In light of the recent developments in Hong Kong, as well as the on-going challenges in addressing the past and present elsewhere in Asia, the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia is reaffirming its support of UBC’s commitment to advancing academic freedom.

 As part of a Canadian institution of higher learning, the Department will continue to fulfill its academic mission while upholding the values that inform the laws of Canada.

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Interested in what you can do with a degree in Asian Studies? In our Alumni Spotlight Interview Series, we ask our alumni about their career paths, how they became interested in Asian Studies and for any advice they would give to current students. In this interview, Chulthim Guring has just completed his Master of Arts in Tibetan Buddhism (Asian Religion) and shares his experience below!

Could you tell us a little about your life, studies and career, prior to studying an MA with UBC?

Hi everyone! This is Chulthim, my friends call me Mriti. I am proud to say that I graduated from UBC. I cannot imagine that a man from the Himalaya trans-border region of Nepal, where there is no electricity, no proper roads and schools, and around 12 thousand miles away from UBC, can nonetheless make this happen. Concerning my life, it is a journey from Mustang to Montreal and monastery to McGill. And there is KIBI and UBC as a sojourn between them.

I am here today in this spotlight to celebrate that successful sojourn at UBC. I was born in Mustang. It is in the northern border area of Nepal. I was raised and educated in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Pokhara, Nepal. I am currently registered for my PhD studies at McGill University. My research topic is Buddhist Psychology.

Prior to UBC, I had most of my formal education in the monastic institutes in Nepal and India. I worked there as a teacher, administrator and social activist. I was fortunate to get a teaching job an institute called Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New Delhi. I worked there first as an instructor for four years, then later as an administrator for four additional years. At the same time, I was also working as a secretary for a charitable organization called KIBS in New Delhi.

What led you to undertake the studies with us, and to focus on Tibetan Buddhism – in addition to being Asian, have you always had a particular interest in studying that area?

All my previous religious, academic and social activities in Nepal and India prompted me to pursue my masters at UBC. Because I strongly felt that contemporary higher education is necessary to work internationally in different fields. With my short research and a trusted friend’s suggestion that UBC has a good Asian Studies program, I decided to apply for it and I was glad that they accepted me.

Concerning my study of Tibetan Buddhism at UBC, I already have the traditional higher Buddhist education. However, there, I miss the contemporary or larger picture of Buddhism as one of the world’s religions and approach in it accordingly. It also has a huge impact on the daily lives of people, not only for those who live in monasteries. Asian Studies at UBC filled that missing gap in my academic life. It offered me a new lens to look at religion and society with a neutral or etic perspective, and with proper methods to acquire them.

Generally speaking, from my childhood I have difficulties to see others’ suffering and poverty. As a solution, as the historical Buddha Shakyamuni said, enlightening one’s mind through giving a proper education is the best way to eliminate all sort of sufferings. So, through my education, I hope one day I can enlighten others' minds. I am not talking here about the Buddhist enlightenment. I am simply hoping that one day I can provide a basic education to children in remote areas of developing countries. I believe that every child in the world should have access to a primary level of education. This is my dream. This might be an ambitious goal but why not if that is for the betterment of the world.

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Interested in what you can do with a degree in Asian Studies? In our Alumni Spotlight Interview Series, we ask our alumni about their career paths, how they became interested in Asian Studies and for any advice they would give to current students. This interview features Daryl Louie (BA 2010) who found that majoring in Asian Studies and joining the Kappa Sigma fraternity gave him a strong grounding in volunteering, holding executive roles, and taking on new challenges. All of which gave him the confidence and network to create learning more about his family history, self-discovery in Asian Studies. Daryl is the co-founder and CEO of AntiSocial Media Solutions digital marketing.

Tell us a little about yourself, your background and how you became interested in Asian languages and cultures?

My name is Daryl Louie, I own and operate a Digital Marketing Agency www.antisocialsolutions.com, home based in Vancouver B.C. with offices in Toronto, New York, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles. I became interested in Asian Languages and cultures through my family’s background, as well as its contributions towards Vancouver’s Asian community.

What choices did you make at UBC that contributed to your career success / journey?

Choosing Asian Studies as my major allowed for me to learn applicable knowledge about my own history which kept me interested throughout my student journey; you have to learn about topics you’re passionate about to get the full scholastic effect. Full transparency, the biggest contribution to my current success was joining my fraternity, Kappa Sigma. While at the fraternity I volunteered my time towards being on the executive every single year since I joined which allowed me to develop critical skill-sets in running an organization, motivating members to contribute and be dedicated to a unified goal, pursue my passion in creating content. Most importantly, I was creating a network of individuals from different backgrounds and interests which has paid off tenfold in my current day position, opening doors in a minute that would normally take months if not years to open.

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Library Material Pick-Up Service

Learn about the library’s new materials pick-up service that enables students, faculty and staff to access items in the collection that are not available in electronic formats.

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