The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) will celebrate its 50th anniversary in March with a series of events.

“The purpose is to involve both NIU and the surrounding community in Southeast Asian culture,” said Elizabeth Denius, communications manager of CSEAS.

Professor John Sidel from the London School of Economics and Political Science will give the anniversary lecture at 4 p.m. March 1 in the Pollock Ballroom at the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center. This event is sponsored by the Graduate Colloquium and the Department of Political Science.

On March 2, Professor Richard Cooler will host a morning coffee talk at the NIU Anthropology Museum in Cole Hall. He will take visitors through his exhibit so they may view his rarely seen artifacts. They will remain on display until May 15.

There will be a new exhibit in the Founder’s Memorial Library to present Donn V. Hart’s Southeast Asia Collection and the 50 Years of CSEAS gallery. This exhibit was created by Hao Phan, Southeast Asia Collection curator. There will be a formal opening at 4 p.m. on March 4 in the Rare Books & Special Collections Room.

That evening, there will be a cocktail reception and gala dinner at 5 p.m. at Altgeld Auditorium. The public will also be able to attend “A Celebration of Southeast Asian Performing Arts” at 8 p.m. in the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall. This event is co-sponsored by the President’s Office.

NIU alumna Amirah Ali, an award-winning Malaysian recording artist and songwriter, will be performing and talking about her music at 8 p.m. on March 4 in the music Recital Hall.

The CSEAS will be publishing a book by the end of February. The name of book is “Rise of the Sarimanok: Volume I” by CSEAS Assistant Director Trude Jacobsen and Maria Hancock Nihei, office associate for the College of Language Arts and Sciences. The book will be available at the CSEAR center and the bookstores around campus.

“We teach Americans about the history of southeast Asia,” CSEAS director Judy Ledgerwood said. “Also, we recruit students from Asia to come to NIU and we send our students to Asia as well.”