I sat down and chatted with my friend and founder, Nandin Natsagdorj, of the Mongolian Students and Scholars Association, a new club on campus this semester.
When was the Mongolian Students and Scholars Association (MSSA) founded?
It was founded this year, 2017, by me, Nandin Natsagdorj.
What is the mission of the MSSA?
The aim of the MSSA is to promote opportunities to learn about Mongolia and to develop career paths related to Mongolia for students. Our purpose is to create the academic and cultural spotlight in a region so often neglected in academia.We hope to foster the growth of more research, debate and cross-cultural communication and spark change one discussion, panel, and debate at a time.
What kind of events do you hope to put on?
Our focus is to unite Central-Northeast Asian student groups and everyone who is interested to learn about the region because the reality is that, people do not acknowledge the issues, the potential and value of post-Soviet Asian countries and Mongolia in academia. As students, we hope to create a community and a medium to tell our history, culture, and policies from our point of view. We are planning an international food evening to share food and culture, more panels and seminars inviting and supporting professors and scholars from our parts of the region. We plan to organize more panels and debates inviting and supporting professors and scholars from our parts of the region.
Can you tell me about your event on Monday?
The event this Monday is the first panel that MSSA is organizing. It’s to highlight Mongolia’s role in relation to the North Korea’s issue of today. For starters, not many people know where Mongolia is, which is frustrating because there is a large degree of apathy amongst people who believe being involved and aware of global issues and other nations are periphery. But this event is to spark dialogue about how Mongolia’s plays the neutral arbitrator, being one of the few democracies in the region.
What does this club mean to you?
I started MSSA because I advocate that in an open democracy there should be an open discussion. Just because we as Mongolians or any group for that are a minority, it does not make us any less illegitimate nor should we be kept in the dark. I truly believe that in a globalized interconnected society, we as future policymakers, lawyers, scholars etc should actively be attentive and supportive to bring light and uplift those who are trying to foster growth and develop research and solutions to social issues. With MSSA I wanted to diversify the Asia Studies Department because primarily the entire Central-Northeast Asian community is isolated and excluded from the academic dialogue. And I hope to empower and encourage a more active inclusion of our region one panel and debate at a time.