Cassie Guevara OC ‘13
J. F. Oberlin University, Japan (2013-15)
Cassandra (Cassie) Guevara graduated in May 2013 with an East Asian Studies major with a focus on Japan, though she has also studied Korean history and Mandarin. During her time at Oberlin she served as a host for prospective students and as a Senior Intern in the Admissions Office. Cassandra sang in Collegium Musicum and played in OC Taiko, for which she was a co-chair and ExCo instructor, and was a member of the Filipino-American Students Association. In the past, she was involved in Musical Union and the OC Flaming Blades (fencing club), and served as a tutor for America Counts at Prospect Elementary School in Oberlin and for OC students in Japanese levels 101-202. Cassie studied at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka from February to December 2011, and during this time her interest in taiko led her to explore Okinawan music and festivals, which developed into a passion for Okinawan history and culture. During her Fellowship, she practiced her Japanese and continued her studies of issues such as Okinawa's ongoing conflict with the Japanese government over U.S. military bases.