College of Arts and Letters
Charles Wei-hsun Fu Center for Asian and Pacific Studies Fiscal Year 2025-2026
Message from Leadership
Dear Donor, On behalf of the Charles Wei-hsun Fu Center for Asian and Pacific Studies (CAPS), we extend our deepest gratitude for your generous support. Your commitment has strengthened our ability to serve students financially, intellectually, and experientially. This year, your philanthropy supported scholarships, student assistant positions, cultural programs, internships, and community outreach. We proudly awarded the inaugural Charles Wei-hsun Fu Center Endowed Scholarships to four outstanding students for 2025-2026. Your support helped expand experiential learning opportunities, connect with local organizations, promote SDSU’s Asian Studies programs, and secure an external grant for a panel on AI in China and Southeast Asia. Additionally, we launched a new fundraising initiative dedicated to study abroad experiences. Thank you for helping CAPS remain a vibrant, welcoming home where students build knowledge, belonging, confidence, and lasting success. Your generosity continues to inspire growth and opportunity across our community every single day.
Minjeong Kim, Ph.D. Director, Charles Wei-hsun Fu Center for Asian and Pacific Studies Professor of Sociology
Philanthropy
Propelling the SDSU Community Forward Charles Wei-hsun Fu Center for Asian and Pacific Studies Endowment Thanks to the Charles Wei-hsun Fu Center for Asian and Pacific Studies Endowment, we are able to provide our students with financial support through student assistantships, where they have the opportunity to apply their Asia-related knowledge and heritage connections while gaining skills that enhance their career readiness. Charles Wei-hsun Fu Center for Asian and Pacific Studies Endowed Scholarship The Charles Wei-hsun Fu Center for Asian and Pacific Studies Endowed Scholarship provides support for students pursuing an academic program in the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies and in Linguistics and Asian/Middle Eastern Languages. We were incredibly proud to award the inaugural scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year to four outstanding students: Jerald Lipa, Jade Lacelot, Meleana Love Suarez, and Gemiel Smith. For the 2026-2027 academic year, we selected two outstanding students: Haley Rodales Ceja and Ryu Baluyot.
Jerald Lipa and Cassandra Fuller, CAPS Student Assistants at 2026 Explore SDSU.
Student Spotlight
Thriving in the Aztec Experience Jerald Lipa, Class of 2026 Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: College of Arts and Letters Major: Asian Studies For nearly two years, the Center for Asian Pacific Studies (CAPS) has been a second home to me at SDSU. It has provided a welcoming environment where I could learn about diverse Asian cultures, develop professional skills, and grow both personally and academically. As a student assistant, CAPS gave me valuable hands-on experience in a professional setting while deepening my understanding of the Asia Pacific region. The position also provided financial support that helped me purchase textbooks, cover commuting expenses, and maintain the technology I relied on for my coursework. Beyond the financial benefits, CAPS played a major role in my personal and professional development. I progressed from supporting projects behind the scenes to taking on leadership responsibilities in outreach, event planning, and presentations at other colleges. These experiences strengthened my communication, public speaking, teamwork, and networking skills. As I graduate, I am grateful to the CAPS faculty and staff for their support and mentorship. CAPS has helped shape me as a student, teammate, and person, and I will always appreciate the opportunities it provided and the impact it has had on my future.
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CAPS has helped shape me as a student, teammate, and person, and I will always appreciate the opportunities it provided and the impact it has had on my future.
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Student Spotlight
Meleana Suarez, Class of 2026 Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: College of Arts and Letters Major: Political Science (Minor in Asian Studies) The Center for Asian Pacific Studies (CAPS) has provided me with life-changing opportunities that have shaped both my academic and professional journey. In summer 2025, CAPS supported my participation in a human rights conference in Indonesia, covering my travel expenses. There, I worked with Indigenous communities, Islamic boarding schools, migrant care workers, and the OGAWA (LGBTQ+) community. Later, from December 2025 to January 2026, I studied abroad in Japan, where I taught English to elementary school students in Tokyo. During my last two semesters as a CAPS student assistant, I learned how to plan cultural events, embrace my Asian heritage, and explore future career paths. I especially value CAPS’s commitment to cultural programming, including Lunar New Year celebrations, Thai film screenings, and Rondalla performances. Dr. Kim's mentorship encouraged me to take pride in my Asian Studies education and share its impact with other students. These experiences inspired me to pursue a master's degree in international human rights in Thailand. I am deeply grateful for the support, community, and opportunities CAPS has provided.
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I am deeply grateful for the support, community, and opportunities CAPS has provided.
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Thank you for your generous support.
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