When the second semester begins in late January, Rider’s second cohort of Sanda University students from Shanghai will begin fulfilling coursework requirements toward their MBAs or Masters of Accountancy degrees.

For James (Ze) Peng, an MBA student and member of the group, studying at Rider this past year has been an enlightening experience. “I love being independent,” said Peng, who learned about the American tradition of Thanksgiving for the first time at Rider’s luncheon prior to the holiday. Peng spent Thanksgiving Day with Dr. Hongbing Sun, associate professor of geological, environmental, and marine sciences.

“The people here have been very friendly and helpful,” said Peng. “I especially enjoyed Thanksgiving at Dr. Sun’s house. Although we had some traditional American food, we also ate Chinese food. I really felt right at home.” Peng was one of some 40 international students who spent Thanksgiving at the homes of Rider faculty and staff.

In mid-January, Rider’s second cohort will be joined by 22 new Sanda students and four teachers from Shanghai. Joe MacAde, director of international programs at Rider, works daily to help ease the transition for all Sanda students.

“The two groups currently here are doing well academically and socially,” said MacAde. “Within the next few weeks, we will be planning an orientation for the third cohort. We hope to involve our current Sanda students in this orientation. Mentorship of newly arrived international students by international upperclassmen is a broad goal of the International Programs Office at Rider.”

During the fall, MacAde assisted the next group of incoming students with preparing for the visa application process. One of his goals is to develop an exchange program that will enable Rider students to study at Sanda University.

Peng is looking forward to introducing life at Rider to the new group of Sanda students. As public relations officer for the International Student Club, he plans to launch a Web site and produce flyers about the club. “My classmates and I have had wonderful experiences here,” said Peng. “I have adjusted well. I want to help the new students do the same.”

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