The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s (CSEAS) brought history into sharp focus with a visit from Devaki Murch, a Vietnam War adoptee whose life now shapes how that history is remembered.

As a baby, Murch was part of Operation Babylift, a U.S.-led effort to evacuate children from Vietnam at the end of the war. The first flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Saigon on April 4, 1975. Of the 314 people aboard, 150 survived. Murch was one of them.

At UH ����ԴDz�, students, alumni and community members gathered on March 3 in Moore Hall to hear her story. But the talk went beyond survival. It asked a deeper question, who gets to tell history, and how?

Tien Nguyen, a master’s student in , said the lecture connected personal memory with lived experience.

“The fact that Devaki Murch boarded the first babylift flight and survived the fateful plane crash makes her journey even more magical,” Nguyen said. “One thing prevails, as we are all humans who have survived thus far despite the odds, we should feel empowered to do the things we love, regardless of our backgrounds.”

Active participation in the historical record

Murch drew from her work building the . She urged students to see themselves as active participants in shaping the historical record. Today’s research and digital footprints, she said, will become tomorrow’s archives, often without context or consent.

“Traditional archives ask people to trust systems that have already failed them,” Murch said. “Sealed records, classified documentation, institutional protection over individual truth. We needed a different approach.”

Raised in �鶹��ý, Murch’s story resonated locally. Her lecture tied global conflict to familiar questions about memory, military presence and accountability.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s joined a global network of leading research libraries with the opening of its Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies (TRCCS) on November 17. As the 55th overseas partner in Taiwan’s National Central Library (NCL) TRCCS program, Hamilton Library expands its international collaborations and access to resources supporting China and Taiwan studies.

Through the partnership, NCL provides Taiwan-published monographs, digital archives, bibliographic databases and other scholarly resources. Hamilton Library has already added nearly 400 titles to its collections and now offers full access to NCL’s electronic resources.

UH ����ԴDz� Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos highlighted the significance of the partnership during the opening ceremony event. “This collaboration will foster new opportunities for dialogue, scholarship and exchange for years to come,” he said.

NCL Director-General Han-Ching Wang, who traveled from Taipei for the ceremony, emphasized the shared role of Taiwan and �鶹��ý in the Pacific. “We aim to build upon this TRCCS to strengthen the academic connection between Taiwan and �鶹��ý,” she said.

The opening also builds on a relationship that stretches back to the 1960s, when early East–West Center exchanges helped shape Hamilton’s China Collection. Recent discussions led to formal invitations in 2024 and this fall’s launch.

A delegation from NCL toured Hamilton’s collections, which included a plaque unveiling, signing of partnership agreements and exchange of gifts.

“The TRCCS aligns with our mission to foster international scholarship and build meaningful collaborations that benefit our students and faculty,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro.

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As the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� celebrates International Education Week from November 17 to 21, a current UH ����ԴDz� student and alumna are reflecting on how their have expanded their academic and cultural horizons across the globe.

Exploring Taiwan’s archives, culture

For PhD candidate Nakota DiFonzo, the Fulbright experience has taken him to Taiwan, where he’s conducting archival research for his dissertation on the history of American education in late Qing and Republican-era China. Based at Academia Sinica in Taipei, one of East Asia’s leading research centers, DiFonzo said the experience has been both academically productive and personally enriching.

“My experience in Taiwan has been great so far,” DiFonzo said. “I am in the company of a great cohort whose research ranges from history to furniture design to medicine. Everyone is supportive of one another, and I have made valuable connections with leaders and rising stars in various fields.”

Beyond research, DiFonzo has embraced local culture by joining a language exchange club in Taipei. Weekend potlucks and casual gatherings, he said, have helped him improve his Chinese language skills and better understand Taiwanese perspectives. He’s also started producing street interview videos to further engage with the community and refine his speaking skills.

Empowering Colombian students through English teaching

Recent UH ����ԴDz� history graduate Kaia Colborne spent the past year in Bogotá, Colombia, as a Fulbright English teaching assistant (ETA). Her work focused on teaching English to university students and leading conversation clubs to build confidence and fluency.

“Living in Bogotá has been a huge highlight,” Colborne said. “It’s a wonderful city with so much to explore, and having other ETAs here has created a great support network. I found meaning and growth in my time in Colombia.”

Colborne said her time in Colombia deepened her appreciation for international education and reaffirmed her desire to help students experience transformative learning abroad.

“The experience has strengthened my commitment to working in the international sphere (ideally in international higher ed) and helped me have a better insight into cross-cultural exchange,” she added.

