Reaching out to build community
Cal State Fullerton extends a hand to Vietnamese Americans
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 FULLERTON, Calif. — The numbers don’t lie. California State University, Fullerton, currently has 2,103 Vietnamese students and 4,351 Vietnamese alumni. That’s “more Vietnamese students than any university in the United States,” university president Milton A. Gordon said. So it’s no wonder that campus officials are stepping up their efforts to reach out to the Vietnamese American community. Earlier this month, the school’s Vietnamese American Task Force met together, mixing with community leaders hoping to make a difference. The group of nearly three dozen talked about expanding language, arts, culture, health science, internships, communications and marketing for immigrants and their younger generation. “The Vietnamese have a tremendous respect for the education process,” said Robert Jones, a committee member and the citizenship and naturalization instructor at St. Anselm’s Cross-Cultural Center in Garden Grove, Calif. “Traditionally there was not a lot of interaction between the university and the community. It was only in the last few years that new universities have emerged. These new universities offer subjects such as business and economics. The concept of outreach was exposed. Younger people know how important it is to bridge the university to the community.” Gordon said it is crucial for Fullerton to promote its work. That includes expanding its relationship with small provinces in Vi?t Nam from which the school already has recruited many students. Along those lines, the university: * Is holding the Vietnamese International Bridging Expo (VIBE) Oct. 11-13 to showcase the relationship between Cal State Fullerton and the Vietnamese community at large. * Has Professor Son Kim Vő teaching courses on Asian American families and Vietnamese American communities as part of the Asian American program. She also has participated in numerous interviews on higher education for Saigon Radio (106.3 FM). * Permits the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration to hold an event to commemorate the fall of Sŕi Gňn. This is an annual community gathering organized by the Vietnamese Student Association and Intercultural Development Center. * Supports a Vietnamese Health Subcommittee, which has: encouraged the campus community to be involved in assisting the Mai Khoâi AIDS Clinic in Vi?t Nam; designed social support programs; helped the Center for Cancer Disparities Research promote creative activities to improve the cancer-related health and well-being of ethnic minorities and other medically underserved populations in Orange County, Calif. * Focuses on boosting partnerships such as those with the Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce that could lead to student internships. The Language Arts Subcommittee is expanding the bachelor’s degree program in Vietnamese language and culture. Currently, the university offers six courses; the task force would like to broaden this by adding classes in English, comparative literature and linguistics. “There is no other university in the U.S. where having a bachelor’s degree program in Vietnamese language and culture would make better sense than at Cal State Fullerton,” said Thomas Klammer, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “We want to expand our offerings in Vietnamese language and culture including Vietnamese language for business.” The effort has not gone unnoticed by the students or the community. “I feel very honored and grateful that Cal State Fullerton is putting on this effort and is so proactive in their efforts to reaching out to the Vietnamese community,” said Henry Nguy?n, an attendee and the cousin of Tâm Nguy?n, one of the task force leaders. Tâm Nguy?n helped to serve as a guide for Gordon and his academic delegation during last year’s visit to Vi?t Nam, where the the school is the first U.S. university to have an official alumni chapter in the country.
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