Presenting at ASIANetwork Conference – an unforgettable experience

After finishing my Asian studies Senior Inquiry during fall 2024, I had the honor of being accepted into the ASIANetwork Conference, held this past March in San Antonio, Texas. Hosted by Trinity University, the conference brought together about 200 scholars, students and professionals from across the country. ASIANetwork created a welcoming space to exchange ideas, gain insights and build connections within the Asian studies field.

I had the opportunity to share my senior thesis, which is about Chinese American adoptees and navigating their Asian American identities, during the student poster presentation. I traveled with my Asian studies professor, Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence, and two fellow students, Mackenzie Monroy and Hana Bui, and we had an incredible time networking, learning about career paths in Asian studies and sightseeing in San Antonio.

Since I was young, I have had an immense passion for learning about Asian cultures, specifically Chinese culture, as a way to connect with my heritage as a Chinese adoptee. In fact, the main reason I chose to attend Augustana was because of its strong offerings in Asian studies, including four years of Chinese language courses, a study abroad program in China and a variety of classes exploring Asian culture.

Although it may not be the most popular or a well-known major, I am incredibly grateful for the program at Augustana. I am especially thankful for the professors, peers and friends I met along the way, who encouraged me to deepen my knowledge of Chinese culture and helped me fulfill a lifelong dream of learning Mandarin, the primary language spoken in China.

The ASIANetwork Conference consisted of several seminars, panels and workshops covering topics such as Asian studies in the liberal arts, study abroad programs, and academic research on multiple disciplines in and beyond Asia. I even had the privilege of watching numerous Asian cultural dance performances, from an energetic K-pop mashup to an elegant Chinese dance.

However, what I valued most from this experience were the connections I made with various Asian studies professors and numerous fellow student presenters. It was incredibly refreshing to hear their unique perspectives and specialized expertise in so many areas. Most notably, I ended up meeting three Chinese American adoptees who were also student presenters and students at Trinity University. I was overjoyed to hear about their experiences as Asian American adoptees, their individual hobbies, career aspirations and academic interests.

Attending and presenting at ASIANetwork was my first conference experience, and I was definitely nervous. When my Asian studies advisor first encouraged me to submit my project, I worried my topic might not seem as exciting as others. But I’m so grateful I took the leap.

My goal is to raise awareness and appreciation for Chinese American adoptee perspectives. In fact, I was happily surprised with the genuine curiosity and intrigue I was met with at the conference. I felt so deeply touched when people asked me questions about my experiences as an adoptee and shared their own relatable experiences.

This opportunity, with the support from Augustana’s faculty, reinvigorated my passion to advocate for Chinese American adoptee representation in Asian American narratives and media depictions. I saw how much people actually care about the adoptee community, which made me feel more motivated to continue my studies in this topic. I wouldn’t take back this conference experience for anything.

If you ever have the chance to attend a conference where you can share something you’re truly passionate about, don’t hesitate! Take the leap of faith because it is a truly rewarding experience.