STARTALK: Chinese Pathways in Arizona
A Chinese Immersion in the Sonoran Desert
The Center for East Asian Studies hosted its first STARTALK camp in 2024. The program, Environmental Sustainability: A STARTALK Chinese Immersion in the Sonoran Desert, invited 45 high school students to the University of Arizona campus for two weeks to learn Chinese language and cultural practices about desert, water and the environment, through stories, leadership training and hands-on STEM activities. The students participated in Chinese cultural activities and field trips to the Coronado National Forest, Biosphere 2 and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. CESA will continue the grant-funded STARTALK program in 2025.
Student Testimonials
Meet some of our students from the 2024 StarTalk Camp and find out what they enjoyed the most.
Faculty & Staff
Program Director
Dr. Wenhao Diao
K-12 Pedagogical Expert
Mrs. Panna Leatherby
K-12 curriculum consultant
Mrs. Ariana Koers
Program co-Director & Lead Instructor
Mrs. Grace Wenjing Xie
Core Language Instructors
Dr. Yanlin Wang
Mr. Chad Longoni