For decades, Shansi Visiting Scholars have contributed to the fabric of social and cultural life at Oberlin College and in the community. Our visiting experts from Asia have opened the doors of intercultural exchange through public lectures, guest talks at local elementary and secondary schools, social and volunteer events at the Kendal at Oberlin retirement community, and participation in community gatherings, musical performances, and local dialogue series.

Over the next three years, we seek to broaden Shansi’s impact in northern Ohio and to serve as a resource for local students and educators. These enhanced opportunities will also enrich the experiences of Shansi Visiting Scholars and partners. Our efforts will include:

• Working with local community colleges, schools, and community service organizations on guest lecture opportunities and storytelling events featuring Visiting Scholars, Shansi Fellowship alumni, and recipients of Shansi In-Asia and AAPI Experience grants. These events could highlight perspectives on a range of topics, including natural disaster relief, global sports, the impacts of interreligious dialogue, and broader cultural and social aspects of their research and daily lives in Asia.

• Launching the Visiting Artist and Practitioner program, in which musicians, dancers, and orators from diverse communities across Asia would conduct workshops and performances for audiences in Oberlin, and through partners in Lorain County and the Cleveland area.

• Strengthening partnerships with the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, Global Cleveland, and the Community Foundation of Lorain Country to identify service and engagement opportunities for visiting experts from Asia.

Outreach to local communities in Northern Ohio is an essential part of our mission of “joining worlds.” By working directly with educators and community-based organizations, we hope to make knowledge of Asia and Asian-American experiences more accessible locally. To ensure the feasibility of this vision, Shansi needs resources to provide transportation stipends and additional volunteer and staff support. 

To catch a glimpse of day-to-day life for our Visiting Scholars, check out our profile of Dalila Yunardi.