What Does the Colorado China Council (CCC) Do?

Currently, the primary focus of CCC is sending North Americans to teach English, as well as other academic subjects, at universities throughout China. The Council has placed over 500 teachers, making it one of the U.S.'s largest non-religious providers of teachers to China.

CCC provides successful applicants with advising, materials, orientation, placement, and makes arrangements for its candidates with the Chinese institutions. Every summer the Council hosts an Intensive TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and Mandarin training Institute in Shanghai during the first three weeks of August.

Professionals in all fields are encouraged to apply. Couples are also given priority. For recent college graduates or graduating seniors you need a minimum of a BA/BS degree, 2.75 GPA, good letters of recommendation and excellent mental and physical health.

Chinese language is not a prerequisite.

What Organizations Does CCC Work With?

CCC is affiliated with the China Teachers Consortium, (founded by Yale-China Association, 1990), an organization of China programs in several universities and organizations, including

What Other Programs Has CCC Hosted?

During the past 31 years, CCC has offered many innovative and exciting programs. Below we have listed some of the highlights:

Adopting a Child from China, cohosted with University of Denver, 1997. A day long program of information for singles and couples considering adopting Chinese children.

"Summoning of the Soul: Treasures from China's Tombs," an exquisite exhibit organized by the Asian Art Coordinating Council and co-hosted by the Colorado China Council, had premiered in 1989 at the Denver Art Museum. One of the most highly acclaimed exhibits to ever leave China, "Summoning of the Soul" toured U.S. museums for two years, attracting record-breaking crowds.

Celebrate China! Festival, June, 1987, downtown Denver. The multi-media festival was a salute to Hunan Province and the City of Kunming, two areas of China which have special friendship relations with Colorado and Denver. The grand celebration brought 140 Chinese to Denver for business conferences, tourism promotion, art exhibits, dance performances and educational meetings. All of downtown Denver was transformed for the occasion.

The Hon. Han Xu, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., was hosted by the Council for his Denver visit in 1985. Arrangements developed by the Council included an all-day conference on doing business in China; meeting with local bankers, university presidents, Chinese visiting scholars and students; opening art exhibitions and a national meeting of the 12 regional China Councils.

"Children's Art from China," a lively and insightful exhibition of paintings by elementary school children from Hunan. The exhibit toured Colorado schools and museums in l985. In 1996 the show was updated and exhibited, with recent children's paintings from Hunan, Fujian and Colorado, at Collage Children's Museum, Boulder, before touring the country.

"Chinese in the Rocky Mountains: 1860-1935" an historically significant photo exhibition, depicting the Chinese contributions to the growth and cultural diversity of the Rocky Mt. region. It was exhibited at the Colorado Historical Society with a gala, multi-media opening reception.

Official Relations with China. The Council has worked with the State of Colorado, Denver Sister Cities, universities, international organizations, businesses and Chinese organizations to develop and promote the Colorado-Hunan, Denver-Kunming and Boulder-Lhasa relationships. Since 1981, in order to further educational, business and cultural exchanges, the Council has hosted innumerable Chinese delegations, as well as organizing delegations from Colorado to China.

Who Heads the CCC?

Alice Renouf has served as the Executive Director since the Council's inception. She holds advanced degrees in Chinese studies and has lived and traveled extensively in Asia.

Ellen Axtmann is the Council's new Assistant Director. Ellen has traveled throughout China and taught in Lijiang, Yunnan, China in 2005-06, along with husband Ken Driese and adopted Chinese daughter, Bei. See Blog on home page to experience their China adventure.

The CCC Advisory Board Members include: