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Gov. Ben Cayetano speaks with Don Nakanishi, director
of the UCLA Asian American Studies Department. Cayetano
said he might like to return to his alma mater after his
term is over to give an occasional lecture.

UCLA honors Cayetano
with academic chair

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By Richard Borreca
Star-Bulletin

LOS ANGELES -- Gov. Ben Cayetano will have a professorship in his name at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, according to Don Nakanishi, director of the center.

At a reception held yesterday at Green Castle, an upscale, restored 1898 hotel now used as a condominium and movie location set, Nakanishi announced the Benjamin J. Cayetano chair of Asian American Studies.

"Gov. Cayetano has been a very active supporter and has received UCLA's highest honors," Nakanishi said. Cayetano is a UCLA graduate and the university's only alumnus to become an American governor, Nakanishi said.

The Asian American center is part of the UCLA ethnic studies department, which is the largest in the country, with 3,000 students.

Nakanishi said the university is starting a $500,000 fund-raising campaign to support whoever is chosen to be the Cayetano scholar.

Kathy Kim, director of development for the ethnic studies department, said the endowed professorship in Cayetano's name is in recognition of Cayetano's accomplishments in public service.

"We are so very proud of him," she said.

Cayetano said he would do what he could to help raise money on the mainland for the professorship and said he might like to come back to UCLA after his term of office is finished in two years to give an occasional lecture.

"We would love to have him," Nakanishi said.