UPPER BURRELL, Pa. – Nihao. Huanyíng Penn State New Kensington. That is hello and welcome to Penn State New Kensington in Mandarin Chinese.
Penn State New Kensington’s interactive virtual tour was updated recently to include a Mandarin version. Prospective students from East Asia now see and hear campus highlights from their home computers or mobile devices. Lìhài Awesome. The tour also is available in English and Spanish. Mandarin was added to accommodate the increase of Chinese international students to the campus. This year, 83 percent of the campus’ first-year international students are from East Asia.
“We have experienced a significant increase in the number of Chinese students who are interested in our campus,” said Patty Brady, director of enrollment management. “Providing our virtual tour in Mandarin makes it easier for prospective students from East Asia to learn more about Penn State New Kensington. We look forward to welcoming our international students to campus and anticipate additional students from China and other countries.”
The official language of China, Mandarin is a Chinese dialect spoken by nearly 1.3 billion people, making it the most popular language in the world. The indigenous people of China, Taiwan and Singapore make up the majority of Mandarin-speaking population. Mandarin is also spoken in Malaysia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Brunei, Thailand, the Philippines, Russia, United States, Vietnam, Laos, United Kingdom and Mauritius.Virtual tour
The online tour highlights campus students, facilities and activities. Since it was unveiled in fall 2013, more than 3,200 people from around the world have taken a virtual tour of the campus.
While an in-person visit to the campus provides the optimal perspective, prospective students can get a feel for the campus via a home computer or mobile app. After previewing the campus, future Penn Staters can use the navigation buttons to schedule a visit or apply online.
“This is a great tool for our (admissions) office,” said Corinne Coulson, enrollment specialist at the campus. “It can be utilized during our school visits, college fairs and other recruitment activities.”
Users can explore different areas of the 72-acre campus using four tour options -- walking; panoramic view; videos; and photos. The guided walking tour starts at the Lion Shrine and continues to 19 other campus hot spots, including the Junction Coffee Bar, Art Gallery, Computer Center, Forum Theatre, Conference Center, Café 780 and Athletics Center.
The Junction and Athletics Center were renovated last year. Located in the lobby of the main entrance, the coffee bar has the look of a mini-Starbucks and serves Starbucks products. Among the improvements to the Athletics Center were air conditioning for the basketball court, wrestling room, racquetball court and the Pilates/yoga room. The Athletics Center also houses a fitness center, with heavy equipment, and a cardiovascular room with light equipment.
The guided tour features the Biomedical Engineering Technology (BET) and Radiological Sciences (RadSci) classroom and labs. Renovations to the areas a year ago allowed for more hands-on instruction. Healthcare providers rely on BET graduates to operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and repair medical equipment. Contemporary imaging equipment for the RadSci program gives students the opportunity to work with medical equipment that is currently used in hospitals. Radiographers provide patient care using safe radiation practices, operate sophisticated technical equipment and make independent judgments and decisions daily.
The Panoramic tour provides 360-degree views of campus facilities. The Academic and Student Success Center, Elizabeth S. Blissell Library, and Nittany Highland Apartments are among the 21 campus venues. The virtual tour features students, faculty and staff and highlights the quality of academic programs and the variety of student extracurricular activities.
There is a gallery of 50 photos that feature the reconstructed Café 780 court yard, the iconic arch that overlooks the campus entrance off State Rt. 780 and the Larry R. Pollock Fountain, as well as a myriad of campus students. To give the courtyard a more intimate feel, a pergola was constructed by the side entrance of the courtyard. Also known as an arbor, a pergola is a type of gazebo that features a shaded sitting area of vertical posts and cross-beams supporting an open lattice. The lattice will be covered with woody vines. The courtyard also features a fire pit, along with new furniture and benches. Chancellor Kevin Snider utilizes the pit for a series of fireside chats with campus students.
In addition to helping prospective students, the website can be a useful tool for former students who can see how the campus has changed since their “glory” days. Alumni who haven’t been back to the campus in a while will be pleasantly surprised by the expansion of bachelor’s programs, the upgrades to labs and classrooms, and development of athletic facilities and teams, as well as external improvements, including landscaping and a redesigned parking lot entrance.
To experience the interactive virtual tour, visit www.nk.psu.edu/virtualtour
To activate the Mandarin or Spanish versions, méi wèntí or ningun problema, no problem.Click on the button in the lower right hand corner and choose your language.
* Editor's Note: Kowtow is the English word borrowed from the Chinese.The Mandarin word kou tau denotes an act of deep respect and reverence.