Director Named for Confucius Institute at Northern State

ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — Northern State University has named a director for its new Confucius Institute.

Naomi Ludeman Smith comes from Peace Catalyst International in Denver, where she served as director of development and learning. Before that, she was on the faculty of Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, for 29 years.

The Chinese language and cultural center at Northern State will be the first of its kind in the Dakotas. The South Dakota Board of Regents in March approved the institute in conjunction with the University of Jinan in China.

Before the approval, there were institutes in nearly every state except the Dakotas. Dickinson State University earlier had received permission to establish one, but it never materialized.

A Confucius Institute allows partner universities to exchange instructors, students and academic information.

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