Schools
A Taste of Home: Lehigh Dining Celebrates Filipino American History Month with Student-Led Event
Lehigh University Kapamilya brings Filipino food and traditions to Rathbone Dining Hall
Bethlehem, Pa - There’s something special about seeing the foods you grew up with served in your college dining hall. For members of Lehigh University Kapamilya (LUKA), the university’s Filipino cultural organization, that experience became a reality on October 20 when the group teamed up with Lehigh Dining by Sodexo to celebrate Filipino American History Month.
The students were involved from the start, creating the event’s marketing materials, helping spread the word across campus, and setting up a table at Rathbone Dining Hall to talk with fellow students about Filipino culture and the significance of the month-long celebration.
And, of course, there was the food.
The Lehigh Dining culinary team prepared a menu featuring Filipino favorites, including Adobo Chicken, Bistek Tagalog (Filipino beef steak), Fried Garlic Rice, and Adobong Talong (eggplant). Students could also enjoy Crispy Filipino Tofu, Vegetarian Ginisang Monggo, Vegetable Spring Rolls, and Garlic Bok Choy, along with a Chop Suey action station.
For students familiar with these dishes, the meal offered a welcome taste of home. For others, it was a chance to try something new and learn a little about the traditions behind the food.
Larah Flavier, student creative director for LUKA, said the collaboration was a hit with the organization’s members.
"The event was fantastic! We really appreciated and enjoyed the food. It tasted very close to authentic, which was a wonderful highlight for our group," said Flavier. "We truly loved partnering with Lehigh Dining and would highly welcome the opportunity for another collaboration in the future."
What made the celebration particularly meaningful was the role the students played in bringing it together. Rather than planning an event about Filipino culture without input from the Filipino student community, Lehigh Dining worked directly with LUKA, giving its members a voice in how their heritage would be represented.
It’s an approach that makes a difference. Students had the opportunity to share a part of their lives with friends and classmates, while the dining team had the chance to learn from the people who know these foods and traditions firsthand.
Judging by LUKA's enthusiastic response, this may be the beginning of more collaborations between the student organization and Lehigh Dining.
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