On October 24, 2025, the Korean Language Program hosted Korean Halloween Night at the Main Library, room 112, turning the space into a lively celebration of language and culture.

The evening opened with a bustling array of interactive cultural stations, each offering a glimpse into a different facet of Korean tradition. Students lined up to learn their 사주 (saju - Four Pillars of Destiny) and make 부적 (bujeok) charms for good luck, while others gathered around tables to craft delicate 청사초롱 (cheongsachorong) lanterns, their soft colors glowing against the autumn dusk. Nearby, students took time to write their names and wishes, drawing inspiration from Korea’s full-moon folklore. Another corner buzzed with creativity as students designed their own K-inspired pins with their names written in Korean, while others stopped by to learn about opportunities to study Korean language and culture at the University of Arizona. 

Following the cultural activities, students gathered for a raffle of 떡볶이 (tteokbokki) and 식혜 (sikhye), generously sponsored by Oh My Chicken (Campbell & Glenn).

The evening concluded with a special screening of K-Pop Demon Hunters for students enrolled in Korean language courses. Before the film, Dr. Sandra Park and Dr. Sunyoung Yang offered a critical introduction, guiding students to notice cultural themes and symbolic elements within the story. As they watched, students drew connections between their classroom lessons and authentic, contemporary media.

The event was organized by Dr. Jieun Ryu, Professor Sojung Chun, Subin Oh, Nena Choi, and Eunsil Cho, with performances and support from student clubs Korean American Student Association, Heart ’n’ Seoul, and UnderSkore. Together, they created an unforgettable night of learning, creativity, and community spirit, celebrating the fusion of K-Culture, language, and Halloween fun.

Check out highlights of the event!

Every year, the Department of East Asian Studies hosts an award ceremony to acknowledge its students for their exceptional performance and hard work during the academic year. On May 8^th, 2025, the following awards were given:

1. The Charles O. Hucker Founders Award for Excellence in Chinese Studies: The Charles O. Hucker Founders Award is named after Professor Charles O. Hucker, who came to the University of Arizona in 1956 and established the Oriental Studies Department, the predecessor of the University of Arizona’s current East Asian Studies Department and Near Eastern Studies departments. This award has been given annually since 1997 to honor a student for academic achievement in the field of Chinese.
2. The Barbara Blair Prize for Excellence in Japanese Studies: The Barbara Blair Prize, started in 2007, is named after Barbara Bowman Blair (1925-2005). The Blair Prize was established both to honor Barbara Blair, and the academic accomplishments of U of A students, but also in the hope that the recipients will, in their own individual ways, contribute in the future to cross-cultural understanding, particularly between the nations of Japan and the United States.
3. Outstanding Senior Capstone
4. Graduate Assistant, Teaching Special Recognition: This recognizes the outstanding contributions of the Department's Graduate Assistant, Teaching or GATs have made in graduate teaching. 
5. The Center for East Asian Studies Graduating Senior Award: The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) has established this award to honor an outstanding graduating senior in East Asian Studies, especially those who have demonstrated achievement in the Korea Studies program.
6. The Center for East Asian Studies Student Excellence Award: The Center for East Asian Studies Student Excellence Award recognizes outstanding University of Arizona undergraduates for their academic achievement, engagement, and contributions to the Center’s mission of promoting East Asian languages and culture.
7. The Center for Buddhist Studies - Khyentse Foundation Student Award: The Khyentse Foundation Student Award was established in 2018 at the Center for Buddhist Studies to encourage the University of Arizona graduate and undergraduate students to study Buddhism and its related subjects. Since 2001, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and a team of volunteers have been committed to providing funding for individuals and organizations seeking to make the dharma available to the world.
8. The Taiwan Economic & Cultural Office Chinese Achievement Award: Sponsored by the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), this award recognizes the highest-achieving student in each level of the Chinese Language Program’s classes.

The following students were selected by the Department for their excellent academic performance during the academic year:

The Charles O. Hucker Founders Award Recipients:

Lauren Hsu
Kieran Lee
Honorable Mention: Amelia Matheson

The Barbara Blair Prize Recipients:

Hayley Green
Manny Gonzalez
Honorable Mention: Harrison Moffatt

Outstanding Senior Capstone Recipients:

Myles Fajardo, Bridging Blood and Belonging: A Case Study of Cultural Identity Formation in Transnational Adoption

Tai Ives, Empire’s Memory: How US Imperialism Shaped the Contemporary Memory of the Korean War

Jessica Guzman Valenzuela, Identity among Koreans in Cuba

Graduate Assistant, Teaching Special Recognition Recipients:

Yoon Ahn
Nena Choi
Eunsil Cho
Brianna Erler
Iris Li
Subin Oh
Yuyu Zhang

The Center for East Asian Studies Graduating Senior Award

Cymone Van Marter
Lindsay Wilmarth
Honorable Mention: Tai Ives

The Center for East Asian Studies Student Excellence Award Recipients*

Hayley Green
Jacob Frank Komper
Bridie Li
Harrison Moffatt

Khyentse Foundation Best Student Award Recipient

Jesenia Sánchez-Frost

The Taiwan Economic & Cultural Office Chinese Achievement Award Recipients

CHN 101 – Elementary Chinese I
Maren Hover
Marco Antonio Martinez
Chrys Walton

CHN 102 – Elementary Chinese II
Ethan Jeon
Jay Leslie
Avery Todd

CHN 201 – Intermediate Modern Chinese I
Maya Y Nichterlein

CHN 202 – Intermediate Modern Chinese II
Quinn Michael O’Grady

CHN 302 – Third Year Chinese II
Izabell Molina  

CHN 417 – Advanced Modern Chinese
Amelia Matheson

*Students with membership in the Japanese National Honor Society, recognized by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese for excellence in Japanese language study.

Congratulations to our students for their hard work and dedication to their academic careers!