| GREGORYK AND RIVERA SIGN TRADE/EDUCATION PACT WITH SHAOXING UNIVERSITY
During an 11-day visit to China in May, VCCCD Deputy Chancellor Mike Gregoryk and Ed Rivera, Director of the OC Center for International Trade Development, signed a memorandum of understanding between Shaoxing University and Oxnard College to "develop trade, educational, academic and cultural exchange."
The two educational institutions intend to initiate an exchange program among students, faculty and college administrators to "establish distance learning in dental hygiene, management, information technology and English (language instruction)," and to also develop an international business, trade training and internship program.
The trip included visits to the cities of Beijing, Shaoxing, Suxhou and Shanghai, where Gregoryk said he and his group "found the Chinese people to be warm and friendly and most importantly to be concerned that the education of our students be of the highest priority."
As a result of the agreement, Shaoxing University President Fei Jun Quing and Deputy Director Mary Feng Yan were invited to visit Oxnard in September and tour Oxnard College and its sister colleges in Ventura and Moorpark as well as the University of California at Santa Barbara.
"The opportunity to develop cooperative agreements with universities from China, and in particular with Shaoxing University, is the first step in developing not only cultural exchanges but long lasting friendships with our friends in China," said Gregoryk. "We both believe that an educated population is the best way to serve our world. We would hope that this would be the first of many exchanges between the Community Colleges of Ventura County and Shaoxing University."
Rivera added that the agreement would enable Oxnard College and the College District to "work cooperatively with a rapidly expanding educational institution to help bring about sustained economic development in this high growth area of China."
Accompanying Gregoryk and Rivera in their Ventura County entourage was Camarillo City Councilman Mike Morgan and Chris Moddy, representing the Oxnard High School District. Using the Oxnard-Shaoxing University agreement as a model, the Oxnard district entered into a memorandum of understanding with two Chinese school districts -- Suzhou Municipal School District and Shanghai Cao Yang No. 2 Middle School.
Preliminary business agreements were also signed by California-owned Golf Ventures International and the City of Shaoxing to build a $100 million private golf course, by Darly Sansevero and Shaoxing Wine Group for international distribution rights, and between businessman Tom Zegan and a Shanghai novelty manufacturing firm.
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