AIIAS YOUR OPPORTUNITY

The AIIAS library dedicated its new Asian Studies Center special collection on Tuesday, March 26, 2013. Three years in the making, the collection is comprised of all the Asian countries as well as sections on Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and general Asian studies. The collection is meant to make it easier for students within the 10/40 window to come and learn about the economic, educational, cultural and religious background of their specific context.  Each book is color-coded in the collection which makes it convenient for new students to find the needed resources.

The AIIAS family gathered March 19, 2013 at the Function Hall to welcome the incoming workers and bid farewell to the outgoing ones. A bittersweet event has become quite cyclical in its occurrence; these AIIAS gatherings confirm the words of Dr. Shawna Vyhmeister that "AIIAS is not a pond but a river." Most students and professors who come are just passing through but none of them can leave unchanged.

The culminating event for school year 2012-2013 for the AIIAS Junior Academy (AJA) was held March 14, 2013, 3:00pm at the Siew Huy Auditorium. Thirty-two 6th graders were called by Mrs. Eve Cam and six 10th graders by Mr. Watson Ho to receive their diplomas from AJA Administrator Dr. Donald Bankhead and AIIAS President Dr. Stephen Guptill.

The 97th Graduation Exercises, which took place last March 8-10, 2013, bore witness to the ceremonial conferring of masters and doctorate degrees to 173 candidates coming from 34 different countries, one of the largest batch of graduates to ever participate in this culminating event. Though there were 35 candidates who were “in absentia”, the Siew Huy Auditorium was still packed throughout the weekend to celebrate with the 138 who were present.