New EWC Student Fellows Welcomed

The East-West Center recently welcomed a new cohort of 159 students hailing from 37 countries, bringing the total to 374 student fellows from 50 countries who will be in residence this fall at the Center. The new student fellows embarked on a two-week orientation to East-West Center life and culture along with an immersion into the host culture and values of Hawai‘i.

A field trip to Kahana Valley, where students worked hands-on in the taro fields and learned about the native Hawaiian ahupua’a (traditional agriculture) system and malama ‘aina (caring for the land), was an integral part of the orientation.  EWC alumnus and U.H. Professor of Hawaiian Studies and Geography Kumu Alapaki Luke added more depth with an overview of the history of Hawai‘i and its people.

Clare Chan, a doctoral student in ethnomusicology from Malaysia, reflected on the intermingling of different cultures at the EWC, “The Center has its own culture as well. . . one that breaks down barriers and brings people together . . .where everyone feels comfortable with each other’s differences.”  . . . more . . .