Global Awareness 2026: A Focus On Asia
Wednesday, March 25, from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm
*Registration form for high school students only to guarantee lunch. Lunch is available while supplies last for all other participants; no preregistration required.
Global Awareness 2026: A Focus on Asia will start with a panel of international MCC students sharing their experiences and answering your questions. We then turn to our keynote presentation by Ian Varquez of the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation. From there it’s an amazing lunch provided by Adobo Boy, West Michigan’s only Filipino restaurant. We then finish with options of MCC Instructors presenting on a wide range of topics covering Asian culture, literature, art, and more.
FREE FOOD (while supplies last)!
If you have any questions, please contact Evin Rodkey, MCC Anthropology Instructor, at evin.rodkey@arie-edwards
Schedule for the Day:
9:45 am – Arrival and seating, Room 1300 (near the Stevenson Center entry on the north or back side of the building)
10:00-11:00 am, Room 1300
Opening Address and International Student Panel
We start our day with MCC President Dr. John Selmon welcoming you to our campus and announcing the winners of the annual poster contest for the Global Awareness event. Following, Dr. Evin Rodkey, MCC’s full-time Anthropology Instructor and the event organizer, will introduce the day’s program with some background on the region of Asia. We will then feature our International Student Panel. Guests get to hear from MCC students who have come from other countries speak about their experiences and have an opportunity to ask them questions as well!
11:15 am-12:00 pm
Room 2323
Keynote Presentation: Between Two Shores:
The Filipino Immigrant and First-Generation Experienc
Ian Varquez (below)
Business Development and Sponsorship Director
Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation (GRAPF)
Ian is an IT Manager and a leader at the Grand Rapids Asian Pacific Foundation who will share his family’s story of migrating from the Philippines to the United States. He will discuss his life as a first-generation Filipino American, incorporating personal experiences that range from visiting his family’s homeland to the communities that shaped his identity.
In addition to his personal journey, Ian will share how the foundation’s mission and people supported his move to West Michigan and how they continue to serve the local Asian community.
To conclude the presentation, guests will have the opportunity to engage with Filipino culture firsthand. Ian will teach a popular Filipino group game, and then everyone will be invited to join in the fun.
The Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation started as an idea in 2016. We kicked off our first Festival in 2017 and we have since evolved into a multi-faceted organization. Our mission is to shape a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving community where cultural awareness, economic empowerment, individual growth, and community education intersect seamlessly.
12:00 – 12:45 pm
Lunch served in Room 2323
We are lucky to have Adobo Boy, West Michigan’s only Filipino restaurant, provide lunch for this event. Ace Marasigan, the owner, comes from a Filipino family and founded the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation (GRAPF). Ace will be serving varieties of pork, chicken, and vegetarian options, along with rice and noodles.
As noted above, lunch is guaranteed for registered high school students. We plan to have plenty for everyone else too, but for all other guests lunch is “while supplies last.”
For more of Adobo Boy’s amazing food after the event, be sure visit the restaurant, which is located at 4492 Plainfield Ave NE in the northern area of Grand Rapids!
And though it has already taken place this year (March 1st, 2026), next year and beyond, be sure to check out NoodleFest in Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids. This is a culture-spanning food event featuring noodles from Japanese ramen and Italian pasta to Pad Thai, Vietnamese pho, Caribbean-style noodle dishes, and everything in between, highlighting how one simple ingredient connects so many cultures. Check the Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Foundation (GRAPF) site for details.
1:00 – 1:30 pm
Breakout Sessions
The sessions will take place in rooms near 2323 (where the Keynote Presentation and Lunch take place), TBA
Guests attend one of these four presentations, which take place simultaneously. At the end of these sessions presenters will conclude today’s event. (Note they are listed in alphabetical order by presenter’s last name.)
Rei Gordon, Ph.D.
MCC Political Science Instructor
“A Comparison of Power: China and the United States”
China is considered a great power in Asia – but how powerful is China when compared to the United States? Join Dr. Gordon for an analysis of the economic, military, and influential power of these two countries. The presentation will include time for discussion, so bring your comments and questions.
Shauna Hayes
MCC English Instructor
“Adorned in Tradition: Cultural Expression through Objects in Sarojin Naidu’s Poetry”
Sarojini Naidu was known as “The Nightingale of India” and was not only a poet but a political activist who became the first woman President of the Indian National Congress. The poem, “The Bangle Sellers” is full of symbolism that brings to life the Indian culture, specifically looking at the different stages of a traditional Indian woman’s life.
In this presentation Shauna will discuss the background of Naidu, read and analyze the poem, and then allow the guests to write a very short poem about their own understanding of their culture based on a particular item from their lives (such as their shoes, a book, jewelry, and so on).
Erin Hoffman
MCC Art Instructor
“The Art of Japanese Prints”
This presentation will include an introduction to the art of Japanese prints. We will look at the famous work “The Great Wave of Kanagawa” by Katsushika Hokusai then guest get to make their own drawings featuring the West Michigan shoreline.
Evin Rodkey, Ph.D.
MCC Anthropology Instructor
“Language, Culture, and Meaning: Examples from Asia”
Using symbolic language use is a defining characteristic of being human. But how we use that symbolism takes on a wide variety of forms and meanings across cultural backgrounds. In this presentation, Evin will talk about how language and culture work together and have the guests offer their own examples of cultural differences they have experienced using language. We will then go over a few select examples from Asian languages and cultures showing this connection between language and culture.
