During her 18 years at Cal State Fullerton,
Vo has served as a vital resource — and at times, family
— to Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American students, as
well as a proactive advocate for mutual understanding and
stronger relationships between the university and the Vietnamese-American
community.
| Q: |
How did the Intercultural Development Center
come about? |
| A: |
There was a little friction between the Vietnamese students
and the faculty and staff, which came from miscommunication
and misunderstanding on both sides. The students assumed
they were being discriminated against, and faculty thought
the students were keeping to themselves. |
|
| Q: |
Why did faculty think the students were keeping
to themselves? |
| A: |
In class, students didn’t participate because
of language, and also, it was a cultural thing. They listen
out of respect to the faculty. Bob Erickson conducted
a survey and found that students were unhappy, so he created
the center. At that time, I was working at the California
Department of Social Services and served on the CSUF minority
student affairs advisory board. Bob asked me to distribute
fliers to the community for a job at the center, which
I applied for. The job was to promote cultural awareness
and advise Asian students, specifically Southeast Asians. |
|
| Q: |
What changes have you seen in the Vietnamese
students over the years? |
| A: |
When I first started this job, most of the students
came here by themselves, with no family, so they used
the center as a second home. The students today are like
many American students, but they still have problems.
Their parents give them advice, but they check with me
to see whether it’s “good” or not. Even
though I’m old they trust me because I received
my education in the United States, so I have a different
view. |
|
| Q: |
In what ways has the Vietnamese-American community
come to know Cal State Fullerton? |
| A: |
They know the university through me, through their children
— who are being educated here — and with the
services we provide. They like the idea that the Vietnamese
students have a cultural night during the spring. Initially,
the students had difficulty organizing it, because their
families said they had to be home — they didn’t
understand and didn’t trust their children. So,
I asked the students to invite their families to come,
and that’s how I brought the community to the university. |
|
| Q: |
What goals did you set for yourself and the
center? |
| A: |
One, a Vietnamese language program. Two, I wanted to
bring Vietnamese culture to other students. Three, I want
to create a Southeast-Asian center — to serve not
only the community, but nationally. Four, to have an exhibit
about the lives of the Vietnamese people, which I was
able to do [“The Long Journey of Courage, 1975-2005
— Vietnamese Americans in the U.S.,” earlier
this year in the Atrium Gallery].Three of the goals I
have accomplished. I am committed to working toward an
Asian resource center — if American business people
wanted information regarding their business project in
Vietnam or Cambodia, we could provide them with it, or
we can put them in connection with the resources in those
countries. This center will store statistical data, materials
and community organization profiles that faculty and staff
can use. |
|
| Q: |
Do you feel that the Vietnamese-American community
feels close to Cal State Fullerton? |
| A: |
Yes, specifically because of the exhibit. I was asked
very often, “How could the university let you do
such an exhibit?” The image they have is that Cal
State Fullerton is pro-communist, because of our connection
with Vietnam — our relationships with universities
there. I am bringing back the image of higher institution
leadership training; the university has assumed a role
of training leaders for Vietnam since 1969. |
|
| Q: |
Because of the programs you’ve developed
and the support you’ve received, do you think Cal
State Fullerton has attracted more Vietnamese-American
students? |
| A: |
Yes, the center and the students themselves —
the leaders — have. In youth organizations in the
community, our students are the leaders; also in the Buddhist
temples and in churches. They introduce [other students]
to me like recruiters. I’ve been thinking about
retiring, but the students tell me, “No, you can’t,
because I told my friend that you would be here, so you
have to stay another year.” |
