Eric Chen, workshop speaker

Eric is a 2nd generation Taiwanese-American who has spent all his life in the Midwest and around academia. Born in Madison, he has spent all of his life living within 15 minutes of major educational institutions (Univ. of Notre Dame-IN, Case Western Reserve Univ-OH, College of Wooster-OH, and Univ. of Akron-OH). Eric’s parents and older sister currently live in Taiwan while he holds down the American fort for the family in downtown Akron, OH.

After Eric graduated from a fringe inner city high school, he spent the next four years at Case Western Reserve University pursuing a Biomedical Engineering Degree on the way to medical school. A self-proclaimed follower of Jesus at the age of 8, it was after his first year in college that God confronted him with proclaiming Jesus Christ not just his Savior, but also his Lord. Just a few years later, he sensed the call to go into full-time ministry with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, rather than full-time ministry with medicine, which has led him on a journey to the University of Akron, where he is now the full-time staff for the multi-ethnic undergraduate chapter on campus.

Since graduating, Eric has been pondering and dabbling in a variety of hobbies with what “discretionary” time he has.  If you look hard enough, you’ll find him cruising on roads full of cars on his bike, taking interesting photos of nature/people in Akron, or sitting in a coffee shop engrossed in conversation.

My workshop titles and descriptions

Tuesday – Chronicles of the American Asian-American

American? Asian? Asian-American? What’s up with all of the different labels? Join in the conversation and journey to explore our ethnic identity with Jesus! We’ll be spending some time looking at the gifts and challenges of being Asian-American in our multiethnic world.

Wednesday – Taking a Part in the Greatest Story of All Time

“Did you hear what that pastor said? I would have never thought of that on my own! I gotta write that down!” Too often we hear and receive insight from pastors and preachers, but then feel like we can’t get much from the Bible when we read it on our own. Not only does God want to speak to you through pastors and teachers, but God wants to speak to you directly through Scripture as well! Come and learn how we can read Scripture and find our part in the greatest story of all time.