USCB Hosts 2025 Asian Cultural Studies Conference on Japan and Korea
On October 24, 2025, the »ĆąĎĘÓƵ Beaufort (USCB) convened more than 100 business leaders, educators, students, and community members on its Bluffton campus for the university's second annual Asian Cultural Studies Conference. This year's symposium focused on Japanese and Korean traditions, history, and economics.
The event—made possible from the generous support of the Japan Foundation, New York;
the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute; the university’s own Sea Islands Institute;
and USCB’s Fulbright-Hays SKALE (South Korean and Asian Literacy Education) project—
offered a full day of cross-cultural dialogue, networking, and cultural exchange.
"At USCB, we take pride in being a university that responds to regional needs while
preparing our students to engage with a global community," said USCB Chancellor Al
M. Panu. "As the presence of Asian companies expands across the Southeast, we see
not only Korean investment, but also a growing Japanese footprint in South Carolina."
Gathering at a Transformative Time
USCB Provost Kimberly Dudas opened the conference, followed by Panu. Both emphasized that the region of the South Carolina Lowcountry and Georgia Coastal Empire region is undergoing a demographic and economic shift driven in part by the arrival of major Japanese and Korean companies.
"Today's presentations build on the internationalization efforts that are a critical part of the university’s mission," Dudas said. "They highlight our efforts focusing on Japan and South Korea, two key partners in global trade with the United States. Both have a growing presence here in our region."
USCB's conference took place at a moment when U.S.-Asia relations were in the news. A month before the event, an immigration raid that detained more than 300 South Korean workers employed at the Georgia battery plant operated by Hyundai and electronics giant LG. After diplomatic pressure from South Korea, the U.S. shifted from enforcing the raid to inviting many of the same workers to return under similar visa terms.
Key Presenters Highlight Business, Culture & History
At the conference, which was held in USCB's Campus Center, the morning session featured a range of distinguished speakers and industry experts. They were:
- John O’Toole, Executive Director of the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation.
- Christopher Baker, of the Los Angeles Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), discussed the fundamentals of Japanese business culture.
- Dr. Olivier Chamel, a Fulbright Specialist in Japan from Florida A&M University, spoke on knowledge sharing and intercultural understanding in Japan.
- Leah Olson, JET Coordinator at the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta, detailed the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program’s role in building cultural bridges.
- William Fugate, Director of Business Development at The Nichibay Center, addressed the growth of Japanese industry in South Carolina.
- Hyungwon Kang, a two-time Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist from Korea, reflected on “Korean & Japanese History and Culture.”
- Dr. Greg Choy, from UC Berkeley’s Department of Comparative Ethnic Studies, explored Korean- and Japanese-American literature. »ĆąĎĘÓƵ Beaufort
Corporate perspectives were also well represented. Jin Cha, Vice President for Global Communications at Hyundai-Seoul, sent a presentation that was delivered by Dr. Babet Villena-Alvarez, USCB’s Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and director of the conference. Bruce Kim, CEO of HL Mando USA, submitted a slide deck spotlighting his company’s innovation in the region, which Villena-Alvarez also presented.
Book Signing and Cooking Class
During the lunch break after the morning sessions, Hyungwon Kang sold and signed copies of his book "A Visual History of South Korea."
Conference attendees also had the option of signing up for a cooking class led by
Carol Weir, USCB's Senior Director of Communications and co-director of the conference.
During this class, they sampled Korean kimbap and made Japanese sushi rolls.
Kimbap and sushi rolls share a similar appearance and both wrap seasoned rice and
fillings in sheets of seaweed, making them easy to enjoy. But kimbap typically uses
sesame oil–seasoned rice and cooked ingredients such as vegetables, egg, and meat,
while sushi rolls use vinegared rice and often feature raw fish. At the conference’s
hands-on cooking class, attendees sampled plant-based kimbap and then tried their
hand at rolling their own sushi, experiencing the flavors and techniques of both traditions.
Afternoon Breakout: Cultural, Literary & Artistic Sessions
The afternoon featured concurrent sessions in two locations. In Campus Center 105,
USCB faculty presented mini-lessons about Japanese economics, traditional arts, literature,
psychology and more. These faculty members won competitive grants from USCB's Sea
Island Institute (SII) and the Japan Foundation, New York based on proposals they
submitted about their presentation topics and future lesson plans.
Across the hall in Campus Center 106, members of the SKALE (South Korean and Asian
Literacy Education) Fulbright-Hays group presented their findings about Korea.
Japan presentations included:
- Prof. Joanna Angell, on moku hanga — the Japanese woodblock printmaking tradition.
- Dr. Serkan Catma, exploring Japan’s post-war economic transformation.
- Dr. Edward D’Antonio, who combined Japanese culture and public health by examining green tea’s role in disease.
- Dr. Lauren Hoffer and Ms. Kerys Fitzgibbons, on poetry and memory in the aftermath of the atomic bombings.
- Dr. Cindy Lahar, USCB psychology, discussing emotional intelligence (“nunchi”) lessons drawn from Japanese culture.
- Prof. Jeffrey McQuillen, unpacking narrative structure via Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke.
- Dr. Kyle Messick, talking about Japan's “hikikomori” social phenomena.
- Prof. Keri Olivetti, discussing cherry blossom festivals in Japan and the U.S.
- Dr. George Pate, on the Japanese puppet theatre Bunraku.
- Prof. Libby Ricardo, on Noh and the work of W.B. Yeats.
- Dr. Caroline Sawyer, presenting on Japanese documentary film aesthetics, ethics, and memory.
- Dr. Volkan Sevim, speaking on sangaku (Japanese temple geometry).
- Dr. Lawrence Shao, on Japanese management philosophies like Kaizen and genchi genbutsu.
SKALE Presenters were:
- Beth Schlieger, on Korean ceramics.
- Prof. Angela Nadeau, on mukbang, social connection, and young adulthood in South Korea.
- Ms. Kerys Fitzgibbons, USCB student, on poetry and memory in the aftermath of the atomic bombings.
- Ms. Celeste Cruz-Reyes, USCB student on Hangeul, the Korean alphabet.
- Sharon Butts, on using poetry to connect with high school students who speak other languages, including Korean.
- Dr. Elizabeth Clarke, on Asian Studies across the curriculum
Closing & Recognition
The conference concluded with remarks from Provost Kimberly Dudas and Dr. Babet Villena-Alvarez. All attendees received complimentary “Honorary Ambassador of Japanese/Korean Culture” certificates. Lucky winners took home large gift baskets containing speciality North Face Korea t-shirts designed by Hyungwon Kang and gifted by CEO Mr. Sung Ki-Hak, Korean and Japanese food, and other items.
A Regional Bridge to Asia
The conference underscores USCB’s commitment to bridging cultural understanding at a time of rapid regional change. With major Asian companies setting roots in the Lowcountry / Coastal Empire region, USCB’s Asian Cultural Studies Conference continues to serve as a vital forum — not just for academic exchange, but for community and economic development.
--CW 11-23-25--