Mission
Asian/Pacific American Cultural Center exists to support the matriculation, retention, and graduation of students at Colorado State University through direct service as well as through campus-wide programs focused on cultural education, leadership, and service. Committed to inclusion and interculturalism, A/PACC creates and supports opportunities for interaction among University and community constituencies to provide a learning environment that supports all students.
History
In the spring of 1984, a needs assessment was developed and distributed to all self-identified Asian/Pacific American (A/PA) students, which at that time numbered less than 300. The survey asked students to specify how satisfied they were with different aspects of “life in the CSU and Fort Collins communities.” In addition, students were instructed to indicate how valuable they thought particular services would be to them. Analysis of the results showed that students wanted to: 1) know more about their own and others’ Asian cultural heritage; 2) interact with other A/PA students, faculty, staff and community members; and 3) improve their chances of securing jobs after graduation.
Assuming that the survey results reflected student values, an office was developed whose goals were to address student needs and concerns. When the office initially was funded, a regional search was conducted that resulted in the hiring of 10-hour a week director, Linda Ahuna. At the time, she was also a second year graduate student working towards her master’s degree in education. The office was located in one room in the northeast wing of Aylesworth Hall. A/PASS, or Services for Asian American Students (SAAS) as it was then called, opened its door for the first time in November 1984. The one work-study student that the office was able to hire was actually supported by the offices of El Centro and Academic Advancement, as there was no money in the SAAS budget for help! The first Asian Fest (then called Asian American Awareness Week) started in the spring of 1985 and is the office’s oldest tradition.
At the start of the next year, SAAS was staffed by a ¾ time Director. In the fall of 1985, 4 students interested in establishing a Hawaii Club made their way on a snowy day to a meeting at the SAAS office and became the newly appointed officers. In spring of 1987, the Hui ‘O Hawai'i held a lu’au, a program that has been an annual tradition since then. P.A.L.S., the big brother/big sister program also made its debut in the fall of 1985 and has also become an A/PASS tradition. In its first year, the program included 5 student/child pairs. The numbers doubled each subsequent year for the next 4 years and now the program can involve as many as 25-30 pairs of students/children.
By next year, the SAAS office was staffed by a full-time director, and several work-study students. Ruth Nakamura Griffith was the office’s first program coordinator, a position later changed to Assistant Director. As the A/PA population continued to grow, so did the office and the programs and services offered. By this time, the office had acquired two more rooms and it was necessary to hire a full-time Administrative Assistant; Chloe Fong was the first person to fill that role. In 1991 Nattari Hale took over as the Administrative Assistant and held the position for 14 years. Upon Nattari’s departure, Kate Douglass was hired in April 2006. Following Kate’s departure in 2007, Heidi Patel was hired as the Administrative Assistant and then retired in May 2009.
When Ruth left the office to return to Hawaii, Wade Lee served as the Assistant Director for 2 years until he also returned to his home state of Hawaii. During Wade’s tenure, the office name was changed from SAAS to Asian/Pacific American Student Services (A/PASS) to more accurately reflect our outreach to both mainland students and students from Hawaii. Also during the time when Wade was Assistant Director, the Asian/Pacific American Student Seminar class was first developed and continued to be offered each semester until spring 2000. After Wade left the position, Linda Morita was hired and she served as the Assistant Director for three years.
In May 1997, the A/PASS office moved to its current location in the Lory Student Center. Temporarily inconvenienced by the Flood of July 1997, the office now enjoys a central campus location that is easily accessible and highly visible. From September 1998 until May 2002, Glenn DeGuzman served as the Assistant Director. In July 2002, Mikiko Kumasaka assumed the role of Assistant Director. During fall of 2003, Jump Leadership Workshop was started with 8 first year students. The spring of 2007 a mentoring program which for first generation college students was established. Because of a campus-wide initiative to increase retention, A/PASS received extra funding to start a first/second/transfer student retreat.
In August 2004, Linda Ahuna accepted a promotion to Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs and Mikiko was appointed to Director of A/PASS. From January 2005 – June 2006 Sarah Jakel served as the Assistant Director and continues to live in Fort Collins with her family. Following Sarah’s departure, Reagan Le assumed the position as Assistant Director. Two years later, since Reagan returned to his home state of Oregon in the Spring 2008, Jessica Gu has served as the Interim Assistant Director.
The spring of 2007 Paving The Road a mentoring program for first generation college students was established. Starting in the spring of 2008, student volunteers traveled to Manzanar Historic Site in Independence, California for a transformative service learning trip during their spring break. The success of the trip made this program a yearly program. During the 2008-2009 academic year, A/PASS received extra funding through a campus-wide initiative to increase retention. A fall first/second/transfer student retreat was held in Estes Park at the Y.M.C.A. of the Rockies and spring first/second/transfer student retreat in LaPorte at Tamasag. A/PACC Scholars Program is a new program open to all students who are interested in becoming a scholar while at CSU. The program includes focused interactions with Asian/Pacific American faculty and staff.
In the spring of 2009, A/PASS changed its name to Asian/Pacific American Cultural Center (A/PACC).
The student staff members are an essential part of A/PACC programs and services. The A/PACC staff produces a monthly online newsletter, conducts the Peer Contact Program (to establish and maintain contact with A/PA students throughout their first year), leads Alternative Spring Break, coordinates P.A.L.S. the big brother/big sister program, facilitates Jump Leadership Workshop, organizing A/PACC Scholars Program, serves as consultants and trainers to other campus departments and community groups on request, provides educational and cultural programs for the campus and surrounding community, works with student organizations and leadership development, acts as a resource of information to other helpful campus services, assists students with their transition to the university, helps minimize the red tape that students might encounter, maintains a small but growing resource library, and puts on some of the best potlucks on campus!