Americans in a Changing China: 1920-2008

March 23, 2009 – June 2010
CU Heritage Center, Third Floor Old Main

CU alumna Lelia Hinkley graduated in 1915 and arrived in Peking, China in 1921 to work as the secretary of the national board of the YWCA.

Immersing herself in a culture undergoing profound social change with the fall of the imperial family in 1912, Hinkley spent 30 years establishing medical clinics, playgrounds and free schools in impoverished areas. She survived two and a half years in a Japanese internment camp, returning to Peking 30 pounds lighter when released, yet her sense of adventure and curiosity never wavered.

Hinkley’s remarkable stories told through her photos, collection of exquisite textiles and impeccably detailed letters are part of the temporary exhibit at the CU Heritage Center, on display through June 2010.

A separate study abroad component focuses on today’s CU student experience in China.

Bird’s Nest – Lydia Halvorson,
study abroad participant in 2008