WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., July 19, 2017 — In a meaningful gesture of good will and sharing, international student, Yijing Shen of Hangzhou, China, presented the Elbin Library with a special book for its collections recently.
From left, President Stephen Greiner and Elbin Library Director Cheryl Harshman accept the gift of a biographical book on Ambassador John Leighton Stuart from the author’s daughter and WLU student, Yijing Shen.
“We are grateful to Yijing for her gift and for thinking of the library. It is a lovely donation and an interesting book, full of historical photographs from an important era in Chinese history,” said Library Director Cheryl Harshman.
The book, which is written in Chinese, is a biography of John Leighton Stuart (1876-1962), a Chinese missionary educator who was the first president of Yenching University and later became the United States ambassador to China.
Stuart remained in China for 50 years and was known by the Chinese name Situ Leideng. He left a indelible print on its education and culture and wrote in his 1952 memoir: “It was my privilege to grow up as an American boy in China, to return there later as a missionary and student of Chinese culture, to serve there as an evangelist, theological professor and then as university president.”
What’s also important about the book is that Shen’s father, Jianzhong Shen wrote the book which was published by Zhejiang University Press. An author and professor in China, her father formerly taught and now writes. Her mother was an editor at a magazine and is now retired.
Shen will be starting her second year of study as a communications and public relations major on the Hilltop in August 2017. She is interested in news and fashion and active in the WLU International Club and describes West Liberty University as a nice place to live and study.
“It is nice, not a big university, so you know people better. The practice of English is important to me and I can do that well here. The people are very helpful. Helpful with papers, and assignments,” she said, prior to leaving campus in June.
Book cover showing John Leighton Stuart
Shen has traveled to New York City and California, visiting both Las Vegas, and Yellowstone National Park over her first year.
She has no family in the United States but knows that by studying English and learning about America, it will increase her chance at success. Though Yijing returned to her hometown for summer break, she looks forward to returning to the Hilltop campus in August.
Shen is pleased to know that her father’s book has found a home on the shelves of the Elbin Library.
Hundreds of students use the library on a daily basis during the school year and make use of its technology, research and reference tools.
The library collection features more than 250,000 items in print, audio, and video formats; plus two special collections – The Henry Lash Sheet Music Collection, and the Nelle M. Krise Rare Books Collection. The library staff assists students and visitors with research, reference, course work and other informational needs. For more information, please call 304-336-8261 or visit westliberty.edu/library.
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