Student Takeover Blog by Joanne Cabanlit, Library Student Ambassador
Last year, October 2022, to celebrate Filipinx American History Month in the CORE library building the Pilipinx American Student Association (PASA) collaborated with the Library Ambassadors to create an exhibit celebrating the 51 years of its existence. This exhibit is now available online featuring audio interviews, student stories, and previously unseen photographs from PASA's founder. Check out the online exhibit, "Building Community: PASA, 1972-2023."
Hello, my name is Joanne Cabanlit, and one of the student ambassadors for the library! I have been in PASA for more than five years and have been an active member, even an officer for one term. Showcasing the work done from October 2023, members of PASA along with the founding president of PASA, Randy Sabado, came together in celebration of Filipino American History Month, and put together a physical exhibit to celebrate one of the longest-standing non-Greek student organizations on our campus, the Pilipinx American Student Association (PASA) of California State University, East Bay.
In order to prepare the online exhibit, I interviewed six current PASA members to include their voices alongside the digitized artifacts that were donated by Randy Sabado and PASA. This included things like the CORE jacket, a memory book, outreach pamphlets, and even PASA stickers which were presented alongside Randy's photographs from the early 1970s. These artifacts and the voices/stories from PASA members help to document, celebrate, and share the impact and history of PASA at CSUEB.
Working on this online exhibit taught me the importance of archiving. I was able to collect artifacts and interview CSUEB PASA members to discover unique first-hand accounts of club history and learn more about Filipino culture. I learned how to classify and preserve these artifacts, resulting in an engaging online exhibit that will remain available for years to come. This experience provided me with valuable insights into the perspectives and narratives of Filipino students that are part of PASA.
Dane Lopez says that he learned about PASA and fell in love with the club because this was the first time he had seen a large group of fellow Filipinos together, and how he currently shares the same passion that old members of PASA felt.
Through this project, I have discovered the importance of connecting with people on a deeper level. An example of this would be the program PASA hosts called Pilipinx Consciousness Night (PCN for short). This is a theatrical production that promotes Pilipinx culture. PASA members participate in the dances and acting while getting educated on the background of the music and dance moves. Creating this space helps educate the members and watchers to learn more about the culture. These cultural dances gave me new insights such as how certain dresses and music came from various provinces and islands across the Philippines.
Hearing about PASA members' experiences and perspectives has significantly influenced my perception of the organization (PASA). In my previous involvement with PASA, I experienced burnout and weariness from my officer position as one of the Cultural Directors from the responsibilities being time consuming and having to host the return of live performance. However, working on this project has given me a newfound appreciation for the club and the influence of Randy Sabado, the founder of PASA (1972). It has inspired me to do more for PASA and its history.
Last year (2022) was significant for Randy because PASA was celebrating its 50th anniversary. Our goal last year as Cultural Directors for PCN (Pilipinx Consciousness Night) was to highlight the memories of creating the club. It brings me joy that we are honoring the founder and celebrating as a club. We weren't doing it only for ourselves, we were trying to uplift the club, the founder, and the organization.
I'm glad to be helping in researching and sharing this information with the CSUEB community. Sometimes important information in the archives can be forgotten if not shared. By showcasing and discussing this information, it can inspire new ideas and bring people together. Through connecting with the club, we are working towards improving both the club and the East Bay student community. Displaying the exhibit and creating an online version not only promotes the club but also showcases the culture. As the saying goes, "People join to build a connection" and being part of the Filipino club serves as a reminder of this.
Explore the exhibit here: Building Community: PASA, 1972-2023
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Back to the Bay 2023
Dear Friends of the Cal State East Bay Libraries,
The last week of August is an excellent time to visit us in the CORE. You feel the excitement in the air as students congregate in the library to check out textbooks and laptops, to get themselves ready for the new worlds of thought that they will discover in their classes, to see old friends back from summer break, and to meet new friends who will be learning with them in our group study rooms throughout year. Many of us who work in universities are enticed to stick around year after year to experience the sense of renewal that comes to us every Fall and absorb the youthful energy that gives meaning to our work.
One year after opening last August, the CORE Library has become, as we say, the beating heart of the student learning experience at Cal State East Bay. Not only is building full throughout the semester, but our online services continue to grow in popularity. A few statistics from the previous academic year give you an idea of this:
Of course, friends are welcome to visit at any time to check out books, study, or meditate, but if you have a meeting or event that may benefit from the energy in the CORE (or from our view), don't hesitate to contact our Building Coordinator, Jonathan Tonel to see if we can accommodate you.
There are many other reasons to visit us this year. I am re-starting our Faculty Author Lecture Series that was halted due to COVID. Let me know if there is someone you would recommend. And please stop by to visit and congratulate our talented librarians who continue to progress in their careers. Lee Adams has achieved tenure and was promoted to Associate Librarian in 2022. Jeffra Bussmann and Gr Keer have both been promoted to Full Librarian as of Fall 2023.
Look for three more issues of our newsletter this year, but please feel free to contact me at any time if you have questions about the library.
Sincerely,
John Wenzler
Dean of Libraries
New from the Library
Students in any major at Cal State East Bay may be interested in a new minor now being offered by the University Libraries. Critical Information Studies helps students understand the role of information in shaping our lives. Additionally, students in the minor analyze the impact of race, gender, culture, history, politics, and other power dynamics on information creation, dissemination, and use. For more information, please contact Gr Keer.
The Library also has a new database -- Exploring Race in Society provides context and solutions-oriented points of view within a scholarly collection of resources on topics related to race, ethnicity, and diversity. To access Exploring Race and Society, and all of the 190 online resources provided by the library, go to our Databases A-Z page. Everyone will find something of interest and relevance to explore!
Check out the SCAA
Don’t hesitate to refer students to the Student Center for Academic Achievement (SCAA) on the 3rd floor of the CORE. Whether in-person or online, the SCAA meets students wherever they are on their academic path. SCAA Director, Rachel Brunson has been with us for one year, and came to East Bay with a decade of experience in academic support services at the University of South Carolina and University of San Francisco (USF).
The SCAA offers peer-to-peer tutoring for writing and several math, statistics, and science courses. The SCAA also offers embedded classroom support through its Writing Associates and Supplemental Instruction (SI) programs.
Exciting news: the SCAA has welcomed Peer Academic Coaching to its service offerings in 2023!
Back to the Bay 2023
The Library was pleased to host the Annual Back to the Bay Event on August 17 in the CORE.
It was wonderful to see so many faculty and staff on the 3rd floor of library preparing ourselves for a new semester. For more on this annual teaching and learning event see the Back to the Bay Program.