On Friday, May 22, the Fulbright Educational Advising Center (FEAC)-EducationUSA hosted the 2015 American Studies Students’ Conference, titled “Correlations: Prejudice, Anti-Discrimination Policies and Minority Rights in American Culture”, co-organized by the Center for American Studies within the University of Bucharest, the Romanian – U.S. Fulbright Commission and FEAC-EducationUSA. Marjorie Stein, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of the United States in Romania, kindly agreed to join us on this special occasion and delivered a warm welcome address, voicing her delight with the topic of this year’s conference, given that the month of May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States and that May 17 marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

The conference brought together undergraduate, as well as graduate, students from the University of Bucharest’s American Studies department, who delivered thoroughly researched presentations on topics ranging from LGBT rights to representations of immigrant life and ethnic minorities. Associate Professor Maria-Sabina Draga Alexandru from the University of Bucharest delivered an engaging keynote address, approaching ethical concerns in South Asian American women’s migration, as reflected in the writings of Indian American novelist Jhumpa Lahiri. We were also happy to welcome Ms. Laura E. Jones, PhD student at Liberty University, with an empathetic and engaging presentation on educational strategies for minority populations and the path to becoming a multicultural teacher.