The relationship between the University of St. Francis (USF) and Sichuan University of Science and Engineering (SUSE) in Zigong, China, began in May of 2019, when an Art & Design partnership program received the Ministry of Education of China’s approval. Over 100 students enrolled in the program at SUSE by August, and the first cohort was launched successfully in September that year.
A team of USF educators and administrators traveled to China and warmly welcomed students to the USF family, encouraging them to visit USF in Chicago and to experience America. In the years since, USF Art & Design Professor Michael “Chester” Alamo-Costello, MFA, has grown the program. In 2023, he secured a grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs to photograph in Southwest China. He started in October that year, when he and Joshua Wilson, adjunct professor, traveled to Zigong and City in the Sichuan province of China, teaching design classes to more than 100 students a day. They enjoyed having the opportunity to teach some of their virtual students face to face for the first time.
Programs Offered: Art & Design Instruction
