Chinese New Year Celebration Promotes Student Program

GOLDEN GATE XPRESS -- The fragrant smell of eggplant in garlic sauce and pork buns hung in the air, drifting through the red lanterns strung from the ceiling of Jack Adams Hall. Branches suspended by fishing wire sported delicate tissue paper cherry blossoms and a single written New Year’s wish: “That we can find and encourage people to donate enough money to start an endowed scholarship fund.” The wish, hung by Mia Segura, program coordinator for SF State’s Chinese Flagship Program, was part of the impetus behind the Chinese New Year Celebration held on March 9. The annual festivity is intended to bring awareness to the program, while exposing students to the biggest Chinese festival of the year. “It’s a good opportunity to expose students to Chinese culture and learning Chinese,” said Professor Wen Chao Li, the director of strategic language initiative for the SF State Chinese program. “Every class (in the department) had to participate.”