We knew it would happen, and it is finally here: our center is officially in the Dark Ages. The last coins from our Title VI have rolled out the door, and for the next three years, we’ll have to make do without. However, as a medievalist by trade, I must strongly remind everyone that . . . even the original Dark Ages weren’t so dark after all, and neither will the next few years be a time of want and misery in EASC. On the contrary, we are dedicated to innovate, build back stronger, and do whatever it takes to create stimulating and engaging programs. In fact, the Freeman Foundation has generously increased our grant with almost 20% for the first time in almost a decade, and a new grant from the Japan Foundation has made it possible for us to put together a comprehensive program to address the issue of the “Japanese Cultural and Creative Industry” and of how students with a passion for Japanese culture can find ways to make a career with the things they are passionate about. Hopefully, the series will also inspire students with interests in Korean or Chinese studies.
As they say, “Crisis is the Mother of Innovation” (or something like that), and in the coming months we will work on finding new ways to continue providing the kind of academic content that we have all gotten accustomed to. As an example, we have started integrating our academic events and programs into our NCTA (Freeman Foundation) outreach programs, and vice versa. As a direct result of these efforts, we have been able to largely maintain our high level of programming, increase the number of K12 teacher certificates by 37% this year alone, and provide career relevant teaching experience (and money) for several of our affiliated PhD students.
Travel grants will continue (see the latest call for applications here), even if we have to maybe decrease the awarded amounts a bit.
The Colloquium talks will continue as always. Perhaps befitting for our new Dark Ages, the theme for the Fall will be “East Asian Perspectives on Violence” (link to description and program here), but despair not, for we will transition into the spring semester on a much happier note with a series on East Asian Performance Arts. As always, please let us know if you would like to get involved. To increase the impact of the funding we spend on the colloquium, we also plan to interview all our guests as part of a new podcast series, so stay tuned.
To hopefully help you stay tuned in with the center, starting with this letter, we will be sending out a monthly newsletter to faculty (former and current), students, friends, and alumni. Let us know if you have information or stories that you would like to have included.
Finally, I want to express my deep gratitude to the staff of EASC. Things looked pretty bleak last semester, but it was incredibly inspiring to see how both permanent and student staff rose to the occasion and kept everything together. Bill, Jillian, Dakotah, and Yiwen – you saved my life (or at least my sanity)! With the addition of our new Assistant Director, Laura Judson, and our full-time Program Manager, Kathryn Vandrey, I dare say we have the strongest team in living memory (which in my case may not say much, but still). With this team I feel optimistic and empowered, and I’m looking forward to an amazing year.
So, WELCOME BACK, everyone!
Morten Oxenboell
Director, EASC
Just wanted to say this message is so well-written, Morten! The center will sail through the Dark Ages! Hope the beginning of the semester will be smooth for y’all.