Anthony Fowlkes, BA, 2017

Field of Study: BA, Dual-Major in Asian Studies and Economics

Graduation Year: 2017

Throughout my time at the University of Michigan, I continually found a home in the Asian Languages and Cultures department. It began with Chinese language classes and only grew from there into culture classes, which allowed me to explore parts of the world I had not considered before starting in the department. The class offerings provided a wonderful chance to engage in what I was interested in, which is not true of all majors here at Michigan. During these classes, I had amazing teachers that challenged understanding and views while fostering an environment that built strong relationships. The relationships among faculty and fellow classmates founded on a shared desire to delve deeper into Asia makes this department a standout! The professors quickly became my mentors that I turned to for advice ranging from classes to post graduation plans. As I move on from my undergraduate career, I will take with me a solid foundation in Asian Studies including experiences that cannot be found elsewhere such as the memories of studying abroad with our Laoshi in China. I want to thank the department for giving me the opportunity to further my knowledge, which continues to propel me and will prove to be vital in my graduate studies at the University of Michigan’s School of Education and Ford School of Public Policy in the upcoming year. The perspectives of Asia will shape my understanding of higher educational public policy as I work to encourage the adoption of more international programming at higher education institutions.