ºù«Ӱҵ

 

Meredith Burke

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN 
Majors: Chinese Studies, Diplomacy & World Affairs

What was your motivation to major in Asian Studies (AS)?

I have studied Mandarin Chinese since kindergarten and took part in an immersion program through my public school district. I knew I wanted to continue my language studies in college, so it just made sense to major in Chinese.

Can you describe your working relationships with AS professors? 

Every professor in the Asian Studies department that I've interacted with is super friendly and excited to help me out with any questions I have, even if they aren't related to homework. One of my favorite classes I have taken within the department was Topics in Fiction and Film with Prof. Zhang. We got to watch Chinese movies from the 1920s through the 2010s, discussing historical events, changes in culture, as well as various works of Chinese literature. 

Returning from being abroad, I can really tell that my language skills have improved and the experience has helped me with my research at ºù«Ӱҵ as well as giving me ideas for senior comps!

How did studying abroad enhance your education?

I participated in the CET Beijing program last fall and it was one of the best experiences ever! CET Beijing is a language intensive program with a 24-hour language pledge so my Chinese really improved while I was there. All my classes were in Chinese and I was able to really explore Beijing and use my language in action. Returning from being abroad, I can really tell that my language skills have improved and the experience has helped me with my research at ºù«Ӱҵ as well as giving me ideas for senior comps!

What are your ambitions post-ºù«Ӱҵ and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path?

I am still figuring out what I want to do post-grad, but I know for sure that I want to use Chinese in my future job. At ºù«Ӱҵ, I've gotten to take great classes within my majors that have made me more excited about pursuing international relations and Chinese, but I also have gotten to take really cool electives that have sparked new interests. 

At ºù«Ӱҵ, I've gotten to take great classes within my majors that have made me more excited about pursuing international relations and Chinese, but I also have gotten to take really cool electives that have sparked new interests.

What is the vibe of the AS department?

The Asian Studies department is really welcoming and a great major at ºù«Ӱҵ. All the professors really want students to succeed and are always open to collaborating with students. They really care about their work and bring a positive energy into everything they do. I'm super lucky ºù«Ӱҵ has such a big Chinese Studies program for being such a small school and that I have had the opportunity to keep improving my language skills and cultural and historical knowledge. 

 

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Eli Heringman

Hometown: Columbia, MO
Majors: Japanese Studies, Media Arts & Culture

Can you describe your working relationships with AS professors?

I have wonderful relationships with Prof. Taylor and Prof. Li, who have both been incredibly patient with me throughout my journey studying the Japanese language. I am currently enrolled in Prof. Taylor's course Advanced Japanese through Media and Communications, which has been immensely helpful in learning to practically apply language and recognize new characters.

Did you study abroad? How did it enhance your education?

I studied abroad in Chiba, Japan. The experience of immersing myself in Japanese culture was super informative, expanding my view of the world and teaching me to navigate unfamiliar experiences with confidence. I was placed at an international language school with a mostly Japanese student body, and it was rewarding and interesting to learn from the Japanese friends I made while teaching my own language and culture. My knowledge of Japanese language and culture was bolstered by experiencing the culture firsthand.

Interdisciplinary study and my semester abroad experiencing Japanese culture firsthand have illuminated to me how large our planet is. After graduation, I intend to pursue filmmaking internationally, a goal which I attribute to my liberal arts education at Occidental.

What are your ambitions post-ºù«Ӱҵ and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path?

After graduation, I intend to pursue filmmaking internationally, a goal which I attribute to my liberal arts education at Occidental. Interdisciplinary study and my semester abroad experiencing Japanese culture firsthand have illuminated to me how large our planet is, and I want to share pieces from around the globe with those who are not afforded the luxury of travel. I have been exposed to so many diverse perspectives at ºù«Ӱҵ and so many unique stories which deserve to be told.

 

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Alyssa Wu

Hometown: Irvine, CA
Majors: Chinese Studies, Economics

What was your motivation to major in Asian Studies?

My motivation to pursue Chinese Studies came very early in my time at ºù«Ӱҵ. When I was at Orientation in my first year, I spoke to Prof. Zhang about courses offered in Mandarin, as I wanted a chance to dig deeper into Chinese literature and history. I started by taking Translating Chinese that fall and immediately fell in love with what the department offered.

Can you describe your working relationships with your Asian Studies professors? Are there any standout classes you¡¯ve taken?

I absolutely love taking classes with Prof. Zhang. I have taken six classes with her throughout my time at ºù«Ӱҵ, with my favorite being ¡°Female Who Writes and Is Written.¡± Through this course, I was introduced to pieces of media centered around women and femininity through Chinese culture. Professor Zhang provided incredible insight to the works we discussed, and really opened my eyes to critically analyzing all the different media.

