UPDATE:  Because of the snowstorm the presentation by the Michael Tessmer family concerning their semester in China has been re-scheduled to Tuesday,
Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. in Beech 104.

An academic sabbatical in China became a family experience for Southwestern College’s Michael and Joy Tessmer and their two daughters during the fall semester of 2014. The Tessmers will discuss the experience with the community on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The free program will begin at 7 p.m. in Beech 104 and all are invited to attend.

The semester came about as part of SC’s faculty exchange program with Huangshan University in Tunxi.  A chemistry professor at the Winfield college, Michael taught an upper-level chemistry course to approximately 40 students at the Chinese university. Joy visited English classes, where she talked with students about life in America and the students’ lives in China.
           
Aideen, 12, and Madeline, 9, continued their schoolwork online while they were in China.
           
“We often visited classes as a family since the Chinese students always wanted to hear about the lives of American kids,” Michael adds. 
           
In addition to their three months in Tunxi (which is a 20-hour train ride from the capital of China), the Tessmers spent a week in Beijing, then were in Hong Kong for a week before returning home in time for Christmas.
           
For more information on the Feb. 4 program or on their semester in China, contact Michael Tessmer at 620-229-6369.