Graduate Assistantship for Chinese Area Studies Students

The Asian Studies MA Program offers a Teaching Assistantship in the field of Chinese Studies, awarded by the D&E Foundation. Asian Studies gives special thanks to Alex Xiao, Chair of D&E Foundation, for this gift donation.

The expressed intent of this award is to advance the academic mission by supporting students in Chinese studies of the Asian Studies Master's program at FIU.

The Teaching Assistant for this award is selected on a competitive basis and assigned duties to assist our faculty whose teaching and research expertise focuses primarily on China, providing long-term enhancement of the Chinese program within Asian Studies.

Recipients of the D&E Foundation include:

  • 2011-2012: Adam Nieves
  • 2016-2018: Franklin Hernandez
  • 2018-2020: Britney Fernandez

Our current Asian Studies Program Teaching Assistant and recipient of the D&E Foundation award, Britney Fernandez, leads the Chinese Club at FIU and received a FLAS fellowship for Chinese language study at Indiana University. In collaborating with the Chinese Club, she has helped plan and hosts a wide variety of educational and immersion events including, but not limited to, Lunar New Year celebrations, FIU Language Day, Chinese Connections, movie screenings, and lectures on Daoism, Business culture, immigration, etc.

Image Lunar New Year is one of the program's largest events, hosting up to 20 performances and 350+ guests. Performances range from traditional dances and songs to martial arts demonstrations and more contemporary performances. Above, the Chinese Club members display their works of art.