Senior Megan Davis and first-year Katherine Ballew participated in the Michigan Japanese Speech Contest (held at Hinoki International School, Livonia, Mich.). The title of Megan’s speech was “A Moment in Which I Made a new Realization About the World.” Katherine’s speech, “Heading Toward a World Without Racism” was awarded an Honorary Mention. It was the first time a Kalamazoo College student has won award in the Japanese speech contest. The students attended the contest with Noriko Akimoto Sugimori, assistant professor of Japanese language. Pictured at left are (l-r): Megan, Katherine, and Professor Sugimori.
Japanese
K Student Presents at Conference on Japanese Culture
In April, sophomore Adam Eisenstein joined Assistant Professor of Japanese Noriko Sugimori to present “Not Lost in Translation: Preserving Japanese Culture in Anime” at the inaugural Michigan Japanese Heritage and Culture Conference at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Adam developed his conference paper extending his analysis of English translations of Osaka dialect in Japanese anime/manga, “Azumanga Daioh.” His work originated in a K class titled “Japanese Language in Society.” Senior Kathleen Reno contributed to the presentation but was unable to attend the conference.
K Students Participate in Japanese Speech Contest
The 18th Michigan Japanese Language Speech Contest, sponsored by the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit, was held at the Novi Civic Center this winter. Two Kalamazoo College students, senior Pavan Policherla and sophomore Vageesha Liyana-Gunawardana, presented their speeches. Policherla’s talk was based on his study abroad experience in China and explored a challenging and important issue of China-Japan relations. Liyana-Gunawardana’s speech was an eye-witness account of the large tsunami that struck Sri Lanka in 2004.
Four K Faculty Present at East Asian Studies Conference
Rose Bundy, Japanese, was chair and organizer of a panel discussion at the Japan Study 50th Anniversary Conference: The Future of East Asian Studies at Liberal Arts Colleges. The conference took place at Earlham College in early October. The name of the panel presentation was “Passages to Asia: The Japanese Studies Curriculum–From Intro to Senior Seminar.” In addition to Bundy the panel included her fellow K professors Dennis Frost, history; Yue Hong, Chinese; and Noriko Sugimori, Japanese.
Alum is Finalist in Japanese Language Speech Contest
Kristen Bergh ’09 is the second Kalamazoo College student to become a finalist in the Michigan Japanese Language Speech Contest. The contest has occurred for the past 16 years; Bergh delivered her speech, “Japanization,” on March 31 at the Novi (Michigan) Civic Center.
“K” Alum Travels to Japan Following Natural Disasters
Ethan Segal ’90, professor of Japanese history at Michigan State University, made two trips to Japan following the March 11, 2011, earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown that continues to dramatically affect the northeastern part of the country.
Segal earned his B.A. in biology and did his study abroad in Japan (Waseda University in Tokyo). He earned advanced degrees from the University of Washington (M.A.) and Stanford University (Ph.D.). He is currently the 2011-12 Visiting Scholar at the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University. You can read his impressions from his recent visits to Japan here.