Director’s Note
Courses and Enrollment
During the 2024–2025 academic year, AAST had 101 students enrolled in the minor program! AAST offered 17 interdisciplinary courses with almost 775 enrolled students. Majority of our courses were waitlisted.
Comparative Student Data
| Academic Year | Minors Enrolled | Minors Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| 2020–2021 | 87 | 24 |
| 2021–2022 | 114 | 35 |
| 2022–2023 | 114 | 39 |
| 2023–2024 | 99 | 37 |
| 2024–2025 | 101 | 41 |
FY25 Course Offerings & Enrollment
| Fall 2024 | Seats Issued | Seats Offered |
|---|---|---|
| AAST200: Intro to Asian American Studies | 78 | 80 |
| AAST201: Asian American History | 34 | 40 |
| AAST262: Asian American Psychology | 50 | 60 |
| AAST351: Asian Americans and Media | 40 | 40 |
| AAST355: Asian Americans in Film | 30 | 30 |
| AAST363: Filipino American History and Biography | 21 | 35 |
| AAST378: Experiential Learning | 1 | 5 |
| AAST388: Independent Research | 3 | 13 |
| AAST394: Growing Up Asian American: The Asian Immigrant Family and the Second Generation | 30 | 30 |
| AAST422: Asian American Women and Gender | 20 | 20 |
| AAST440: South Asian American Literature and Culture | 20 | 20 |
| AAST443: Asian American Politics | 29 | 30 |
| Fall Total (88.3%) | 356 | 403 |
| Spring 2025 | Seats Issued | Seats Offered |
|---|---|---|
| AAST200: Intro to Asian American Studies | 40 | 40 |
| AAST250: Asian American Foodways | 30 | 30 |
| AAST298Q: Displaced Lives: War, Memory, Globalization, and Transmigration in Asian American American Literature and Culture | 15 | 20 |
| AAST350: South Asian American Experiences | 25 | 30 |
| AAST351: Asian Americans and Media | 40 | 40 |
| AAST378: Experiential Learning | 0 | 2 |
| AAST388: Independent Research | 2 | 10 |
| AAST394: Growing Up Asian American: The Asian Immigrant Family and the Second Generation | 29 | 30 |
| AAST398J: New World Arrivals: Literature of Asian American Migration and Diaspora | 15 | 25 |
| AAST421: Asian American Public Policy | 21 | 20 |
| AAST422: Asian American Women and Gender | 20 | 20 |
| AAST443: Asian American Politics | 30 | 30 |
| AAST498Q: Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Studies | 9 | 20 |
| Spring Total (88.8%) | 277 | 312 |
| Winter 2025 | Seats Issued | Seats Offered |
|---|---|---|
| AAST351: Asian Americans and Media | 26 | 40 |
| AAST355: Asian Americans in Film | 40 | 40 |
| Winter Total (82.5%) | 66 | 80 |
| Summer 2025 | Seats Issued | Seats Offered |
|---|---|---|
| AAST351: Asian Americans and Media | 35 | 40 |
| AAST355: Asian Americans in Film | 39 | 40 |
| Summer Total (92.5%) | 74 | 80 |
| Total (Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025, Summer 2025) | Total Seats Issued | Total Seats Offered |
|---|---|---|
| 88.3% | 773 | 875 |
AAST at 25: Program Highlights
AAST Welcome | september 24, 2025
The program kicked off the fall semester by hosting an AAST course themed game of Jeopardy and launching our “AAST at 25” campaign! We shared how the campaign not only celebrates our milestone 25th year, but also focuses on intentional efforts to strengthen and sustain our minor program. We introduced our three WAASE organizers, as well invited attendees to join our efforts to outreach to new campus partners.
Lunch & Learns with AAST faculty & Staff | Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
We offered a new series of AAST Lunch & Learns - an informal gathering to learn more about and connect with our faculty and staff!
AAST Tabling at Student Events | Fall 2024 - Spring 2025
To maximize student outreach, our WAASE student organizers tabled at several events to share more information about the AAST program and the minor!
