The 2017 ASIANetwork Freeman Student-Faculty Fellows Program (SFF) is the nineteenth funded by the Freeman Foundation to support undergraduate projects in East and Southeast Asia. Over $200,000 will be allocated to twenty-seven students and nine faculty mentors in seven teams, five led by a single mentor and two led by two mentors. They will conduct projects in Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China (four teams), Japan and Nepal this summer. If one counts the 2017 recipients, the SFF program has awarded 217 grants to 1,034 faculty and students at 109 ASIANetwork member institutions.

ASIANetwork is grateful to the Freeman Foundation for its extraordinary commitment to fostering undergraduate research and engagement projects in Asia, and providing the opportunity for U.S. college students to have a mentored, in-depth experience in Asia. We also express our appreciation to the faculty mentors, supported by their campus administrators, who lead their students to Asia each summer for these transformative experiences.

Those who have worked with this program from its inception have evidenced the growing strength of Asian Studies programs among participant institutions. Proposals are becoming more sophisticated, the credentials of students and faculty are stronger, and the range and depth of projects are impressive. We are pleased that students and faculty at AN member institutions have responded positively to the current SFF program theme of “Engaging Asia.”

We wish to congratulate the 2017 SFF recipients on receiving the awards and thank all applicants this year and in the past for their interest and support for the SFF program.