UMBC Closed Dec 23-Jan 2

In observance of the end of the year holidays, UMBC is closed from Friday, Dec 23 through Monday, January 2. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to responding to any messages or inquiries which arrive during this time upon our return to campus in the new year! 

It's International Education Week

UMBC is celebrating International Education Week with a variety of exciting special events and opportunities, both virtual and on-campus! You can see the whole schedule here. The following sessions today and later this week may be especially of interest for Asian Studies students: 

- EPIK (English Program in Korea) will host a virtual info session Tuesday night from 7:10-8:10pm. Learn about the program and its requirements and find out how to apply! A link to join the session is available on the International Education Week schedule page. 

- China Town Hall - Join Dr. Oyen and Goucher College's Dr. Evan Dawley on Wednesday night from 7-9pm for a livestream of the national Town Hall event, followed by a UMBC discussion session. You can find the WebEx link on the IEW schedule page linked above, or you can visit the myUMBC event page. 

There are many other events happening this week, including Study Abroad info sessions, UMBC Basketball games, and much more - be sure to take a look! 

Advising Continues!

Spring 2023 advising is in full swing! Have you completed your advising tasks? 

Find all the information you need about advising on our website, from signing up for an advising appointment to a list of Spring 2023 classes that count towards your Asian Studies degree program (major, minor, certificate). 

Fall Break Next Week

Fall break is coming next week. UMBC will be closed on Thursday and Friday in observance of the holiday. 

Spring 2023 Schedule and Advising

Critical Language Scholarship - App Deadline Soon!

Each summer, American undergraduate and graduate students can spend eight to ten weeks learning one of fourteen languages at an intensive study abroad institute through the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program. The CLS Program is designed to promote rapid language gains and essential intercultural fluency in regions that are critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity.  These languages include Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Indonesian, and several of the languages of South Asia.

Applications are due November 15, 2022. For more information, check out the CLS website. Dr. Brian Souders, Associate Director of the UMBC Center for Global Engagement, is happy to advise any UMBC student wishing to apply. Please email him with any questions you might have!

International Education Week is Coming!

International Education Week 2022 will take place November 14-18, and will bring the world to UMBC! Events are planned throughout the week to celebrate our international community, support international initiatives on campus, and share international experiences! 

Asian Studies is hosting or co-hosting two specific events for International Education Week: 

- Monday, Nov 14, noon-1pm at the Sculpture Forum outside of the PAHB: Korean Games Corner! Stop by to try some Korean games and maybe win a prize! 

- Wednesday, Nov 16, 7-9pm online: virtual China Town Hall! Join Dr. Oyen and Goucher College's Dr. Evan Dawley for the national virtual town hall program with Jon Huntsman, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to China, Russia, and Singapore. Stick around after the national program for additional insight and conversation with Drs. Oyen and Dawley! Stay tuned for a link to this exciting program! 

Winter Course Announcement: POLI 371 - Comparative Politics of Central Asia

There's more happening in Asian Studies this fall, too, but we'll keep that for next week's newsletter. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email us, and we'll be happy to help! 

Prof. Irene Chan: The Thomas Project and Other Recent Work - Weds, Oct 5, noon

Irene Chan, Associate Professor of Visual Arts and Affiliate Associate Professor of Asian Studies at UMBC, will present and discuss recent work including The Thomas Project (2022), a six part, multimedia work exploring the life of Thomas Sylvanus (aka Ching Lee, Ye Way Lee, Ah Yee Way), a 19th-century Chinese man who lived in the U.S. East Coast, was enslaved in Baltimore, and ran away to join the Union Army. 

The talk will take place in the Performing Arts and Humanities Building (PAHB), Room 216, and lunch will be provided for registered attendees! Learn more about Prof. Chan's work and this event by visiting CIRCA's website. 

UMBC Fall 2022 Career Fair - Weds, Sept 21 (tomorrow!)

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

The semester is off to a great start here in Asian Studies. We hope you are settling into your rhythm and enjoying your classes. Thank you to those of you who joined us for our Welcome Week sushi event, and our talk last week with Dr. Souders about study abroad and research opportunities in Asia! 

UMBC Review Call for Submissions - Deadline Friday 9/16!

