Cody Bijeaux wins national scholarship to study in China

2014 Apr 22

Two University of North Georgia (UNG) students each have received a $10,000 Chinese Government Scholarship to study in China for a year. The scholarship, awarded by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), is given to only 10 students nationally from among the 400-plus AASCU member institutions.

Cody Bijeaux, of Canton, Ga., has earned the scholarship to study in China beginning in August.

Both Mark Stiles and Cody Bijeaux previously studied in China through UNG's study abroad program, and are looking forward to spending an entire academic year at Zhejiang Normal University. Bijeaux also has a separate grant to study elsewhere in China this summer. Courses will be taught in Chinese and both hope to study another language - Japanese for Bijeaux and Korean for Stiles - that would be taught in Chinese, too.

"Mark and Cody deserve credit for how hard they have worked in developing their Chinese language abilities, including their work in China," said Dr. Chris Jespersen, dean of UNG's College of Arts & Letters. "The fact that both were offered scholarships is also a credit to the faculty who developed the program. This is very exciting for Mark and Cody and for everyone at UNG involved with the Chinese language program."

Chi-Hsuan Catterson, an instructor who helped start the university's Chinese program in 2006, said she is thrilled that both plan to continue their language studies.

"As a faculty member, I am happy for them, but it also is an affirmation of what we have been doing," Catterson said. "I have no doubt that our Chinese program is solid and these two are a testimony to that."