A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is the thriving “virtual” industry. HBCU students have
not been left out of this trend as they have been able to continue studying Mandarin virtually.
The Virtual Mandarin Course, hosted by the China – United States Exchange Foundation, is
taught by a Mandarin instructor from the Beijing Foreign Studies University. The course began
in Fall 2020 and has connected over 80 students – a cohort per semester – to study beginner-
level Mandarin over 13 weeks. Students also interact with Chinese students in chat groups to
practice speaking and conversation skills outside of class time. To learn more details and to
apply for the Fall 2022 class, contact hbcu.china.network@wilsonglobalcomm.com.