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For more information, contact Barb Steadman - 843.857.4199

HARTSVILLE, S. C. – Feb.1, 2013 – To mark Chinese New Year, which this year celebrates the year of the snake, Coker College will host a free Chinese New Year show at 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10 in Watson Theater.

“This is certainly a good year to be a Cobra,” said Assistant Professor Ye Li, who teaches Mandarin Chinese at Coker College, Hartsville High School and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics.

“Our celebration is designed to showcase the color, excitement and joy that have been embedded in Chinese New Year festivities for centuries.”

The program will feature traditional music, acrobatics and dance by four professional Chinese performers, Hangdong Xu (dance), Nan Zhang and Zixuan Xie (acrobatics) and Xin Jin (vocal).

It will also include performances by students from Coker College and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics as well as a raffle for prizes including a Chinese silk scarf, delicate Chinese hand crafted items and Chinese tea.

A reception and light refreshments following the program will be offered in Stein Gallery.

Since 2011, students in Hartsville – at Coker College, the Hartsville High School and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics – have been learning Mandarin Chinese in conjunction with PULSE (Partnership for Unparalleled Local Scholastic Excellence). PULSE is a public-private partnership between the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, the Darlington County School District, Coker College and Sonoco. It is designed to improve academic achievement and personal development of students through collaborative academic initiatives. PULSE is funded by Sonoco and administered locally by the TEACH Foundation.

This event is sponsored by the Chinese Culture Club, the Anime Manga Club, the Office of Campus Life, the Office of the Provost and the Center for Engaged Learning. It is co-sponsored by the Department of Communications, Language and Literature, the Coker College Culture Club, the Department of Dance, Music and Theater and the Foreign Language Program.

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Coker College readies undergraduates for personal and professional success through a distinctive four-year program that emphasizes a practical application of the liberal arts as well as hands-on and discussion-based learning within and beyond the classroom. Coker is ranked among the “Best Colleges” in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review. Located in Hartsville, S.C., Coker is within two hours of the cultural, financial and recreational resources of Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach.