AAST Publishes 2022-2023 Annual Report

AAST just published the program’s 2022-2023 Annual Report, which opens with a Director’s Note from Dr. Janelle Wong.

AAST demonstrated its continued success and impact throughout FY 2023, with strong enrollments and a diverse range of interdisciplinary class offerings. Welcoming Dr. Jennifer Cho as a new faculty member marked a significant milestone, as AAST now houses four full-time faculty members, the largest number of full-time faculty in the program’s history. Dr. Cho introduced exciting new topics, such as Asian American Women and Gender (AAST498G) and Asian American Foodways (AAST298G). Collaboration with student organizations led to dynamic programs on arts activism, educational equity, ethnic studies, and leadership development, further fostering our vibrant AAST community. Efforts to support program expansion, including a town hall co-organized with the Asian American Student Union, received recognition in a Washington Post feature on the growing movement for Asian American studies in colleges. The program's dedication to student development was evident, with AAST Coordinator Kai Kai Mascareñas and MICA staff member Justine Suegay team-teaching a course on student activism. Dr. Binod Paudyal's receipt of the 2023 Donna Hamilton Award highlighted AAST's commitment to exceptional teaching. Additionally, AAST remained rooted in community activism and education, with students, staff, and faculty supporting learning opportunities and information about race-conscious admissions.  In AY 2022-23, 39 students graduated with an AAST Minor degree. 

Read through the entire 2022-2023 Annual Report to learn more about courses and enrollment, program highlights and recognition, people within AAST, scholarship recipients, and our students who graduated with the AAST minor this year!