Undas & Día de los Muertos Altar | October 28 - November 1, 2024
As Latine Heritage Month and Filipino American History Month came to a close, AAST and MICA welcomed our communities in an opportunity of reflection to honor our ancestors. Día de los Muertos (Mexico and other parts of Latin America) and Undas (Philippines) is celebrated on November 1 and 2, alongside the Catholic holy days of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Despite our dis/connections to religion, we recognize the power and intention as cultural bearers. The shared practice of creating an ofrenda/dambana (altar/shrine) and family trips to the cemetery allow us to hold both grief and joy as we commune with our passed loved ones. Please join us in contributing to our collective altar to remember our ancestors and those we did not know, but grieve and honor. Community was welcome to stop by the MICA Lounge to bring pictures and items to decorate the altar, along with writing names on ribbons to offer recognition. Lastly, Kai Kai and Justine facilitated a “muni-muni” (deep reflection); an intentional reflection space with guided writing prompts and conversation around grief.
Book Talk with Dr. OiYan A. Poon: Asian American is Not a Color | November 12, 2024
In collaboration with the College of Education, AAST co-hosted a talk with Dr. OiYan A. Poon on her recent book, "Asian American is Not a Color: Conversations on Race, Affirmative Action, and Family."
Dr. Poon is an award-winning researcher and leader for intersectional racial equity in education, author, and speaker. She is co-director of the College Admissions Futures Co-Laborative. Her research agenda brings together organizational theories and race and ethnic studies to study rejective admission and selection processes, the racial politics of Asian Americans and education, and affirmative action policies. She has received grants from the Gates Foundation, Joyce Foundation, and Spencer Foundation to support her research, and her work has appeared widely in national media outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Atlantic, the Chronicle of Higher Education, and the New Yorker.
Fresh Pages: Issue 2 Launch | february 2025
We were delighted to present the second issue of Fresh Pages, a literary collection showcasing the creative works of undergraduate and recent graduate students from the University of Maryland. This issue highlights a diverse range of storytelling and poetic expression, offering poignant reflections on identity, heritage, privilege, displacement, and resilience.
Through evocative narratives and poetry, these works explore deeply personal and collective experiences. In Poems for Gaza, Diana Huynh intertwines privilege and grief in a call for solidarity, highlighting the stark contrast between peaceful life and the devastation in Gaza, where survival is a daily struggle. Echoing loss, resilience, and moral awakening, these poems expose the enduring pain of war, urging the world to choose humanity over violence. Zayana Bormanshinov’s Silk is a poignant meditation on displacement, weaving together sorrow and strength in a tale of survival and belonging. Abhay Maloo’s Homecoming Odyssey intricately portrays the Indian American experience, navigating themes of alienation, dual identity, and familial ties, making the protagonist’s journey deeply relatable.
In Between Two Worlds: Poems on Identity and Belonging, Sathvika Sangoju captures the struggles of navigating a dual identity, where cultural tensions manifest in everyday moments, from school lunches to community belonging. Jeffrey Lyngdoh’s Plight of the Tribe offers a compelling window into Khasi culture, unraveling the nuances of matriarchal traditions and societal shifts. Lahiruni Dias Amarawardena’s Never Turn Your Back on Buddha reflects on faith, familial expectations, and cultural reconciliation, while Eesha Kaul’s Reflections on Dal Lake explores themes of nostalgia, displacement, and the painful complexities of identity, weaving a tapestry of loss, memory, and the elusive search for belonging.
Together, these works offer a powerful exploration of identity, displacement, resilience, and the shared human experience.
AAST Student Poetry Displayed at College Park City Hall | february 2025
The City of College Park invited AAST to display students' poetry/work at College Park's Lunar New Year Event on February 1, and the works of 11 students continued to be displayed in City Hall for the remainder of February!
Chandni kumar annual lecture with Tuyet Duong | february 18, 2025
AAST was excited to announce that Tuyet Duong, Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), was our featured speaker for the 2025 Chandni Kumar Annual Lecture! Duong highlighted reproductive justice, and discussed federal advocacy, policy, and politics in the context of a volatile landscape in our democracy today.
AAST 25th Year Celebration | March 28, 2025
We celebrated 25 years of AAST with past and current students, faculty, staff, and community members! The room was decorated with AAST student poetry and alumni archives. We recognized our 2025-2026 AAST scholarship recipients (Brendan Maglaqui, Divya Vakkalanka, Hana Lee, Khaymar Moe, Abraham Akinlandenu, Michelle Kim) and our 2025 AAST Student Impact Awardee (Lahiruni Dias Amarawardena).
