Francis Tanglao Aguas
Election
Position
Name
Francis Tanglao Aguas
Candidate statement
Francis Tanglao-Aguas is the founding Director of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies Program at William & Mary. Aguas was born and raised in Pampanga, Philippines until his family left for Nigeria, West Africa where he completed his primary education.
A UCLA graduate (BA and MFA, Theatre), he is a playwright, performer, director, producer, and teacher of theatre, film and dance. His plays explore the intersections, convergences, and divergences inherent in diversity and cultural pluralism.
Currently he is the Director of Global Studies and is the founding co-chair of the Asian Centennial at W&M, commemorating the enrollment of the first student of Asian descent. The
Asian Centennial is designed to be a platform of dialogue and discernment on themes of inclusion and exclusion at W&M.
He is the first faculty of color to be tenured (2009) and promoted to full Professor (2016) in the arts at William & Mary. Students awarded him with the William & Mary Image Award for Outstanding Professor (2007), the NAACP Perseverance Award (2009) and the Class of 2015 Distinguished Professorship. As Director of Africana Studies from 2012 to 2016, Aguas initiated the expansion of faculty appointments in the program.
A UCLA graduate (BA and MFA, Theatre), he is a playwright, performer, director, producer, and teacher of theatre, film and dance. His plays explore the intersections, convergences, and divergences inherent in diversity and cultural pluralism.
Currently he is the Director of Global Studies and is the founding co-chair of the Asian Centennial at W&M, commemorating the enrollment of the first student of Asian descent. The
Asian Centennial is designed to be a platform of dialogue and discernment on themes of inclusion and exclusion at W&M.
He is the first faculty of color to be tenured (2009) and promoted to full Professor (2016) in the arts at William & Mary. Students awarded him with the William & Mary Image Award for Outstanding Professor (2007), the NAACP Perseverance Award (2009) and the Class of 2015 Distinguished Professorship. As Director of Africana Studies from 2012 to 2016, Aguas initiated the expansion of faculty appointments in the program.