Taiwan: Ashland University President Finks visits Taiwan

Our visit to Taiwan coincided with a visit from Ashland University President, Fred Finks.  We met up with Ashland University alumni, current AU doctoral student student, Jesse, and another AU faculty member, Nate Myers.  Nate is a visiting professor this summer at Providence University in Taichung. 
Dinner was hosted by President Finks at Kanpei BBQ restaurant.

Never-ending platters of meat were brought to the table for us to barbeque.

Here's the president as chief bbq master.

The next day we visited Kang Chiao Bilingual School in Taipei.  AU and
Kang Chiao have a partnership relationship.  The school is located in a beautiful setting overlooking Taipei.  In Fall 2010 Kang Chiao will expand to two campuses when a state-of-the art elementary campus will open.   The school offers an International Program that prepares its graduates to attend university abroad.   The setting, campuses, programmatic offerings, and diverse faculty are impressive.  Click on the link above to learn more about the school.  AU will send up to two student teaching interns to teach at the school in Taipei per semester affording them a unique and challenging teaching opportunity.  Students from Kang Chaio have access to reserved undergraduate spaces and scholarships. 




This is hard to see--the flashing sign said "welcome guests
of Ashland University."

A summer sports camp was going on. 

    

The school has a beautiful setting in the mountains overlooking Taipei.

Also, the elevator doors close really, really quickly. 

President Finks and Principal Charlie Chang. 

The staff at Kang Chiao took us out to a wonderful lunch.  Then we hopped on the high-speed rail back to Taichung to make an official visit to National Taichung University.  On the way to meeting with administrators, we stopped of for a visit to class.  The president was able to seamlessly participate in the dance.  Very impressive.

The president's dance partner was my frequent conversation partner and tutor, the lovely Yeon Joo Kim.