[Tlc] L-Center for Lao Studies development

[justinm at ucr.edu]

FYI.
Thanks,
justin

Center for Lao Studies

As we head into the year of the Ox, we wanted to give you a brief update on our campaign. Last fall, we set a goal of raising $25,000 to support the work of CLS by the end of February.

Many of you have responded, and we wanted to take a moment to thank each one of you. Through your support, we have raised $14,000 to-date. To see a list of our current supporters, please visit the CLS donor's wall at: http://laostudies.org/content/view/70/116/

These funds will help CLS launch some very important programs in 2009:

·    Planning for the Third International Conference on Lao Studies in 2010 which will take place at Khon Kaen University, Thailand.

·    Launching of the Summer Study Abroad in Laos (SAIL) program. SAIL will see its first group of students head to Laos this upcoming summer.  In cooperation with the Lao-American College in Vientiane, SAIL will allow participants to experience the language and culture of Laos firsthand.  

·    The Journal of Lao Studies sent out a call for papers with a goal of publishing its first issue in the Fall of 2009.  This unprecedented journal will allow us to highlight the terrific research and writing done by scholars in the field of Lao Studies around the world.

·    Establishment of the Lao Oral History Project, documenting archiving the untold stories of Lao refugees in the United States. Currently, there are almost no existing oral history projects and little academic research that focus on the ethnic Lao refugees in the US. By raising awareness of the Lao refugee experience, CLS will advance the growing field of Lao Studies, as well as illuminate the realities that this population faces today.

If you haven't yet made a contribution - there is still time help to us reach our goal.

Please help us keep these programs alive as we launch into 2009 in strength. Whether it is a gift of $1,000, $500, $250, $100, $50 or $25, we would truly appreciate any amount you able to give at this time to help support the work of CLS.

To donate or pledge, go to: https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=23950 

The Center for Lao Studies depends on support from individuals like you who see value in promoting and advancing the field of Lao Studies through research, education, conferences, cultural and study abroad exchange programs.

Again, thank you very much to all of you who have made this one-of-a-kind organization flourished in the last few years. We sincerely wish you and your family the best of luck and a prosperous New Year. Sabaydii Pii May!

Sincerely,

Vinya Sysamouth, Ph.D.
CLS Executive Director

P.S. Did you know CLS is on Facebook?
Click here to join: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Center-for-Lao-Studies/39165626728


______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
3046 INTN
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu