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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University's Asian & Pacific Cultural Center is marking its 25th anniversary with the grand opening of a new building in the heart of the Corvallis campus.

The ceremony will take place Wednesday, April 29, beginning at 3:30 p.m. at 2695 S.W. Jefferson Way, just east of the new business building, Austin Hall. The one-story, 3,500 square-foot center was designed by Jones & Jones Architecture of Seattle, which also designed three other new cultural centers on campus.

The building has a distinctive exterior based on a combination of housing styles found in some of the regions represented by the cultural center. Inside, large meeting spaces, a student kitchen, offices and a meditation/quiet room reflect cultural aspects of a number of Asian and Pacific Island groups. The building also features a number of antiques from different countries donated to the center over the years.

Mohamed Shaker, a senior in history at OSU, originally became involved with the APCC as a freshman. He soon found that working for the center provided him the opportunity to engage with many groups and organizations on campus, as well as to learn from students of many different backgrounds.

"I have found it personally wonderful to work at the APCC," Shaker said. "It provides a gateway of support and a place to share your values and visions. It's important to have that kind of space. And academically it's given me a way of getting in contact with departments and programs I wouldn't have otherwise."

When Shaker joined the APCC, it was still housed in a small older home at the edge of campus on Jackson Street.

"What I will miss about the old place is that it was very homey," he said. "It was isolated so it felt very much like our place." But while the intimacy and privacy was nice, Shaker said, the center's new location at the heart of campus opens up more opportunities and increases exposure and foot traffic. "We were very excited to move here. Being that far away and dislocated from campus made it hard for us to draw people to the center."

An Vuong is a general science major with an option in pre-pharmacy. He's had experience working at Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez in addition to the APCC, and was excited to join the staff as the new building opened because he said it's a way to build upon the center's legacy.

"We'll be the first staff to be in here, and we'll set a new standard," he said. "We're in the heart of campus. This is a place to build a community not just with people of color but with all the students of OSU. Cultural centers are not just a token. OSU has very active student leaders and the centers are great gateways where those leaders can go out and excel."

Vuong said he is pleased with the expanded programming opportunities and broad space for socializing, studying and networking in the new center.

"We're really open and friendly and the best part of the new center is the opportunity to educate others," he said. "We're open to all, and not just community members who identify as Asian or Pacific Islander. We get a chance to see a diverse group of students here." 

As part of the grand opening celebration, the on-campus restaurant Ring of Fire in Marketplace West will feature a culturally inspired menu for lunch and dinner April 27 to May 1.  Additionally, the grand opening is the precursor to celebrating Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May.

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonstateuniversity/sets/72157651696908418/

Video: https://youtu.be/X6d3AHo6Y9w