麻豆影视 will strengthen its Asia-Pacific studies under麻豆影视 program and develop Hawaiian language and culture courses thanks to a nearly $265,000 grant awarded to the university by the U.S. Department of Education.
The three-year grant, provided through the Department of Education鈥檚 Under麻豆影视 International Studies and Foreign Language grant program, will increase the educational offerings in the university鈥檚 Asia-Pacific studies minor. Along with the Hawaiian language and culture courses, the grant will allow Pacific to develop additional Asia-Pacific studies courses and increase study-abroad opportunities.
Erica Andree, director of the university鈥檚 Global Scholars Program and Supporting Inclusive Success Initiative, believes the addition of the courses will be a point of pride for Pacific, the first university in the state of Oregon to be designated as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) by the U.S. Department of Education.
鈥淲ith Pacific sitting here on the Pacific Rim, we鈥檝e historically had strong ties with 贬补飞补颈驶颈 and other Pacific nations, so it鈥檚 certainly relevant to our students,鈥 said Andree. 鈥淲e鈥檙e also part of that Asia-Pacific region, so the Asia-Pacific studies is a key way for our students to connect with the people, languages, cultures and histories of Asia and the Pacific.鈥
驶艑濒别濒辞 贬补飞补颈驶颈 (Hawaiian language) courses are planned to be offered in the 2025-26 academic year and may count towards the university鈥檚 core language requirement pending approval.
While Pacific enjoys a decades-long connection with the state of 贬补飞补颈驶颈, it is the first time that a specific Hawaiian language and culture course has been offered as part of the university鈥檚 under麻豆影视 curriculum. Andree says that the academic selections will enhance the cultural education provided by Pacific鈥檚 贬补飞补颈驶颈 club, N膩 Haum膩na O 贬补飞补颈驶颈, and the university驶s well-known 尝奴驶补耻 and 贬艒驶颈办别.
鈥(These additions) honor their experiences and allow our Native Hawaiian students to remain connected to their native languages and cultures,鈥 Andree said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great for our students from 贬补飞补颈驶颈, but also great for all of our students to see that connection and honor those cultural experiences and identities.鈥
The grant also allows Pacific to develop courses that center on Asian and Pacific cultures, as well as short and long-term study-abroad opportunities in the region. Andree hopes to develop a short-term study-abroad course to Japan, complementing an existing course to Tahiti and 惭辞驶辞谤别补 that is part of the university鈥檚 Global Scholars program.
Andree also plans on developing a year-long Pan-Polynesian studies course as part of the university鈥檚 First-Year Communities, a class required of first-year under麻豆影视 students to help provide the skills to critically engage with topics at the college level. The course would end with a January-term study-abroad experience to 贬补飞补颈驶颈, Tahiti and Aotearoa (the Indigenous name of New Zealand), and offer an optional spring study-abroad semester in New Zealand focused on Pan-Polynesian studies.
鈥淭he First-Year Community program gives students an opportunity to get to know each other and to learn more about the culture, so that when they are traveling as a cohort, they鈥檙e traveling with friends and faculty that they know,鈥 Andree said. 鈥淭hat will allow our students to take a deeper dive into that location because they have done a lot of preparation for it.鈥
Andree anticipates that area studies courses and some short-term study-abroad courses will be available in the 2025-26 academic year. The First-Year Community year-long program is projected to begin in the 2026-27 academic year.