Filipino students at Princeton call for Tagalog language program
Photo from visitprinceton.org
Following in the footsteps of Harvard and Yale, which have already introduced Tagalog language courses, the Princeton Filipino Community Board (PFC) recently organized the inaugural Filipino Ivy League (FIL) Conference in hopes to integrate a Tagalog class offering at the university.
The conference was a significant step in amplifying the voices of Filipino students across Ivy League institutions, particularly in their advocacy for a formal Filipino language program at Princeton.
The event attracted over 100 students from various Ivy League schools, with approximately 40 participants coming from Princeton alone.
In an opinion piece published by The Daily Princetonian, a student writer urged the university to offer a Filipino language program, drawing comparisons to Princeton’s recent announcement of a Haitian Creole course set to launch in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026.
The article argued that Filipino students, like their Haitian counterparts, deserve the opportunity to deepen their cultural connections through language studies. The demand for a Tagalog course at Princeton is about representation, identity and cultural pride.
With the Philippines being one of the top countries of origin for US immigrants, the inclusion of Tagalog in Princeton’s curriculum would acknowledge the growing Filipino American presence and their contributions to society.
During the FIL Conference, one of the key highlights was a presentation by a member of the Penn Philippine Association (PPA), who emphasized the importance of preserving the Filipino language within the US.
Meanwhile, Yale’s Kasama Club shared insights into their successful efforts to introduce a Filipino language course at Yale, inspiring Princeton students to pursue a similar initiative.
“Our initiative is to try to have Tagalog language courses taught here at Princeton,” PFC member Soberano stated in an interview with The Daily Princetonian. “We want to use this conference as a foundation to generate significant interest in learning more about Filipino culture and language.”
As Princeton continues to expand its language offerings, Filipino students remain hopeful that their advocacy will lead to the establishment of a formal Filipino language course.
