By means of a gift fund made to the University by the Filipino American community in Hampton Roads, a Filipino American Student Cultural Center was established at Old à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã University in 1998 to address Filipino American students' desire to learn more about their culture, heritage, and history.
Like all other gifts to the University, Filipino American Student Cultural programming funds are administered by the ODU Educational Foundation. Available program funds are channeled annually from the Foundation to the College of Arts and Letters through the Dean's Office.
The University's Office of Intercultural Relations (OIR) works with Filipino American students and student groups on campus, ODU faculty, and an advisory board with members from the Filipino American community in Hampton Roads. Together, these groups work on planning and carrying out integrated programs for the benefit not only of Filipino American communities on campus, but also for the university and local community at large.
The physical space for Filipino American Cultural Programs at ODU has evolved along with the University's overall physical and infrastructure growth. Currently, a Filipino American Cultures space has been designated in the U-Center (at the Webb Student Center) on the main campus.
We look forward to this new period of growth and planning!
Mission & Goals
The Office of Intercultural Relations works closely with the Dean's Office and the Filipino American Student Association; with input from academic and other advisory groups on campus and in the community, they work to create and carry out programs that support the University's Filipino American student cultural programs.
- To foster close linkages with the ODU Filipino American alumni
- To reflect and promote the University's commitment to diversity in an institution of higher learning
- Encourage, expand, and strengthen new resiliencies that will best serve ODU's Filipino American student body;
- Develop and advance both short-term and long-term academic programs* that have the capacity to enrich and celebrate students' learning about culture, heritage, and history;
- Develop and promote opportunities to create courses and/or encourage scholarship/research/collaboration in Philippine/Filipino American studies, language, history, and culture;
- Serve as an additional resource on Filipino American culture, scholarship, heritage, and history for the University community, the greater Hampton Roads community, and other communities in the area
*Examples: Lecture series, film series and discussions, presentations by writers, artists, and other speakers relevant to Filipino American Student Cultural programming at ODU; creation of space on campus dedicated to permanent housing of Filipino/Filipino American materials and artifacts; language classes; heritage scholarships for Filipino-identifying students