May is Asian Awareness Month, an event intended to increase cultural awareness and improve understanding between Asians at OSU and other members of the OSU community.”Asian students play a very vital role in OSU, especially in graduate work, and sometimes their upbringing makes them feel intimidated by the faculty, who place emphasis on individual thinking,” said Anil Pradhan, professor of astronomy. “In most Asian cultures you are expected to do what you are told and this can lead to misunderstandings between the students and faculty.”Asian Awareness Month gives all students an opportunity to celebrate Asian heritage, said Sheila Kapur, coordinator of the Asian American Student Services. She said lack of knowledge regarding Asian culture in the U.S. school system has made it necessary to sponsor Asian Awareness Month.”It will give an accurate portrayal of Asians and helps break the stereotypes people have about Asians,” Kapur said.This year’s awareness month marks the tenth anniversary for the celebration, Kapur said. In 1995, the celebration was expanded from a week to a month-long event.”There was so much interest for it,” Kapur said. “So many people wanted to expand the celebration.”The registrar reported an increase in new Asian students in Fall 1997, which brings the OSU Asian population to 2,463.Asian Awareness Month will try to reduce some of the stereotypes regarding languages and cultures at OSU, said Steven Knicely, assistant director of Chinese language program.”As an American who has been to Asia without taking any formal courses in Asian culture and languages, I now have a better understanding of what Asians go through while coming here,” he said.Some students at OSU are viewing the month as an opportunity to learn more about Asian countries.”I hope this will encourage more people to try and learn about things that they are not aware of regarding Asian cultures,” said Michelle Malone, a junior majoring in occupational therapy.Asian Awareness Month kicks off tonight with a food and cultural festival in the Ohio Union from 5-7 pm.