The Department of Asian and Asian American Studies (AAAS) has created the annual AAAS Study Abroad Scholarship in Asia, which is launching this summer. This initiative has been made possible through the generous contributions of faculty, staff, students, alumni and other supporters during the annual SBU Giving Day. The first recipients of this scholarship are Noah Brandi and Kaya Rexford. Brandi will be studying in Beijing and Rexford in Shanghai during Summer 2024. Each student will receive a scholarship of $500 to assist with their expenses.
Brandi is a business management major and a China studies minor. He is a dedicated learner who is passionate about languages. During his time at Stony Brook, he achieved conversational fluency in Mandarin and passed the HSK Test Level 5, a well-known international standardized test for Chinese proficiency. Post-graduation, Brandi plans to teach English in China, sharing his enthusiasm for language learning while continuing to pursue his own language goals. He would like to express special appreciation to Professors Dongmei Zeng and Agnes He for being great teachers and helping him succeed during his time at Stony Brook.
Rexford is a double major in Asian and Asian American studies and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. She is expected to graduate in May 2025. She chose her respective majors from the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic. In her future career, Rexford hopes to utilize both of her majors to work at an Asian American advocacy organization. She is very grateful for this award presented by the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies to support her study abroad journey. She would like to give a special shoutout to Professors Dongmei Zeng and Gregory Ruf for giving their support throughout the entire process.
Some faculty members at AAAS have been actively collaborating with International Academic Programs to establish partnerships with universities and institutions in Asia and/or to take SBU students to teach and facilitate their study abroad experiences. This summer, Professors Xiaoping Ha, Heejeong Sohn and Eva Nagase are taking SBU students to China, South Korea and Japan, respectively. These initiatives provide students with transformative intercultural experiences, enriching their academic and personal growth, and broadening their future professional opportunities.