University to build off existing Portuguese-American relationship

Feb 20, 2018

The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth is strengthening relationships with the Portuguese-American and Lusophone communities.

One way they will do this is by moving the Center for Portuguese Study and Culture to the chancellor’s office from its current home in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Also, the chancellor will visit the Catholic University of Portugal and the Camões Institute, a Lisbon-based national center dedicated to education and international collaboration.

Chancellor Robert E. Johnson said these communities are what makes the South Coast what it is today.

“To know the Portuguese-American community is to know the SouthCoast,” Johnson said. “In my first six months as chancellor, I have enjoyed learning about the extraordinary contributions of Portuguese-Americans to the business, cultural and civic life of this region, the Commonwealth, and nation. Now, I am looking forward to reaffirming our commitment to the Portuguese-American community and the Portuguese-speaking world.”

Currently the South Coast is home to the largest percentage of Portuguese-Americans in the U.S.

Besides having the cultural center the college is already home to the Ferreira Mendes Portuguese-American archives, the department of Portuguese and the Tagus Press- which publishes Portuguese literary works. There are also several educational and economic development partnerships.