Ethnic Studies department to celebrate silver anniversary May 8
- April 10, 2009
The Department of Ethnic Studies at ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥, East Bay will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a gala at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 8 in the New University Union Multipurpose Room, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward.
The gala will honor the pioneers who were instrumental in establishing the department, an outstanding graduate student, the retiring chair, and individuals who have made significant financial contributions to the discipline of Ethnic Studies.
Among them will be professors Michael Clark, who established the department and is its longest serving chair, Barbara Paige, current chair and second longest serving chair, Terry Jones, Alan Smith and Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.
In the past year, the department received a significant portion of a university diversity grant, and became the home of the Chair of Sikh and Punjabi Studies, the first such endowed position in the ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ 23-campus system.
The department was created in 1984 when the African American Studies department and the LaRaza and Native American Studies programs merged, and added an Asian American component. Beginning with six majors and three full time faculty, the department has expanded to an average of 40-45 students annually, and has seven full-time faculty and one professor emeritus.
"We have become the public face of the East Bay campus' commitment to diversity in excellence and to educating informed professionals who can navigate the national, as well as the transnational, landscape" said Chair and Professor Barbara Paige.
Proceeds from the gala and donations will create an Ethnic Studies Alumni Scholarship Fund to continue the education of informed and multiculturally literate students.
Tickets to the event are $30. For general information, to order tickets or make a contribution to the scholarship fund, contact Annie Manning at 510-885-3255 (or at annie.manning@csueastbay.edu) by May 1.