The UMBC Review wants to publish you! Have you completed a research project or creative work during your time at UMBC? Consider submitting it to the peer-reviewed academic journal on campus for publication consideration! The deadline to submit your work is Friday, September 16. Information about how to respond to the call for submissions is available on the Review's website. 

Paid Opportunity at the Walters Art Museum

The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore is home to a vast array of art from around the world, including a comprehensive and important collection of Asian art. The museum is forming a College Student Advisory Group to bring a college voice on objectives in the collection for the upcoming reinstallation Across Asia. The group will meet six times from late October 2022 to April 2023 to discuss the Across Asia reinstallation and to learn about other programs at the museum that may be of interest to students. 

Successful applicants will be notified in mid-October and will receive a $600 stipend. To apply, you can visit the Walters' website. Please contact Mr. Peter Ibenana, the David Hirschhorn Head of Community Engagement, by phone at 410-547-9000, ext. 565, with any questions. 

Graduate Degree Funding in Hawai'i

Are you thinking about grad school? The East-West Center, located adjacent to the campus of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM), has funding [a scholarship] available for students interested in pursuing graduate study in their program! This is a significant opportunity for anyone interested in developing and strengthening community across the Asia-Pacific region. Information about the program, the fellowship award, and how to apply is available on the East-West Center's website. The deadline to apply is December 1. 

Fall 2022 Internship and Career Fair - Sept 21

UMBC's Career Center will host the Fall 2022 Internship and Career Fair on Wednesday, Sept 21 (next week!), in person at the RAC. More than 100 employers will be there, and they want to meet you! Visit the Career Center's event page for more information. 

[thumbnail image description: an autumnal landscape in China's Jiuzhaigou National Park (in Sichuan), showing riotous autumn foliage on hillsides that end in a crystal-clear lake]

Today: Study Abroad Info Session!

Join Asian Studies today at noon in Fine Arts 558 for an info session with Dr. Brian Souders! Dr. Souders will be sharing information about the Luce Foundation Scholarship, Fulbright Awards, the Boren Scholarship Program, and other prestigious, competitive opportunities for students interested in doing study abroad or research in Asia! We'll also have snacks and giveaways for Asian Studies and for the moon-viewing festival holiday taking place this weekend across many parts of Asia!

UMBC Review Call for Papers - Deadline Sept 16!

From the editors: The UMBC Review: Journal of Undergraduate Research is currently soliciting submissions for its 24th edition to be published in April, 2023. We invite you to submit your research to our journal. The Review offers a rewarding opportunity to get your undergraduate research published!

The deadline to submit is Friday, September 16th. The submission application can be found at: https://ur.umbc.edu/umbc-review/. We encourage students of all majors and disciplines to send in their research! Your papers do not have to be ready for publication or perfect right now, we just want to see the best work and research you have completed! Papers may include original research and/or artistic statements that explore the research and process you have completed, and discoveries you have made.

If you have any questions please contact the editors at umbcreview@umbc.edu.

Involvement Fest

Bored on campus? Wondering what to do with your free time between classes and studying? Involvement Fest is here! Visit Erickson Field on Friday, September 9 to learn more about some of the more than 200 student organizations that are active and recruiting on campus! From video games to cultural celebrations to major-related groups, there's a student organiztion for everybody - be sure to check it out! For more information, visit their website.

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

• Sept 7 (today), noon: Study Abroad Info Session - see above
• Sept 9 (Friday), noon: Involvement Fest - see above
• Sept 14 (next week): last day to drop a class without a "W"

There are dozens of study abroad programs for students interested in extended, in-depth opportunities in Asian countries. Some of these programs, including the Luce Scholarship, the Boren Scholarship, and the Fulbright program, are especially prestigious and competitive. 

It can be difficult and overwhelming to try to understand these programs on your own - but never fear! Join Asian Studies and UMBC's very own Dr. Brian Souders, Fulbright Program Advisor extraordinaire, on Wednesday, September 7 (next week!) for a session that will illuminate the specific pros and cons of several of these programs, and outline some of the basics of their application processes. If you're thinking about studying abroad, either during or after your time at UMBC, this will be a great overview session - and we'll have snacks, too! Don't miss it! 

It's Welcome Week! 

