Congratulations to the following students receiving the 2020 Asian Studies Program student achievement awards.

Constantine Vaporis Award for Academic Excellence in Asian Studies:

Alyssa Johnson

Alyssa is an Asian Studies and MLLI double major who has had the opportunity to study abroad at Korea University. She is interested in North Korean and South Korean relations as well as South Korean dialects. Currently she is conducting research on the security of South Korean dialects in preparation for URCAD 2020.

Chelsea Johnson 

I am a senior double majoring in Asian Studies and MLLI Korean Language and  Cultural Studies with a certificate in Chinese. I have studied abroad in both Korea and Taiwan. My interests lie primarily in Korean cultural studies and I have a deep interest in East Asian art. So in the future, I hope to travel more and learn about East asian art styles and their cultrual influences, specifically in Korean and Chinese culture. 

Sarah Glorioso

As an Asian Studies major, I'm thankful to the program to have received this award. I am dedicated to expanding my knowledge and understanding of other cultures so I can travel and work overseas in the future. Through the years, what has kept me going in my education is my teachers, my best friend, my pets, and delicious food.

Excellence in Asian Languages Award:

Rachel Szpara

Rachel Szpara graduated from UMBC this past winter, having double-majored in Asian Studies and Modern Languages and Linguistics under the Chinese track with a minor in Korean. During her time at UMBC, she enjoyed participating in the Humanities Scholars program, studying abroad in Taiwan and South Korea, and doing independent research and translation for both of her major programs. She's currently pursuing teaching and translation study opportunities in China, as well as working on finishing her next novel and spending lots of time with her chinchilla. 

Ashley Kellogg

Ashley Kellogg is an Asian Studies Major minoring in Korean language who began her language journey with nearly three years of self-study before transferring to UMBC. She has studied abroad at Korea University and is currently researching women's contributions to the Korean independence movement. Her post-graduation plans involve travelling back to Korea to enroll in a Korean Studies Masters program and continue her pursuit of advanced proficiency in the language. 

Matt Jacobs

Matthew Jacobs is a senior double majoring in Asian Studies and History. He has an interest in Japanese history and historical cartography. He spent one year at J. F. Oberlin University in Tokyo, Japan, and plans on pursuing an advanced degree relating to Asian studies.

We look forward to celebrating all these accomplishments at our Virtual Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 20.  Congratulations to all!