Both scholars credit UH ����ԴDz� Fulbright Program Adviser Kristen Connors for her guidance during the application process—a common thread in their journeys toward global engagement.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program will host an information session for students interested in the program on November 17 at 11 a.m. HST. . The webinar will be followed by a brief breakout session by campus where Connors will review steps for applying through UH ����ԴDz� and how to start planning.

A new training program for subject librarians in Japanese and Asian studies has been established at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�’s , made possible through a generous donation from the .

Through the new agreement, one library science master’s degree graduate will be hired each year for the next decade as a full-time, nine-month librarian faculty member. Mitsutaka Nakamura, Hamilton Library’s Japan Studies librarian, will supervise the program, with librarian emerita Tokiko Y. Bazzell advising.

“This is an amazing opportunity for Hamilton Library to make a lasting impact on the field of area studies librarianship, specifically Japanese studies,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro. “Bringing aspiring Japanese studies librarians here to Hamilton will be a game changer.”

While focused on Japanese studies, trainees will also gain experience from Hamilton’s area specialists in China, Okinawa, Korea, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Russian Far East.

“Hamilton Library plays a central role in the intellectual life of the University of �鶹��ý, and the Uehiro Foundation highly values its Japan Collection for contemporary and historical research,” the foundation stated. “We look forward to seeing future leaders emerge from this program who will advance the library’s mission and continue the collection and digitization of Japanese historical materials.”

The Uehiro Foundation has partnered with UH for more than 20 years, supporting the East-West Philosophers’ Conference, the Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, and the Uehiro Center for the Advancement of Oceanography.

UH vice president of advancement and CEO Tim Dolan added, “The Uehiro Foundation’s visionary investment ensures that future generations of librarians will receive the training and mentorship they need to thrive in the field. This program not only strengthens UH ����ԴDz�, but it also expands the pipeline of professionals advancing Japanese studies librarianship worldwide.”

A personal mission

For Nakamura, who came to librarianship after careers in finance and film/TV, the program is also personal. During his own career transition, he struggled to find relevant internship opportunities, which motivated him to create similar opportunities for others.

His mentor at Columbia University offered advice that still guides him. “First you land the position. Then from day one, you should start training the new generation who will replace you in the future. Otherwise, your position will vanish after you leave.”

The first appointment will begin in July 2026, with the job posting expected in early 2026. Applicants must hold an American Library Association-accredited master’s degree in library sciences or equivalent, demonstrate strong communication skills in Japanese and English, and show a career focus in Japanese or Asian studies librarianship. For more information, email Mitsu Nakamura at japancol@hawaii.edu.

A wooden model of a Kabuki theatre scene, gifted to the University of �鶹��ý in 1939 by Japan’s Shochiku Company, is now on permanent display at UH ����ԴDz�’s . The intricate model, depicting a scene from Kanadehon Chushingura, was celebrated at a reception on August 18, following its restoration.

The gift was originally secured by Gregg Sinclair, founding director of UH’s Oriental Institute, to promote cultural awareness. Built by Kabuki-za Theatre master carpenter Genjiro Hasegawa under the direction of Shochiku founder Takejiro Otani, the model represents a long-standing bond between UH and Japan.

“This beautiful model was made and gifted to us, along with a Kabuki actor doll, with the promise of perpetual display on campus in summer 1939,” said Mitsutaka Nakamura, Japan studies librarian at Hamilton Library. “This combination of the Kabuki theater model, case and stand symbolizes our enduring bond between Shochiku and UH, and Japan and �鶹��ý as well.”

The model has been displayed and stored in various places over the years, but time took its toll. With support from UH’s Department of Theatre and Dance, artist Meg Hanna-Tominaga restored the piece, which now sits on a handcrafted monkey pod stand and is protected by an acrylic case.

Related UH News story: Rare kabuki master class hits �鶹��ý

Shochiku honorary chair Nobuyoshi Otani praised UH for keeping its promise of preservation: “We hope that you will continue to protect the display as a testament to the cultural exchange fostered by our predecessors.”

Kabuki master Ichikawa Monnosuke VIII also joined the celebration, praising UH students’ dedication during a Kabuki workshop and showcase.

“For the next 100, 200, 300 years, I hope that Kabuki here at the University of �鶹��ý will continue,” he said. “Let’s keep doing this!”

