{"id":226107,"date":"2026-03-19T00:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T00:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/226107\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T00:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T00:22:09","slug":"filipino-american-student-organization-returns-to-campus-the-oakland-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/226107\/","title":{"rendered":"Filipino American student organization returns to campus \u2013 The Oakland Post"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a period of inactivity, the Filipino American Students of Oakland University (FASOU<\/a>) has returned.<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the fall 2025 semester, student leaders reinstated the group to create a space where Filipino students, as well as those interested in Filipino culture, could gather, connect, and share traditions.<\/p>\n

The revival of FASOU reflects a growing interest among students to maintain cultural connections and build community on campus.<\/p>\n

FASOU President Sam Lozano said the decision to restart the organization began with conversations among Filipino students who realized the campus no longer had an active Filipino cultural organization.<\/p>\n

Recognizing the need for a dedicated space, student leaders collaborated to bring FASOU back, with a focus on creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students.<\/p>\n

To set a warm and inviting tone, the organization greeted students at its first meeting of the year with an open-door atmosphere. A Jollibee plushie was placed at the entrance as students arrived, serving as a familiar cultural touchstone and signaling that the space was welcoming to anyone interested in Filipino culture.<\/p>\n

Small details like this, Lozano said, help make students feel immediately connected and at ease.<\/p>\n

FASOU Vice President Veronica Jakosalem, who also goes by Nica, said involvement in the organization has strengthened connections on campus.<\/p>\n

Jakosalem emphasized that FASOU provides a space for students to engage with others who share Filipino cultural experiences and traditions, fostering a sense of belonging.<\/p>\n

FASOU held its first meeting of the year on Wednesday, Jan. 28, in Gold Room A at the Oakland Center. The meeting included presentations, interactive games and opportunities for discussion, giving students a chance to learn more about Filipino culture while forming new friendships.<\/p>\n

Freshman Lyra Basas, a clinical diagnostic sciences major, said attending the meeting helped her build connections with others who value Filipino culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe schools I attended in the past had culturally related clubs, but they never had a Filipino club. When I saw that Oakland University had a Filipino club at GrizzFest last fall, I was excited and wanted to join,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Basas waited until the winter semester to attend a meeting while adjusting to college life.<\/p>\n

\u201cAttending FASOU\u2019s first meeting of the year meant meeting people who value the same culture I do,\u201d Basas said. \u201cIt didn\u2019t matter if everyone there was Filipino. What mattered was that we all valued Filipino culture and wanted to learn more about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that the meeting encouraged further involvement and helped her reconnect with her heritage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI met some amazing people who made me want to participate in more events. I also learned more about Filipino communication styles through presentations and games, and I was able to practice speaking Tagalog,\u201d Basas said.<\/p>\n

Lozano said the executive board hopes the organization will continue to grow throughout the year as more students learn about FASOU.<\/p>\n

The group plans to host cultural events that highlight Filipino traditions, food and community.<\/p>\n

Board members emphasized that FASOU aims to create an inclusive environment where students of all backgrounds can learn about Filipino culture while building friendships and strengthening campus connections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After a period of inactivity, the Filipino American Students of Oakland University (FASOU) has returned. At the beginning…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":226108,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[143,145,144],"class_list":["post-226107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=226107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/226107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/226108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=226107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=226107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=226107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}