The Chinese Student Association has merged with the Chinese Club, which allowed it to be re-chartered for the 2015-2016 school year. This is because of the efforts of Lin Zhu, a third-year BC student and current president of the CSA. Zhu said that the previous president graduated in 2012, which meant that no one was in the position to coordinate its continuation at the time. With the help of another student, Sally Chen, Zhu was able to re-open the CSA this last fall.
During meetings, events are planned with the help of club members. The CSA coordinates with other international student associations to throw multicultural events as well.
Zhu said that the next major event that the CSA will host is a Lunar New Year party planned for the evening of Feb. 5.
Outside of meetings, communication between the leaders and the group members primarily occurs through the app We-Chat. Zhu said that the CSA’s We-Chat group has over 200 members.
Chen, also a third-year student at BC, said that when she was a new student and not as proficient at speaking English, she struggled to understand her teachers and the new cultural environment she was in.
Chen said that many international students are in a similar situation. It’s not only a new environment for them, but their first time living away from home. Chen helps these students by keeping in touch and advising them. Knowledge of the club travels primarily through word of mouth, but Chen will observe Chinese students struggling and invite them to club meetings.
The CSA also invites people outside of BC to help students. Chen mentioned a driving instructor once offered students a lesson on the rules of the road in the U.S.
Chen says they hope to have one to two events this quarter, and resume regular meetings soon.