Harvard University, one of the world’s leading institutions of higher education, has made a significant step in broadening its linguistic and cultural offerings. Recently, Lady Aileen Orsal, formerly of Cavite State University, was introduced as the first-ever instructor for Harvard’s new Filipino language course.
The Harvard University Asia Center, in partnership with the Department of South Asian Studies, proudly unveiled this unprecedented move soon after announcing the inception of the Filipino language course. Their decision underscores the importance and widespread use of the language, as Filipino ranks as the fourth most spoken language in the US, following English, Spanish, and Chinese.
James Robson, Victor and William Fung Director at the Harvard University Asia Center, expressed his excitement in a Harvard Gazette report, stating, “We are extremely happy to welcome Lady Aileen Orsal to the Harvard community.” Robson anticipates a prosperous collaboration, adding, “We look forward to working with her to develop, highlight, and showcase the richness and variety of the history and cultures of the Philippines through events on the Harvard campus.”
Lady Aileen Orsal is no stranger to teaching Filipino in an international setting. In 2018, she commenced her journey as a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies in Northern Illinois University.