PCE’s History
“In 1974, a group of 1st generation American-Filipinos found each other in a world much different than where each of us came from … my brothers and sisters, George Dones, Domi Tomate, and Frank Nicolas, and a handful of American-Filipino students had a dream that has become a reality.”
— Chris Bernido
In 1974, four students, Chris Bernido, George Dones, Domi Tomate, and Frank Nicholas, came together with an amusingly simple goal: Sell lumpia at Poly Royal (reinvented today as Open House) and perform Filipino dances in front of their booth. The four would be able to provide the four signatures required to charter a club at Cal Poly. With the help of mentors, Dr. Leo Pineda and Dr. Ilene Rockman, and PCS & Ethnic Student Programming Board President, Mike Hurtado, the “Pilipino Cultural Exchange Society of California Polytechnic State University" was established.
The initial goal of PCE was to “promote and relate with other ethnic organizations on campus” and “generate a cultural awareness of the Filipino heritage.” These apirations were expanded upon with the inception of PCE’s annual Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN), which is dedicated showcasing and sharing Filipino culture with Cal Poly and surrounding communities.
Original PCE members in 1974 when it was just formed. Pictured: Placida Marapao and Fe Betita from Grover Beach; Frank and Marlyn Nicholas, Pasadena; Linda Espinoza, Philippines; George Dones, San Francisco; Domi Tomate and Chris Bernido from Delano.
“So, what do you think?” Frank said, “You think this club is going to last after we leave? I mean, this isn’t, exactly, the Philippines.”
“Who cares,” George said with his signature George Dones grin. “We’re going to make lumpia.”
— Domi Tomate
In 1989, PCE introduced the KAA (KuyaAteAding) mentorship program, which has since become a significant aspect of the club, attracting over 400 participants annually. Later, PCE created the Polypino weekend event, which paired prospective Filipino students with club members and hosted them for a weekend.
In 2005, PCE’s Outreach Coordinators, Janina Umali and Jonathan Reimers, formed PolyCultural Committee, a collaboration with the American Indian Student Association (AISA), Movimiento Estudiantil Xicanx de Aztlán (MEXA), and the Indian Student Association (ISA). Taking inspiration from PCE's Polypino and MEXA’s orientation programs, they hosted the first Polycultural Weekend (PCW). Today, PCW is a student-led tradition that brings together more than 30 cultural organizations across campus, to host and introduce prospective students to the academic resources, campus life, and social climate at Cal Poly.
Over time, PCE has drawn numerous people with different backgrounds, ideas, talents, and customs, making the organization not only a home away from home for anyone, but an environment where culture is freely expressed and exchanged.