News Archives - 1999

Bao Thao was recently appointed director of Augsburg College's PanAsian Student Services Program.

Thao, who began her duties at Augsburg on Jan. 4, had been working as a program director for Winona, INC., Research Resources in Minneapolis prior to accepting the position at Augsburg.

Thao worked in minority student affairs at Iowa State University from 1996 to 1998 as a program assistant. In that position, Thao coordinated the Minority Student Affairs' Tutoring Program and established the first Asian American student organization at Iowa State as well as an Asian American Cultural Center.

Thao graduated from Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. in 1994 with a bachelor of arts degree. She majored in sociology/anthropology and Asian studies. Fluent in Hmong and Chinese, Thao studied at Nanjing University in Nanjing, China in 1993, concentrating on Chinese language and politics.

Augsburg's Pan Asian Student Services Program was created in 1992 to recruit and retain Asian American students and to enhance the quality of their total experience at Augsburg. The program seeks to create opportunities where Asian American students can be involved in and contribute to all aspects of academic and student life.

The program provides assistance in the admissions and financial aid application procedures, orientation, registration and coursework selection, career development, academic and non-academic difficulties, and employment and placement referrals.

The Asian American Association is affiliated with the program. The association carries out various activities during the academic year to increase the network of friendship and support for Asian American and other students at Augsburg.

Augsburg College is a private liberal arts college of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in the heart of the Twin Cities. Augsburg's nearly 3,000 students come from diverse religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Founded in 1869, the college emphasizes intellectual freedom in the search for knowledge; responsiveness to the needs of society and the world; and preparation of students for service and leadership in church and society.