History of FIND top

The purpose of the Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue, Inc. (FIND) is to promote unity and cooperation of Filipino students. FIND’s goals are:

• To offer a channel for dialogue and action;


• To promote and preserve Filipino culture;


• To further awareness of issues pertinent to the Filipino community; and


• To offer support to Filipinos studying at East Coast institutions.

Founded on April 11, 1992, FIND stands as a symbol to the ethnic consciousness presently seen on university campuses. With the growing number of Filipino organizations at these institutions, there exists an inherent "desire to know" about one's culture. Ranging from the personal search and identification to the large scale social awareness, FIND is an organization that opens the door to communication and
collaboration among its members. It offers those interested an opportunity to see what else is out there: a broad perspective to the increasing Filipino presence in America.

Aware of a strong but fragmented Filipino presence on the East Coast, college students from the Northern seaboard attended a dinner sponsored by KASAMA in April 1991 at Yale University. These college students discussed the collaboration of a formal network that would tie together smaller networks in the coastal
regions. A group of enthusiastic students volunteered to form a Steering Committee for the formation of the East Coast Network of Colleges (ECNC). This steering Committee (SC) has met several times in the New England area prior to a second conference held at New York University (NYU). A constitution was created
incorporating the SC's vision of an organization that would accommodate the need of the Filipino student. The International Filipino Association at NYU conference was structured to further the networking efforts and eventually facilitated the ratification of a regional network. The name FIND was chosen to illustrate a continuing process of student unification. An official Steering Committee was elected with representatives
from each of the six established districts, mainly in the Northern region of the East Coast. A ratified constitution and bylaws of FIND Inc. were complete in time for the first FIND Conference held at Harvard in April 1992. FIND became a reality.

(Taken from National Dialogue 1995 hosted by District 7 at the University of Virginia)

Accomplishments of FIND top

Currently, FIND’s network actively links over 90 East Coast colleges, universities, vocational schools, and technical schools. Most districts have formed an internal executive structure. Moreover, with such a structure in place, districts have been able to successfully sponsor their own events and raise money for their district and the network as a whole. Strong, cohesive districts are the key to FIND. Since formal ratification of the constitution, well-attended National Dialogues and National Conferences have been sponsored by various districts.