Night at the MAC Enjoyed by All

The Eastern Washington University Alumni Association and the Office of the President hosted a first-ever EWU Night at the MAC on April 16.

EWU President Shari McMahan, who serves on the board of directors at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC), helped orchestrate the special evening, which drew more than 80 alumni, faculty, staff, and students.

“It’s an incredible honor to be part of the MAC community,” said McMahan. “I’ve been working closely with our faculty in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to strengthen Eastern’s presence in Spokane’s vibrant cultural and arts community. Tonight is a celebration of our collaboration, and we’re excited to connect with the MAC in this way.”

The evening began in the sun-filled museum lobby, where guests were welcomed and given access to the museum’s Samurai: Sunrise and Sunset exhibit. The display featured samurai armor, swords, weaponry and delicate lacquer boxes from the 1568–1600 period.

“I love art. I haven’t been to the MAC in quite a few years, so I’m really excited to see the MAC and enjoy it with other Eagles,” said Megan Kuster, assistant director of orientation and family programs at EWU.

Guests also enjoyed a presentation on U.S.-Japanese contemporary cultural exchanges, created by faculty members Tomoko Kimura, an instructor in piano, and Erina Romanowich, a lecturer in Japanese language studies.

Both originally from Japan, Kimura and Romanowich highlighted how Japanese culture has influenced the U.S. – and vice versa.

This ongoing exchange, they emphasized, has led to many of the cultural crossovers that Americans enjoy today, including reimagined sushi, Starbucks’ version of matcha tea, and Pokémon games, cards and cartoons. In Japan, visitors to McDonald’s can order shrimp patties, and Starbucks offers cherry blossom–flavored drinks.

Japanese 7-Eleven stores, meanwhile, which even surround the Imperial Palace, offer far more than the hot dogs and coffee commonly found in their U.S. counterparts. These convenience stores provide a wide range of healthy, fresh meals packaged to go and offer services such as bill payment, ticket purchases, and mailing options.

Although EWU’s partnership with the MAC is new, alumni have already left a lasting mark on the museum.

Anna Harbine, who earned her master’s degree in history from EWU in 2016, is now a curator of archives and special collections at the MAC.

“I started as the student intern here and then happened to get a job,” Harbine said. “So, I’ve worked here since I graduated.”

She recently curated the Fire, Rebirth and Resilience exhibit, which also has an EWU connection. “For me actually the fire exhibit came out of a paper that I did in grad school, so it’s even more full-circle,” she says.

Harbine appreciated the strong turnout for this inaugural event. “It’s just fantastic. I loved the lecture, as well. It was information I didn’t know.”

Mikhail Hammer, a member of the class of 2024, is pursuing a master’s degree in history and attended the event.

“I saw that it was about an interesting exhibition, and I thought there would be some pretty cool speakers here, so I wanted to come and just engage with history,” said Hammer, a 25-year-old from Newport, Washington who hopes to become an archivist and publish a book based on his research on genocide.

“I really enjoy coming out into this kind of setting. It’s nice to see EWU provide such nice services for their alumni,” Hammer said.