Supporters of Colegio Cesar Chavez will be hosting a 50th anniversary celebration on Aug. 26 in Mount Angel. The public is welcome to attend.
Hosted by PODER, a Woodburn-based nonprofit focused on supporting the Latinx community, the event will celebrate the school’s pivotal role as the first accredited, independent four-year Chicano/Latino college in the U.S.
Colegio Cesar Chavez was founded in 1973 at the site of the former Mount Angel College, which closed that year amid falling enrollment and struggles to repay a federal building loan.
Mount Angel College was originally founded in 1897 as Normal College by the Benedictine Sisters of Mount Angel.Colegio Cesar Chavez helped pioneer the College Without Walls program, which promoted community service and student-directed learning. By 1983 the college was also struggling to repay a federal loan and to maintain accreditation. It closed that June.
The PODER release said the organization is honored to spotlight an historic and influential institution and its profound impact on Latinx students. The program will include music, storytelling, refreshments and entertainment.
A public celebration
Saturday, Aug. 26, noon to 5 pm
Father Bernard Youth Center
980 S. Main St., Mount Angel