[Studying abroad,] I was able to take a course that blended my two majors together, which was excellent. I also got to participate in an internship at a local company, learning a lot about work culture.

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities through ºù«Ӱҵ? 

I am currently part of Professor Zhang¡¯s directed research project, studying old documents from former ºù«Ӱҵ president Arthur G. Coons, along with other academics. They were participating in an exchange program with students from various Californian universities in China, and left behind dozens of manuscripts and letters recounting the experience. We are currently working on discovering what kind of topics these individuals discussed in their writings, and hope to create an online database for the collection.

Did you study abroad? How did it complement and/or enhance your education?

I chose to do a summer abroad program in Shanghai, China. I stayed in Donghua University dorms with a local student roommate, and got to practice communication in Mandarin consistently. I was able to take a course that blended my two majors together, which was excellent. I also got to participate in an internship at a local company, learning a lot about work culture. The best part was getting to explore the city and surrounding areas in my free time, getting to engage with the locals personally, and experiencing the rich culture of Shanghai.

 

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Damien Chow

Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Majors: Japanese Studies and chemistry  Minor: biology

What was your motivation to major in Asian Studies (AS)? 

My experience with the Japanese language began as a first-year student in high school, where I quickly fell in love with learning it and decided to take it for all four years. Coming into ºù«Ӱҵ, I knew I wanted to continue my Japanese language education and tested into the Translating Texts class. At first, I only considered minoring in Japanese; however, with the great support from my professors, I quickly realized that I truly had a passion for the language and wanted to pursue it further.

Can you describe your working relationships with AS professors? Are there any standout classes you¡¯ve taken?

All the professors I have had in the Asian Studies department are super kind and supportive whenever I have questions. Over the past two years, I have been able to build a strong relationship with Prof. Li, and have taken multiple classes with her. One class that stands out is Popular Culture and Literary Traditions in Early Modern Japan, where we were able to participate in multiple workshops including woodblock printing and one with Special Collections in the library.

I came to ºù«Ӱҵ wanting to pursue a career as a veterinarian. While my Japanese major doesn¡¯t necessarily tie into this, through [Japanese Studies] I have become a much better writer and reader of journal articles...this skill has helped me greatly in my science-related classes.

What are your ambitions post-ºù«Ӱҵ and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path?

I came to ºù«Ӱҵ wanting to pursue a career as a veterinarian. While my Japanese major doesn¡¯t necessarily tie into this, through my education in the department, I have become a much better writer and reader of journal articles. I believe that this skill has helped me greatly in my science-related classes, and will continue to assist me in my future career.

What is the vibe of the AS department?

The Asian Studies department at ºù«Ӱҵ is a great department to be a part of. The professors are all super kind and supportive of their students. I also think that all the classes that the department offers are very interesting and gives everyone an opportunity to learn more about Asian culture.

 

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Giselle Reyes

Hometown: Downey, CA
Major: Japanese Studies  Minor: Linguistics

What was your motivation to major in Asian Studies (AS)?

I have always had an interest in Japanese culture since I was young because Japanese media was a way I bonded with my family. However, as I am not Japanese and none of my relatives or friends were, there were often cultural aspects I was curious about and didn¡¯t understand. Therefore I began to study Japanese, found the classes at ºù«Ӱҵ very fun and rewarding, and am now continuing my studies to further my understanding of other people and cultures.

Can you describe your working relationships with AS professors? Are there any standout classes you¡¯ve taken?

The professors in the AS department are a group of very passionate, funny, and kind people. They are really excited about their topics of focus and are really encouraging towards anyone who shows interest in any aspect of the department. I really enjoyed Prof. Day's East Asian Survey class in particular, as I feel he made a great effort to teach us the histories of China, Korea, and Japan from various different perspectives and highlight how nuanced the histories of these countries are.

No matter which direction I choose to head in, being part of ºù«Ӱҵ¡¯s Asian Studies department has given me a lot of options because of how multidisciplinary it is. I feel like I know a little bit of everything and can apply it in all sorts of ways.

What are your ambitions post-ºù«Ӱҵ and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path?

I hope to either go into Japanese to English translation or vice versa, or perhaps teach Japanese as a second language or maybe English as a second language. No matter which direction I choose to head in, being part of ºù«Ӱҵ¡¯s Asian Studies department has given me a lot of options because of how multidisciplinary it is. I feel like I know a little bit of everything and can apply it in all sorts of ways.

 

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