As a central focus of our celebration, highlighted perspectives of a few of the original student activists that advocated for the program in the late 90's alongside recent/current AAST minors that sparked efforts to expand AAST's resources. This panel explored the importance of ethnic studies (and specifically Asian American studies) then and now. Panelists included William Liu, Tanya Lee, M Pease, and Lahiruni Dias Amarawardena and was moderated by Hsuan Ou.
Unity Gala | April 19, 2025
AAST was happy to support AASU's Unity Gala, where we celebrated our graduating AAST minors during their senior recognition!
Student Recognition
Faculty/Staff Recognition
Welcome to AAST
Farewell from the Program
Adrian Galsim
WAASE Organizer
Sacha LLanto
WAASE Organizer
Sarah Tang
WAASE Organizer
Alexandria Grant
Business and Scheduling Coordinator
Joan Hong
Calvin j Li Postdoctoral fellow
2025-2026 AAST Scholarship Recipients
Timothy J Ng Scholarship in Asian American Studies
The Timothy J Ng Scholarship in Asian American Studies encourages undergraduates who demonstrate strength in academics and leadership, especially where such achievement leads to improvement in the lives of Asian Americans.
Linh-Thong Huu Nguyen Memorial Scholarship
This memorial scholarship was established in 2008 by Tone’s brother and fellow Terp Tuan Nguyen to support undergraduates who are enrolled in the Asian American Studies Minor and demonstrate consistent academic achievement in their studies.
Major General Antonio Taguba Profiles in Courage and Leadership Scholarship
This scholarship recognizes undergraduates who demonstrate scholarship and outstanding leadership. Students are either Asian American Studies students or enrolled in the Army, Navy or Air Force ROTC program at the University of Maryland, and considering a career in federal public service, either civilian or military.
2023-2024 Asian American Studies Minors
Meenakshi Pradeep Adiyodi, ‘24
Neuroscience, Women, Gender, Sexuality Certificate | Asian American Studies
“After graduation I’m planning on applying to medical school to pursue a specialization in psychiatry. As a psychiatrist I want to focus on Asian American communities and helping overcome the stigma behind pursuing help from mental health services.”
Zachary Alfonso, ‘23
Agriculture resource economics | Asian American Studies
"[The AAST minor] really helped shape my own cultural identity and connect with my heritage in a way that was not possible for me before.”
Cassiel Arcilla, ‘23
Immersive Media Design, English Language and Literature | Asian American Studies
Zayana Bormanshinov, ‘24
PSYCHOLOGY | Asian American Studies
Sam Brown, ‘24
Computer science | Asian American Studies
James Campbell, ‘24
Computer Science | Asian American Studies
“[The AAST minor] has allowed me to take a new perspective on certain issues regarding race and culture. It has also allowed for a space for me to talk with others about issues.”
Annie Chen, ‘24
computer science | Asian American Studies
“[The AAST Minor] has provided me a space to reflect on my experiences as well as listen to others' experiences whether they be similar or not. I have found this minor and the courses offered to help me critically think and have open discussions about important matters that are extremely relevant.”
Nelson Chen, ‘23
Theatre | Asian American Studies
“The AAST minor has immensely impacted the way I view my theatre work and what I plan to do. Before, I simply wanted to act and be on stage, accepting that I'd have to take whatever roles I'm cast in as a means of paying the bills, but now I know that I can use my playwriting skills to create new stories for Asian Americans that are accurate, humanizing, and reflective of Asian Americans' unique positionality under the context of my own story and creativity.”
LEI DANIELLE ESCOBAL, ‘24
SOCIOLOGY, AMERICAN STUDIES | Asian American Studies
TIFFANY HOANG, ‘24
PSYCHOLOGY | Asian American Studies, KOREAN
“[The AAST Minor] has given me more info about my background and other [Asian Americans]. I was also able to TA for [Asian American] psych, which led me to realize how I want to create a space for others to feel comfortable about their identity and their experiences.”
ROHANA JOHN, ‘24
PSYCHOLOGY | Asian American Studies, SPANISH LITERATURE, LANGUAGE & CULTURE
“I think [the AAST Minor] has really changed my perspective on the Asian American community and pushed me to get more involved with advocacy. I received the Vera Cruz Kochiyama award and I think AAST had a huge influence in that.”
AKHIL KAMMELA, ‘24
COMPUTeR SCIENCE | Asian American Studies
“I hope to be able to consider phenomena like the bamboo ceiling and similar stereotyping as my career continues after graduation, and I would like to further apply what I've learn to generally broaden my worldview and continue to learn more about the Asian American community.”
