DeKALB | Since 1986, NIU has served as the home of the Center for Burma Studies, which is the only facility of its kind in the United States.

Each year, people from all over the world come to NIU to study Burma and Burmese culture.

“I think we are very lucky to have the Center here,” said Carolina Bodner, a master’s student in Southeast Asian studies ­- art history. “When I was in Burma, [of] everybody that I talked to, some of the people knew NIU, some of the people had their children come to NIU, and it is really interesting for us being halfway around the world and meeting people who say, ‘Oh yeah, my daughter went to NIU.’ It is very nice for us and for everyone interested in Burma.”

Courses relating to Burma are offered in anthropology, art history, foreign language, history, music, philosophy and political science. NIU is among one of the few schools in the country that offers Burmese as a foreign language, said Catherine Raymond, director of the Center for Burma Studies.

Because the Center is the only one of its kind in the country, it offers students in the program great opportunity to advance in their studies and research.

“There’s a great opportunity for networking because of the center,” said Benjamin Lemon, Ph.D. candidate in history and co-curator of the “From Heaven to Earth: A Ritual to the 37 Nats” exhibit in the Altgeld Museum. “At one point or another, just about every scholar working on a Burma-related topic has either come to a conference or just asked for various networking skills.”

The Center allows students to have closer contact with the longtime scholars in their field of study.

“To have seen and met some of the people that have written the books that I work with, or the articles I am reading and to have speakers come in, we have that one on one aspect that many other students in other areas never have the opportunity to do,” Bodner said.

Students interested in Burma Studies can join the Burma Interest Group through the Center for Burma Studies. The organization’s focus is on cultural exchange and scholarship. The organization is interested in getting to know Burma and Burmese peoples through their scholarship. They have been involved in the Taste of Asia, cultural nights and anything going on with the museum on campus. For more information on the Burma Interest Group, visit http://www.sa.niu.edu/big.html.