Night” is free and open to the public.

CWIL’s assistant director for global education, Dr. Alice Siqin Yang, says the event is a cultural learning experience for the entire Saint Mary’s and South Bend community.

“China is the fastest-growing country and has become the second largest economy in the world,” she said. “It has unique history and culture and has the largest population in the world. Understanding Chinese culture will help students succeed in the global economy. There will be traditional performances by Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame international students, Chinese class students, and some groups from the local community.”

According to Yang there will also be a short discussion about the opportunities Saint Mary’s offers for programs abroad in China.

“The event will help students learn more about Chinese language, culture, music, arts, traditions, as well as the opportunities to study abroad in China,” she said. “We will have a brief reflection on our China summer and semester programs and the Fulbright Chinese Teaching Assistant Program at the event as well.”

The Chinese Lunar New Year begins on February 8 this year, and according to the Chinese Zodiac it's the Year of the Monkey.

About Saint Mary's College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. Saint Mary’s College also offers two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College seeks, according to its mission statement, to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2016 published by U.S. News & World Report. Follow Saint Mary's College on Twitter @saintmarys and @saintmarysnews. 

Contact for News Media: Gwen O’Brien, director of media relations, Saint Mary’s College, gobrien@saintmarys.edu (574) 284-4579

~Press release written by Melissa Fitzpatrick ’16, media relations intern.