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Professor Charles Andrews |
Randolph-Macon College welcomes Luce/ASIANetwork Fellow in Asian Studies, Professor Charles Andrews, who is teaching several courses at the college during the 2010-11 academic year.
Andrews, who will teach Intermediate Japanese and The Culture of Japan, is a 2008 graduate of Indiana University with a Ph.D. in Japanese and specialization in Japanese History. He has been teaching part-time at DePauw University since 2003 and he has lived in Japan on several occasions as a high school exchange student, English teacher, and as a research fellow at Tenri and Senshu Universities. His research interest is in the communications and education practices in Tokugawa and Early Meiji Japan.
“I am honored to be at Randolph-Macon College this year,” says Andrews. “I can tell that this is a vibrant campus with a genuine sense of community. I’m looking forward to continuing my research on Japanese history here and joining that to the broader topics we will discuss in the classroom.”
In April 2010, the Randolph-Macon College faculty approved a new major in
Asian Studies. Among the many course offerings in this major are Japanese and Chinese language classes.
Funding for Andrews’ fellowship was made possible through the Henry Luce Foundation, which seeks to bring important ideas to the center of American life, strengthen international understanding, and foster innovation and leadership in academic, policy, religious and art communities. Funding is administered by ASIANetwork, a consortium of over 170 North American colleges.
“Asia is a powerful player in the global arena, and educated Americans need to understand its rich diversity of culture and history,” says Professor Thomas Porter, chairman of the Department of History and director of the Asian Studies Program. “The new major is a reflection of the college’s commitment to international and interdisciplinary learning and it will prepare students for further education and for careers in business, government and service agencies. The strong vote and enthusiastic reception of the faculty was deeply appreciated by the members of the Asian Studies Program. We’re excited at the prospect of enriching the program even further with a visiting Fellow.”
For information on R-MC’s Asian Studies Program, visit
http://www.rmc.edu/academics/asian-studies.aspx.