New students and returning students can all find something interesting on the Welcome Week calendar! From departmental open houses and information tables to UMBC Athletics gameday festivities and neighborhood tours, Welcome Week is a lively celebration of all of the opportunities and events taking place on campus at the start of the semester. Be sure to check it out! 

UMBC Review Submission Deadline: Sept 16!

Have you completed a big research project or creative work during your time at UMBC? Consider submitting your work for publication in the UMBC Review! Learn more about this peer-reviewed journal - and how to submit your work - at https://ur.umbc.edu/umbc-review/submission-guidelines/. Note that the deadline for submissions is coming up in a few weeks - September 16! 

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

• Aug 31: First day of classes! Asian Studies welcome luncheon!
• Sept 7: Study Abroad Programs Info Session with Dr. Souders
• Sept 14: Deadline to drop a class without a "W," last day to add a class
  
• Sept 15: Deadline to apply for Fall 2022 Commencement

Research Study: Covid-19 and Apps for On-Campus Use

We are conducting an online survey study to learn more about the willingness of individuals to accept a potential mobile app that shows an estimation of the occupancy level of different spaces (buildings, floors, etc.) on campus in real time. We are inviting you to participate in our study. Your opinions are critical to developing a useful tool for supporting individual decision-making in these uncertain times!

You will be asked to complete a brief online Qualtrics screening survey that will take less than 5 minutes to complete and includes basic demographic and COVID-19 related questions. You will also be asked to provide an email address if you are willing to participate in the main study survey. Some students will then be selected to complete another online Qualtrics survey that will take less than 30 minutes and will explain the proposed technology and ask about your interest in and willingness to adopt this technology. 

To participate in this study, you must be a UMBC undergraduate student and 18 years or older.  

After completing the screening survey, you will be entered into a drawing to win one of ten $10 gift cards. If you are selected for and complete the main study survey, you will be compensated with a $10 gift certificate for your time and contributions. 

If you are interested in participating, please click on the following screening survey link to get started: 

https://bit.ly/covid19umbc

Please contact the principal investigator, Dr. Tera Reynolds, at reynoter@umbc.edu with any questions or concerns.

Welcome Week Lunch - Wednesday, August 31, noon

Asian Studies is excited to welcome you back to campus in a few weeks! We'll be celebrating the start of the academic year with a Welcome Week lunch - join us for sushi and snacks during Free Hour (noon-1pm) on Wednesday, August 31. 

We'll send out a separate myUMBC link soon - save the date, and we hope to see you there! 

Study Abroad Programs Information Session and Moon Festival Celebration - Wednesday, Sept 7, noon

Are you eligible for the Luce Scholars program? Can you apply for a Boren scholarship? What about a Fulbright - and why are those such a big deal? 

Join Dr. Brian Souders and the Asian Studies department for an information session during Free Hour on Wednesday, September 7, that will answer these questions and many more! There are a variety of prestigious, competitive study-abroad programs with opportunities throughout Asia for undergraduate and recent graduate students. This session will share insights about many of them - join us! We'll also have moon festival snacks and treats to celebrate the Moon Festivals that will kick off throughout east Asia on Sept 10!  

A separate event link will be available soon on myUMBC! 

Thinking of Study Abroad? Fund for Education Abroad Apps Open Soon!

If you're thinking about a study abroad program for the coming academic year, the Fund for Education Abroad scholarship can help you reach your goal! 

Applications for this scholarship open on July 1. Any undergraduate student who is a US citizen or permanent resident is eligible to apply, and the funds can be applied to any study abroad program that's eligible for UMBC credit. The deadline to submit your application is July 15. You can learn more about the FEA scholarship in this myUMBC post from Global Studies! 

Fall 2022 Advising Still Available!

Are you a current student who still needs advising and registration clearance for Fall 2022? It's not too late! Make an appointment with Dr. Oyen for your clearance - learn more on our website. 

New students who are starting their first semester at UMBC this fall will have an opportunity to register for classes at their orientation session this summer! 

Asian Studies Office Summer Hours

The Asian Studies office (Fine Arts 548) is open 8:30am-1:30pm, Mon-Thurs, this summer. We will be working remotely in July, but are available any time via email. 

We'll be in person again in August. If you are on campus prior to the start of class, feel free to stop by and say hello!