MEGHANA KOTRAIAH, ‘24
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS, AGRICULTURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS | Asian American Studies, SECONDARY EDUCATION
“For me, I learned that the principles and ideas of Asian American Studies were already so integrated in the classes I was taking and the career I wanted to pursue. AAST helped me learn that ethnic studies is all around me, and is something that I should engage with to learn more about myself and the world around me.”
ANGELINE LAM, ‘24
ENGLISH | Asian American Studies
“I plan to continue learning about AAST in whichever ways possible and being as involved in the community in whichever ways possible. I am interested in joining many different organizations (both non-profit and volunteer).”
AVA LAMBERTY, ‘24
GENERAL BIOLOGY | Asian American Studies
“AAST sparked my desire to be more involved in activism!”
AUDREY LI, ‘24
psychology | Asian American Studies
“The AAST minor has brought me closer to identity. Learning about life, history, and my experiences in the context of Asian Americans has helped me better connect with others.”
JACK MALOY, ‘23
COMPUTER SCIENCE | Asian American Studies
IPSA MITTRA, ‘24
applied mathematics, computer science | Asian American Studies
“As a STEM major, the AAST minor has been an opportunity for me to explore my other interests and identity in a guided manner.”
NYRENE MONFORTE, ‘23
JOURNALISM | Asian American Studies
“The AAST minor is an academic space and community I have been looking for since high school, and I'm glad to have found it. I felt incredibly supported by my professors and peers, and I'm grateful to have learned more about identity, oppression, and power from a multidisciplinary lens. The minor has especially shaped my outlooks on community organizing and movement journalism.”
CHRISTINA NGO, ‘24
COMPUTER SCIENCE | Asian American Studies
“[The AAST Minor] gave me an outlet to learn more about my background, but also help me recognize ongoing problems within the community and how we could tackle it.”
LANA Nguyen, ‘24
PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE | Asian American Studies
SATHANA NORCHOOVECH, ‘24
CELL BIOLOGY AND GENETICS | Asian American Studies
EMILY PAN, ‘23
THEATRE, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | Asian American Studies
MANASI REDDY, ‘24
ARCHITECTURE | Asian American Studies
“I hope to apply [the AAST Minor] in my everyday life. As an aspiring urban planner, I aspire to be inclusive and critically in analyzing the diverse backgrounds that exist in a community. I feel that AAST helped provide me with the tools and confidence to read critically, write and articulate social issues.”
ALEX SIMON, ‘23
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS | Asian American Studies, HISTORY
KELLY TANG, ‘24
PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, AND ECONOMICS | Asian American Studies, KOREAN STUDIES, LAW AND SOCIETY
“The AAST minor curriculum has taught me much of what I now understand about intersectionality, women and gender issues that affect APIDA folk, labor organizing, and other facets of the APIDA identity. The minor has made me feel seen and validated as a second generation Asian American, and has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my undergraduate career.”
ELIZABETH TRAN, ‘24
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: PHYSIOLOGY & NEUROBIOLOGY | Asian American Studies
LI TURNER, ‘24
Government & Politics: International Relations | Asian American Studies
BHAVYA VAKKALANKA, ‘24
FINANCE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS | Asian American Studies
REA MARIEL VIRAY, ‘24
COMPUTER SCIENCE | Asian American Studies
“The AAST minor really helped to balance out my schedule, being a CS major. It really allowed me to look further into social justice issues and taught me how to be an active and involved member of the community.”
AMANDA VU, ‘24
PSYCHOLOGY, COMMUNITY HEALTH | Asian American Studies
SHARON WANG, ‘24
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: PHYSIOLOGY & NEUROBIOLOGY | Asian American Studies
“The classes I've taken for AAST really taught me history that I was never taught about in previous classes. It was really interesting to see how Asian Americans have evolved throughout time as an Asian American myself.”
KENNY YIM, ‘24
ACCOUNTING | Asian American Studies
“[The AAST Minor] expanded my knowledge of diversity and inclusion. It has also helped me connect with my Asian American roots.”
JAEHYUN YOON, ‘24
INFORMATION science | Asian American Studies
HANNAH ZOZOBRADO, ‘24
JOURNALISM, SPANISH LANGUAGE, LITERATURES, & CULTURES | Asian American Studies
Congratulations to all of our AAST graduates!
