East-West Center Alumni and Community

08/26/2026

As we wrap up the summer season, we’re grateful for the alumni who visited the East-West Center in Honolulu over the past few months. It was a pleasure reconnecting with our network.

✨ Tolentino B. Moya, Open Grants (1979)
✨ Phasiree Thanasin, EWC Association VP for Participant Engagement and EWCA Chiang Mai Co-Chapter Leader
✨ Khine Wai Wai Oo, EWCA Chiang Mai Co-Chapter Leader
✨ Hitomi Yokote, EWCA Tokyo Chapter Communication Liaison
✨ Dan Strobel, MPIA, CISA, Former EWCA Washington, DC Chapter Leader
✨ Eriko Yamamoto, EWCA Nagoya Chapter Leader

If you’re planning a trip to Honolulu, stop by the Center and say Hi!

08/04/2026

We’re excited to launch a new series celebrating artwork created by our very own East-West Center alumni featured in the EWC Gallery’s current exhibition, "FAUNA: Animal Imagery in the EWC Collection". Throughout the month, we’ll introduce the artists behind four remarkable works from the collection.

Our first feature highlights the late Mohammad Yasin from New Delhi, India. As an East-West Center scholar (Institute for Student Interchange, 1964), he studied art while earning his undergraduate degree at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Nearly two decades later, Yasin returned to the Center as an Artist-in-Residence in 1986, where he painted Elephants, the featured work in this post. Swipe to learn more about the piece and the symbolism of animal imagery.

In Hawaiʻi? Visit the EWC Gallery to see the full exhibition on view through August 30, 2026. Learn more at: eastwestcenter.org/arts

07/30/2026

The July 2026 issue of the EWC Alumni Newsletter is here! In this issue, learn more about the Young Professionals Program, read inspiring alumni stories, and sign up for our new Pilot Mentorship Program.

Subscribe to receive future quarterly issues directly in your inbox.

Program News Investing in the Next Generation of Indo-Pacific Leaders This summer's Young Professionals Program cohort welcomed nine interns to the East-West Center's Washington, DC office. Read the full story.

07/21/2026

Our alumni chapters continue to strengthen the East-West Center community through meaningful gatherings, alumni hospitality, leadership connections, and planning for future programs.

We're grateful to all of our chapter leaders and volunteers for their continued dedication to building vibrant EWC alumni communities around the world.

Read the full Q2 2026 Chapter Reports on our website to learn more about these chapters and the many activities taking place across our global alumni network.

👉https://www.eastwestcenter.org/news/announcement/ewca-quarterly-chapter-reports-quarter-2-2026

07/15/2026

Those who complete the Young Professionals program will have access to the East-West Center Association (EWCA), our Center’s alumni network! An alumni organization with over 50 chapters spanning across the United States and the Indo-Pacific region.

Members have access to professional networking, community, lectures, and service events. Additionally, benefits for students include access to scholarships and professional development opportunities.

Want to be a part of the alumni community?

Apply to the Young Professionals Program today: https://bit.ly/4ezOYOA

07/07/2026

The East-West Center invites graduate students and recent graduates working in their fields of study from around the world to submit abstracts for the 26th International Graduate Student Conference (IGSC) on the Asia Pacific region, taking place from February 11- 13, 2027.

This student organized conference provides an opportunity to share interdisciplinary perspectives through presenting and attending panel presentations in a warm and supportive environment.

To learn more, visit: https://www.eastwestcenter.org/education/east-west-center-student-experience/international-graduate-student-conference

The IGSC offers a collaborative and supportive space for graduate students to share their work, receive thoughtful feedback, and build conversations across fields and regions. We welcome proposals for presentations in diverse formats including academic papers, creative works, performance, and film.

Undergraduates are also welcome to submit proposals that meaningfully engage with the conference theme. Participants may choose to present in person at the East-West Center or virtually via a live online platform, enhancing accessibility for international and remote attendees. Presentations should clearly connect to the conference theme, both in the abstract and delivery.

07/02/2026

Continuing to highlight how our alumni chapters celebrated EWC Day—

In Seoul, the chapter marked the occasion by giving back through knowledge- sharing and community outreach. As part of a charitable volunteer effort, the chapter’s president, Chairman Byoung Moo Yang, visited a correctional facility in South Korea where he spoke with inmates and offered words of encouragement.

The chapter also hosted a pro bono lecture for their local community. Professor Eun Young Cho, member of the Seoul Chapter, presented on the Korean film “Secret Sunshine” under the theme, “Crime, Punishment, and Absolution.”

Drawing from their professional expertise and EWC experience, these efforts created space for learning, reflection, and meaningful dialogue.

06/25/2026

A perfect way to celebrate EWC Day!

This past May, the California Chapter gathered at the Chinese Pavilion at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco for a potluck celebration.

The event brought together familiar faces and new connections over shared food and stories, reflecting on the mission and spirit of the East-West Center. These moments of connection are at the heart of the EWC experience—strengthening a global network that continues long after their time at the Center.

06/24/2026

For more than four decades, Greg Knudsen (Communication, 1980) has helped to preserve the stories, people, and moments of the East-West Center. What began as an EWC scholarship to attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, evolved into a lifelong connection to the East-West Center.

Through his lens, Greg has documented student life, international conferences, community celebrations, and historic events. His photographs capture more than just moments; they capture the relationships, exchanges, and shared experiences that connect people across cultures and generations.

Swipe to see the East-West Center through Greg's lens, and visit our website to read the full story: https://www.eastwestcenter.org/news/announcement/alumni-profile-greg-knudsen-80

06/18/2026

Continuing to highlight how alumni around the world celebrated EWC Day—

In Fiji, EWC Day coincided with Girmit Day, a national observance honoring the descendants of Indian laborers and recognizing their contributions to Fiji's history and development.

At Fiji National University's 147th Girmit Day celebration in Labasa, Fiji Chapter President Payal Maharaj served as the chief guest and delivered the keynote address, representing the chapter during this important community commemoration.

Through leadership and civic engagement, the Fiji Chapter demonstrated how the values of the East-West Center continue to extend beyond the EWC experience and into the communities our alumni serve around the world.