ONTARIO, Calif. (Oct. 27, 2016)—Gateway Seminary will initiate a Chinese-English Bilingual (CEB) Program offering both master’s and doctoral level degrees, thanks to a large gift from an anonymous donor.

The $500,000 contribution will support the program through its formation and provide a basis for its operation.

“The donor is making it possible to train Mandarin-speaking leaders in the United States and around the world,” said President Jeff Iorg. “With our remote access and online capabilities, global training for Chinese leaders will be possible.”

The search for a program director is now underway, with classes scheduled to begin in Fall 2017. Student applications are now being accepted for the program.

The CEB program joins the Korean-English Bilingual Program (KEB), which began four years ago, as the seminary’s second fully bilingual program at the master’s and doctoral level. In addition, Gateway Seminary supports study in English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Hmong, Mien, Russian, and Haitian through its Contextualized Leadership Development Program in various locations, depending on need.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Asian population in the western United States grew by more than 45 percent in the last decade, with Chinese being the largest group.

Approximately 3.6 percent of California’s population is Chinese.

“The donor felt training leaders through Gateway Seminary was the best way to make a long-term impact and reach the most people for Christ,” Iorg said. “We appreciate his confidence in us and his long-term vision.”

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