The Asian Pacific American Cultural Center (APACC) is one of Colorado State University’s student diversity offices. Founded in November of 1984, it was created in response to a survey that indicated CSU Asian Pacific American (APA) students wanted to learn more about their Asian heritage and interact with other APA university members.
The office was originally referred to as Services for Asian American Students (SAAS) and located in Aylesworth. It was directed by then grad-student Linda Ahuna-Hamill, who served as the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs until 2015. As the APA student population continued to grow, so did the office and the programs and services it offered and the office’s name changed to the Asian/Pacific American Student Services (A/PASS).
In May 1997, A/PASS moved from Aylesworth into the Lory Student Center. This was the same year as the Flood in July 1997, which devastated the Fort Collins and campus communities.
In 2009, A/PASS changed its name to its current name of Asian Pacific American Cultural Center (APACC) based on recommendations from a survey sent to students, faculty, and staff to better reflect the overall role of the office. Additionally, the Advocacy Cluster (of which APACC is one of seven offices) was renamed Student Diversity Programs and Services (SDPS) to better reflect the roles of the office and the desire and need to collaborate across the University.
In the summer of 2013, APACC was temporarily located in the LSC West (Campus Recreation Center in the Mac Gym), while the Lory Student Center went under some major renovation and reconstruction.
In the fall of 2014, APACC moved to its current space in the Lory Student Center room 333 where it is close to the other SDPS offices and the center of campus.
In 2019, a new Assistant Director was hired. The Student Success Coordinator (formerly Program Coordinator) was hired in fall 2020. By spring 2020, the pandemic shut down in person activities and campus shifted to a virtual campus. The office remained closed until fall 2020 when we had a limited opening until the university closed campus a week before fall break in November to finish the semester virtually. The office and campus remained virtual through spring semester. By fall 2021, the university plans to fully open, in person.
In May 2021, for the first time in APACC history, the City of Fort Collins declared May as Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month and named APACC in the Proclamation!
As the year 2021-2022 school year progressed APACC once again had prostaff staff changes and hired another Student Success Coordinator in the spring semester. Then in the spring of 22 the student success coordinator moved up to the assistant director.
Summer and Fall of 22 once again came with challenges for the center and opportunity to grow. APACC only had two prostaff at a time where the university was coming out of the pandemic which meant a significant transition and challenges. In the spring of 2023 APACC hired a new Student Success Coordinator and once again had a full professional staff.
In Fall of 2024, the third director of APACC left the center.
APACC continues to grow, change, and morph in versatile ways that reflect the changing times, student populations, and the needs of those we serve. Today, APACC hosts many successful programs such as the All Nations Leadership Retreat, Peer Mentoring program, and Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) & Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) Heritage Month in April amongst many other events, and continues to serve as a resource to students, the campus, and the greater Fort Collins community.
APACC's 40th Anniversary
APACC celebrated its 40th anniversary with Lūau April of 2024, in collaboration with student organization Pacific Club. It brought together current students, alumni, families, and many others together to engage respectfully in Pacific cultures and to commemorate APACC’s positive influence on not just the campus community but the city community.