Coastal Carolina University President David A. DeCenzo today addressed a gathering of about 200 presidents and senior administrators of Chinese and American universities at a graduation ceremony in Dalian, China. His remarks concerned sustainability and best practices in people-to-people exchange programs.

During the ceremony, DeCenzo and the Chinese university presidents awarded double degrees to three students who completed the demanding Sino-American Cooperation on Higher Education and Professional Development (CHEPD) 1+2+1 double-degree articulation program.

Graduates of this program completed all the requirements to earn undergraduate degrees from both their Chinese universities and from CCU. A total of 179 students from 119 Chinese universities and 33 U.S. public universities were eligible to participate in the CHEPD program graduation ceremony this year.

CCU students receiving degrees were:

- Zi Ye, a bachelor's degree in business administration with a major in accounting from CCU and Huaqiao University

- Yang Du, a bachelor's degree in English from CCU and Huzhou University

- Yushang Xu, a bachelor's degree in graphic design from CCU and Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication

All three students who were awarded degrees graduated cum laude from CCU and were recognized with "Excellent Graduate" titles from the CHEPD program.

This groundbreaking program allows talented students at major universities in China to spend one year studying at their Chinese institution, then transfer CCU for two to two and a half years to complete requirements for their Coastal Carolina degree, and then return for a year of coursework at their Chinese institution.

"This partnership brings exposure to the culture and experience of the Peoples' Republic of China to CCU's campus, provides opportunities for CCU faculty and students to engage directly through exchange in China, enables learning through exchange among the US and Chinese partners, and engages contact and strategic conversations that would otherwise have required far lengthier time and resource commitment to develop on our own," said Darla Domke Damonte, associate provost for global initiatives. "Ultimately, it has brought talented students to work together on our campus who have excelled in their academic programs and extracurricular activities and contributed to a broadened worldview to the CCU community."

CCU has been a member of the CHEPD 1+2+1 program since 2007. Since the first student arrived on campus in 2009, 15 students have completed the program and an additional 45 more are currently enrolled. CCU is the only college in South Carolina actively participating in CHEPD.

For more information, contact Domke-Damonte, associate provost for global initiatives, at 843-349-2129 or ddamonte@coastal.edu.