Alumna of the Year Award

Dorothy Cordova, ’53

College of Arts and Sciences

Dorothy Cordova, ’53, and her late husband, Fred Cordova, ‘52, were nominated for their instrumental support and advocacy for the Filipino American community in Seattle and nationwide. For her tireless work and dedication to elevating the Filipino American community, Dorothy is this year’s Alumna of the Year.  

The Cordovas were lifelong partners in this work for the Filipino American community, including writing grants for immigrant and refugee communities, founding the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) and the National Pinoy Archives (NPY). Affectionately called “Auntie Dorothy” and “Uncle Fred,” the pair also cofounded Filipino Youth Activities in 1957 for community youth—including their own eight children—that resulted in an award-winning drill team still in action today.

With their sociology education from Seattle University, the Cordovas completed several projects that captured the stories of immigrant populations in Seattle. This was an especially important issue for Dorothy, who grew up in the Central District after her parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1928. At a national level, the Cordovas were influential in the establishment of Filipino American History Month, which was passed in a resolution by Congress in 2009, and publicly acknowledged by President Barack Obama in 2015.

Dorothy’s nominator said, “At 91 years young, Dorothy Cordova epitomizes all the values of care, not just for the whole person and service to others, but she and her late husband, Fred, have sustained, lifted and advocated for an entire Filipino American community and its history. With more than 40 chapter locations throughout the country, FANHS has been integral in academic and civic engagement, the arts and more.”