Produced by: Office of Marketing and Communications
May 8, 2017
St. John’s celebrated Asian Pacific Heritage Month (APHM) in April with a host of events honoring the many contributions of Asians and Pacific Islanders to the diverse cultures embraced by the University community—and the nation.
This year’s theme was "New GenerAsians Light the Way.” “APHM provided wonderful opportunities for students to celebrate and learn about the cultures, traditions, and history of our Asian and Pacific Islander community members,” observed Kathryn T. Hutchinson, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Affairs. The activities, Dr. Hutchinson added, “conclude a year filled with heritage months that showcase our pride in the diverse community that is St. John’s University.”
Throughout April, the APHM Committee, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and a number of student organizations sponsored more than 20 events that highlighted different facets of Asian and Pacific culture, such as Shining Pearl, which explored regions of China and their differing customs, and the Asian Alliance Luncheon, which connected current student leaders with new students.
The celebration’s kickoff was held in the DAC Plaza, where students were treated to bubble tea (a Taiwanese tea-based drink), arts and crafts, calligraphy, the lion dance, and other traditional Asian dances.
More than 100 students attended APHM’s capstone event, the Full Moon Formal. Held on April 22 in the D’Angelo Center on the Queens campus, it celebrated the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islander students, and included an awards ceremony for members of the University community who had made extensive contributions to Asian-Pacific life at St. John’s.
That same evening, the student club Philippine-Americans Reaching Everyone (PARE) held its annual Barrio Fiesta in Marillac Terrace. The evening featured skits, musical and dance performances, and opportunities to sample traditional Filipino delicacies. “Asian Pacific Heritage Month is all about events that promote various Asian cultures, and outreach to the St. John’s community,” said Stephen Eng ’18P. “There is great collaboration among the various organizations and a lot of late-night planning, but it’s all worthwhile when you see an event come together that so many people enjoy.”
Michaelah R. Jensen ’19G, President of the Chinese Cultural Association, said that although she is not of Asian descent, she has been fascinated by Asian culture since childhood. “I always thought it was such a rich and beautiful culture,” she said. “Growing up in the Midwest, it always seemed like such a faraway land, so I sought out schools with great Asian studies programs, like St. John’s.”
The Passport to Asia program focused on individual Asian and Pacific countries, including China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and India. Jacky Chang ’17CPS, a member of the Passport Committee, stressed that each event focuses on customs that are unique to a particular country. “We have a workshop about their culture and serve at least one signature dish,” he said. “For example, ‘Passport to China’ taught attendees about ribbon dance, and we served dumplings.”
“St. John’s makes it a priority to celebrate diversity, and highlight certain cultures with these month-long celebrations,” observed Onyekachi James ’17G, a graduate assistant in the Office of Multicultural Affairs. “We might not be from the same place, or share the same culture and religious beliefs, but at least we have that appreciation and respect for each other. These celebrations foster that.”