The University of �鶹��ý is remembering Daisōshō Genshitsu Sen, a 15th-generation tea master, who shared bowls of tea with presidents, royalty, and everyday people, always as an offering of peace. His connection to UH ����ԴDz� stretched across more than seven decades, shaping a legacy of culture and learning. Sen, a global ambassador of the Way of Tea, died in Kyoto, Japan, on August 14. He was 102.

Sen served as grand master with the name Sen Sōshitsu XV prior to his retirement, leading the Urasenke tradition of tea. He first studied at UH ����ԴDz� in the early 1950s and began offering evening classes in Japanese tea ceremony, known as chadō or the “Way of Tea” on the campus and in the community. His lessons fostered a lasting legacy. For more than half a century, UH ����ԴDz� students have studied the Way of Tea inside Jakuʻan, a traditional tea house which Sen donated in 1972 located behind the East-West Center and helped to restore in 2014.

Related UH News stories:

• Traditional Japanese tea house marks 50 years at UH ����ԴDz�, November 22, 2022
• Hidden gem restored for future generations, February 18, 2015

“Dr. Sen was one of those people you are fortunate to encounter even once in your lifetime,” said David Lassner, UH President Emeritus. “His graciousness, joie de vivre and humility belied an incredible strength of belief and character. At 100 he still spoke with the vitality and passion of someone decades younger.”

Building bridges

Returning regularly to �鶹��ý, Sen’s gifts to UH extended far beyond Jakuʻan. He established the Sen Sōshitsu XV Distinguished Chair in History and the Sen International within the (CJS) at UH ����ԴDz�.

Through his Midorikai scholarship, Sen sent generations of UH ����ԴDz� students to Kyoto to study tea at Urasenke headquarters.

“He had the ability to walk in a room and his presence would immediately grab the eyes of every individual there…somehow I feel that all of his innumerable accolades can’t possibly define quite how great he was. There are many people around the world that call for world peace, but there are not many people that actually take the necessary actions to reach it,” said Justin Peterson, a UH ����ԴDz� alumnus who extensively studied Sen’s tea teachings and is now carrying them forward in Kyoto on a Midorikai scholarship.

Legacy of learning

Grounded in Sen’s vision, the Way of Tea Center at UH ����ԴDz� helps CJS foster greater understanding of Japan in a global context and supports UH students’ first lessons in tea practice through the Way of Tea Practicum, (ASAN 324), offered in the fall and spring semesters through the in multiple sections.

“We have been so fortunate for our connection with Dr. Sen carried through decades since his first visit to �鶹��ý in 1951. It was with good reason that my predecessor, CJS Director Mary McDonald nominated Dr. Sen for the Nobel Peace Prize in light of his remarkable engagement in trying to bring ‘peacefulness through a bowl of tea’ even in strife torn locations, meetings with global political leaders and other great spiritual leaders. The chance that I had to spend time with Dr. Sen will certainly stand among the richest rewards of my time in this role,” said Mark Levin, a law professor at UH ����ԴDz� and director of CJS.

Turning point

Sen’s life was shaped by extraordinary experiences. During World War II, he trained in the Japanese Navy’s kamikaze corps but was pulled back before flying a mission. Instead, he served tea to his fellow pilots before they departed. That moment, he later said, cemented his lifelong mission of seeking peace through tea.

“He was a man of principle, empathy, and kindness whose ethical compass served to better an often troubled world. Dr. Sen no gomeifuku wo kokoro yori oinori itashimasu,” said Peter Arnade, dean of the .

Marking milestones

In 2023, the �鶹��ý State Legislature honored Sen’s 100th birthday, the 50th anniversary of Jakuʻan, and the work of the Way of Tea Center. He was praised for bringing peacefulness through tea to people across the world.

graduate student at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� will officially premiere a new short documentary on campus this month spotlighting systemic oppression facing a Pakistani woman. PhD student, Haider Rifaat directed, wrote, narrated and produced In Shackles, which will be screened on Friday, January 24, at 1 p.m. in , Room 306.

The short documentary chronicles the life of Shamim, a 34-year-old Pakistani woman navigating the harsh realities of a patriarchal society in a village in Islamabad. Her story focuses on forced marriage and sexual violence, which are connected to more complex societal problems facing Pakistanis, including religious hypocrisy, impact of family conditioning on children and the culture of silence surrounding violence.

“The film’s title In Shackles is a metaphor to describe helplessness of a woman experiencing personal and professional problems that are connected to broader, more complex societal issues in Pakistan,” said Rifaat.

