“The purpose of the NDA Chinese Club is to create an open, respectful environment where ALL students will be welcome to learn about, understand and appreciate Chinese culture,” said Qiuhong Zhang, Notre Dame’s Mandarin teacher and Chinese Club proctor.

The Chinese Club is the youngest yet the largest club at Notre Dame. The Chinese Club was established only four years ago when Qiuhong Zhang started teaching at Notre Dame.

Zhang has been teaching for over 20 years and says her students are the inspiration of her work.

“Students are the main reason I was inspired to create the Chinese Club. They wanted to experience more Chinese culture outside the Mandarin class. Their curiosity and open mindedness inspired me  to do create an opportunity for more experiences.  Their interest motivated me to provide this opportunity for anyone interested,” explained Zhang.

Notre Dame’s Chinese Club is the largest NDA extracurricular club with 132 sign-ups at club fair. The multitude of activities engage students and attract members to the club.

A popular event held is the Chinese Club ping pong tournament. It is always a surprise to see the amazing ping pong players Notre Dame has to offer.

“The Chinese Club ping pong tournament is my favorite event. It is so fun,” said sophomore Michael Pack.

The Chinese New Year celebration is another major annual event held by the Chinese Club. The New Year is a learning experience for many students but also a piece of home for our Chinese foreign exchange students and Mrs. Zhang.

“I can not celebrate with my family in China, but I feel fortunate to celebrate this special occasion with so many wonderful people,” said Zhang.

Student co-presidents Sam Frantz and Molly Schneider like to promote the goal of providing events for students to explore more about China and its culture.

Another major goal of the club is to bridge the gap between the Chinese foreign exchange students and the Notre Dame students.

Mrs. Zhang suggests to visit the haiku page for more information about the club.
“Experiencing new cultural opportunities through a variety of events, along the way the students are making new friends,” said Zhang.