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Taiwan-Launched Center in Houston Bridges Borders With Mandarin Classes
Zoe Cho, a native of Taoyuan in northern Taiwan, is helping to fill a cultural and educational gap in Houston, Texas. As the sole language instructor at the Mandarin Center of the University of St. Thomas and Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, Cho brings years of experience to the region, teaching local residents the intricacies of Mandarin and Taiwanese culture.
Cho’s teaching journey in the United States began long before she came to Houston. "Around my third year of university, I taught Mandarin at San Francisco’s De Avila Chinese Immersion School for about a month during a summer camp," Cho said. "In addition to that, I’ve also taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy as well as students from West Point."
Cho came to Texas through a Taiwanese government program that sends qualified teachers abroad. The center where she teaches is the first of four under a joint U.S.-Taiwan educational initiative aimed at promoting Mandarin language and culture in the United States.
That program was also launched to counterbalance the reduced presence of Confucius Institutes in U.S. universities. Once numbering around 100, these China-backed programs faced scrutiny over their ties to the Chinese Communist Party and have dwindled to fewer than five, according to a 2023 government report.
Yeh Yao-yuan, the director of the Mandarin Center, noted that Taiwan’s programs are not designed to completely replace the Confucius Institutes. "We want to fill the void, but most likely, currently what we’re doing, we’re trying to supplement the Mandarin education or Mandarin teaching capacities across the world," Yeh explained.
Yeh emphasized the center’s broader mission: bringing Mandarin education not only to St. Thomas students but to the greater Houston community. The center offers free evening classes to anyone interested in learning the language, further promoting cultural exchanges between the U.S. and Taiwan.
The center’s flagship program focuses on sending students to Wenzao University in Kaohsiung for an immersive language exchange. Jade Bautista and Carla Silva Mendez, both seniors at St. Thomas, participated in the summer 2023 study abroad program. Silva Mendez, who initially knew little about the political tensions between Taiwan and China, explained how the experience changed her perspective.
"I didn’t know much of Taiwan or the tension between Taiwan and China going into this program, and so while I was there speaking to people from Taiwan and hearing their side of the story, hearing how they were feeling about it, it made me want to learn more about the conflict because during this program I decided I officially wanted to go into international studies," Silva-Mendez said.
Though still in its early stages, the Mandarin Center is already making a significant impact, helping develop language skills and cultural awareness among the next generation of learners in Houston. Through its various initiatives, the center not only teaches Mandarin but also fosters a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s unique place in the global political landscape.
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