At only 29 years, Rifaat, who produced the film under his production label Haider Rifaat (HR) Films, is not only a filmmaker but an accomplished journalist and an actor. Through In Shackles, he critiques Pakistan’s legal system, particularly the Child Marriage Restraint Act, which sets the minimum marriage age for girls at 16.

“Although the short documentary supports women’s rights, it also centers on complex sociopolitical and legalistic problems that prevent women from progressing. Just like the controversial zina (illicit sexual intercourse) ordinances incarcerated female rape victims under Zia ul Haq’s controversial regime, laws surrounding child marriages aren’t accomplishing anything better for girls either. Setting the legal age of marriage for girls to 16 years may give families an opportunity to have their daughters marry without consent, which falls under forced marriage,” Rifaat added.

Rifaat’s film will also be released simultaneously on YouTube under following the premiere event.

The premiere is sponsored by the UH ����ԴDz� , , and , a policy think tank based in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Petrice R. Flowers has been appointed director of the (CIPA) at the University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz�. Established in 2022 with Congressional funding, CIPA serves as a university-based think tank addressing the complex security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Flowers is a distinguished scholar and professor at the in the UH ����ԴDz� .

Flowers succeeds Kristi Govella, an assistant professor in the Asian studies department, who served as the founding director of CIPA.

“I am honored to lead the Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs and excited to build on the strong foundation established by Dr. Govella,” said Flowers. “This is a crucial time for advancing research and fostering collaboration on the key security issues affecting the Indo-Pacific region.”

• Related UH News story: $1M grant to launch Indo-Pacific affairs initiative at UH ����ԴDz�, September 27, 2022

Flowers has been a faculty member at UH ����ԴDz� since 2004 and steps into the role with an extensive background in international relations, specializing in Japan and global human rights norms.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Flowers into this leadership role,” said Cathryn Clayton, chair of the Asian studies department. “Her commitment to interdisciplinary research and her deep expertise in international relations make her an ideal fit to lead CIPA into the future.”

More on CIPA

CIPA tackles complex issues by integrating fields such as economics, technology, environmental science and public health. Flowers is known for her research on diplomacy, transnational networks, and refugee policies in Japan. Under her leadership, CIPA plans to launch new initiatives, including public lectures, workshops, and professional development opportunities for students.

The University of �鶹��ý at ����ԴDz� is expanding its (CAPA) initiative this fall, providing students with valuable skills and knowledge to pursue careers in government, education, business, and the nonprofit sector related to the Asia-Pacific region. Launched in October 2023 by the (SPAS), CAPA aims to bolster career readiness and professional development opportunities for UH ����ԴDz� students.

• Related UH News story: New Asia-Pacific affairs career initiative in motion, October 10, 2023

This semester, CAPA is rolling out a new webinar speaker series, beginning with “International Education Careers: Nothing Adventured, Nothing Attained” on September 18 at 3 p.m. via Zoom. ()

“Our first CAPA talk of the fall series will feature UH ����ԴDz� alumni who have teaching careers overseas,” said Teri Skillman, associate director at UH ����ԴDz� (CSEAS). “They will speak about their process of obtaining a job, the value of the UH degree, and the importance of their language skills in their education career.”

Strategic grant funding

The CAPA initiative complements the Indo-Pacific Affairs Initiative in SPAS, supported by Congressionally-directed funding from 2022–25, which aims to strengthen UH ����ԴDz�’s expertise in Asia and the Pacific Islands. This funding supports various components, including the newly established Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, paid internships, visiting experts, and enhanced educational and professional development opportunities.

A key component of CAPA is a $1.13 million grant from the International Foreign Language and Area Studies Office of the U.S. Department of Education, which designates CSEAS as a National Resource Center (NRC). This funding aims to enhance career readiness using Southeast Asian languages and area studies expertise.

“The absolute priorities for the grant align with the UH system career readiness priorities and with the state’s ,” said Miriam Stark, director at CSEAS. “This is an effort to enhance career readiness using Southeast Asian languages and area studies expertise to succeed in the workplace and meet national needs.”

Inaugural course

This fall, CAPA also introduced its first course, ASAN 305: Career Pathways in Asian Studies, which explores various careers related to and helps students develop the skills needed to translate academic success into meaningful careers.

“It’s a hands-on course that draws on our recent research on Asia-related workforce needs and alumni placements, putting those research results to practical use for our students,” said Cathryn Clayton, an associate professor and chair of Asian studies who developed and teaches the course.

CAPA’s upcoming events include workshops on civic engagement, funding opportunities, and publication writing, providing students with comprehensive resources to navigate Asia-Pacific related careers.