SANFORD - Yuehan Ma is the newest visiting instructor for Central Carolina Community College's Confucius Classroom, an educational partnership created with N.C. State University's Confucius Institute and Nanjing Normal University.

Ma is the fourth Confucius Classroom instructor at CCCC, as she succeeds Guan Wang (2012-2016), Ling Huang (2010-2012), and Shuya Che (2008-2010). The Confucius Classroom promotes an intercultural exchange grounded in Chinese language courses, but offering a wide range of cultural events and activities as well.

A reception to honor Ma will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center in Sanford.

"We are very excited to welcome Yuehan Ma to the College and eagerly anticipate her continuing the tradition of her predecessors in expanding our appreciation and learning of Chinese language and culture," said Jon Matthews, CCCC's Associate Provost in Harnett County and Confucius Classroom Director. "Since arriving recently, she has begun teaching Chinese language courses and is already seeking opportunities to engage audiences in local schools and civic organizations. We are sincerely grateful to Hanban (Confucius Institute Headquarters) and our partners at N.C. State University's Confucius Institute for making this program possible at CCCC."

Ma is from the city of Xi'an in China. Xi'an is a city with a long history, famous for ancient city walls and tomb of the first emperor. She graduated from Xi'an International Studies University with a Master's degree in 2007. She has served as a language and cross-culture instructor at Chang'an University since 2000. Ma is married and has an 8-year-old daughter, who will join her here in January 2017.

During her 16-year teaching career, Ma has taught a range of courses with a focus on cross-culture communication, American culture, and society studies, as well as language. She had a six-month visiting experience at Virginia Tech in 2015, working with professors in the Sociology Department concerning the topic of China's International Policy on Education.

"As a cross-cultural teacher working in higher education, I have long desired a chance to meet the people and culture that I only had the chance to meet on books in the past," said Ma of her desire to serve as the Confucius Classroom instructor. "My last year's visiting experience opened a gate for me, and the enjoyment I had when visiting finally motivated me for a deeper insight into this amazing salad bowl culture and sharing my culture at the same time."

What have been her early impressions of Central Carolina Community College?

"It's a beautiful campus located in a quiet countryside," said Ma. "People here are so nice and friendly to help me get settled. I love it on the first sight."

For more information about CCCC's Confucius Classroom, visit www.cccc.edu/confucius.