Kansas University’s Center for East Asian Studies will mark its 50th anniversary this week with a reception Friday at the Adams Alumni Center.

The center’s director said the center has come a long way, and today advocates for more faculty and classes with an East Asian focus. It also works on outreach programs, taking educational opportunities to local interested schools, said Megan Greene, the center’s director and an associate professor of history.

“I’m not from Kansas, and I knew this was a place that had strong East Asian studies programs before I came, and I was delighted to come here because of that,” she said.

Traditionally a strong field on the coasts, East Asian studies has long been a priority at KU, and the center’s longevity reflects that, Greene said.

Funded by federal dollars from the Department of Education, the center maintains a presence around the community.

“The mission of the center is really to increase knowledge both on campus and off campus about East Asia,” Greene said. Programs like lectures and an occasional academic conference can unite interested parties from both groups, she said.

The reception on Friday will include emeritus faculty, current faculty and graduate students, among other friends of the program, Greene said, and will include a look back at some of the strong faculty members who have been affiliated with the center through the decades.

“I think this is something to be proud of,” she said.