Conference Program
Friday - Sunday,
March 20 - 22, 2026
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Shortcut Links
Jump to a section…
Welcome!
Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Mary's River or Ampinefu Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855, Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians. We are honored to be guests upon these lands. Thank you to all of our Indigenous siblings, past and present, for allowing us to gather this weekend for our conference.
Welcome to PISACON26! This year, we are celebrating the 19th year of PISA and the 14th annual PISA Conference! The 2026 Pacific Islander Student Alliance Conference (PISACON26) will foster a space for Pacific Islander college students to explore culture, identity, and diversity within the Pacific Islander community. Our conference will include conversations about mental health, culture and climate shock, and inclusivity and solidarity in the PI community. Our conference is rooted in providing relevant topics and community for our Pacific Islander students in the PNW. Building a thriving community is at the heart of our work. Thank you for coming!
Location
Our conference this year will be held at Oregon State University: 1500 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331. Conference spaces are below and also the orange stars on the map:
(CHAC) Alumni Ballroom
(SEC) Student Experience Center
(kimih) Ina Haws
(APCC) Asian & Pacific Cultural Center
(CCCC also called 4 C’s) Centro Cultural César Chávez
Waldo Hall
(MU) Memorial Union
For information on hotels and lodging, see our details here: www.pisanw.org/hotels
Link to map of Oregon State University here.
Zoom in if you’re using your phone
Logistics
Parking
Here are details on appropriate places to park at OSU. Parking permits and payments on Saturday and Sunday are not required.
Wifi Information
Connect to Visitor then open any web browser
If you don't see the Visitor sign-in page, try to go to any webpage (e.g. google.com) or open an additional tab and you should be redirected to the Visitor sign-in page.
Select the Accept option.
This should grant internet access on the Visitor network for about four (4) hours.After the four hours, repeating steps 1-4 will allow for an additional four hours of Internet access.
Cultural Community Building Activity
Patterns Across the Pacific:
Carving Culture, Creating Unity
Participants will rotate through visual stations that introduce prominent Pasifika patterns from across Oceania. Each station includes brief descriptions explaining the history, symbolism, and cultural use of the design, along with visuals that ground the patterns in their lived cultural contexts. Facilitators will guide short discussions comparing similarities and distinctions across regions, encouraging participants to notice how different communities express shared values through design. After the learning portion, participants will carve foam stamps inspired by the patterns they explored. Everyone will contribute their stamp to a collaborative mural, gradually building a single artwork from many individual marks. As the mural takes shape, participants can see how distinct designs come together to form a cohesive whole. The activity closes with a brief group reflection on the final piece and what it represents about identity, connection, and unity across the Pacific.
Affinity Spaces
This year we wanted to make time for students to come together around common practices, majors or years in college. Affinity Spaces will be during the Saturday Lunch. Students will choose one space that interests them and have a discussion with others about their experiences. Affinity Space topics:
Queer Trans Pacific Islanders
Club Officers
Musicians
Juniors, Seniors and Soon to be Graduates
First Years, Sophomores & First Timers at PISACON
Things to Know
Media
Please note that we will have group photos during the conference. If you would not like to be photographed, let a staff member know. PISA Staff and Faith will be taking videos and photos. Use our hashtag #PISACON26 in all your pictures and make sure to follow us on Instagram @pisa_nw or on Facebook.
Staying Healthy at PISACON
Disposable masks and hand sanitizer will be available for all attendees. Please feel free to wear your mask indoors while we gather if that makes you feel comfortable. In terms of social distancing, feel free to spread out during activities such as lunch, dinner, etc.
If you test positive for COVID-19, or have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who does: Please consider your health and the safety of others before attending PISACON. Stay home, isolate and recover until you feel better and can be among other people.
Items to Bring
We will be providing drinks and there are water station in the buildings. Please bring a reusable water bottle. If you are coming from outside of Corvallis or Benton County area and will be lodging during the conference, make sure to pack a bag for the entire duration of your stay. This can include an extra blanket, phone chargers, any necessary medicine you may need. Given the sometimes unpredictable Pacific Northwest weather, please pack any extra clothing for outdoor conditions. Keynotes and workshops will be a space for reflection and learning. If you like to take notes, we recommend bringing paper and pens. Lastly, bring an instrument (if you’d like to jam)!
Attire
There are themed days if you are wanting to participate!
Fri (3/20) - Rep Your School
Sat (3/21) -PISACON Gear
Sun (3/22) - Cultural Wear
Costs
All of your main amenities during the retreat are covered by PISA. Meals, snacks, and drinks will be provided. Meals included: Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner, and Sunday brunch. Out of pocket expenses could include the following: transportation, lodging, and any additional meals/drinks.
Food
Our conference will provide food and snacks for participants. Please make sure you bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated and to grab a meal or snacks to stay nourished and energized throughout the conference. Please let a staff member know if your diet restrictions and we can happily make additional accommodations. PISACON will be providing:
All Day Snacks
Granola bars, chips, popcorn, fruit snacks, cookies
Capri Sun and juice
Friday Dinner: Alumni Ballroom
Saturday Breakfast: (MU) Memorial Union
Saturday Lunch: (MU) Memorial Union
Note: This is with your affinity group!
Saturday Dinner: Alumni Ballroom
Sunday Brunch: Alumni Ballroom
Music
We have a playlist! Please add your favorite songs to the Spotify playlist so we can keep the energy going all weekend long. You must sign in to add to our playlist which is a continuation from last year. Help us find music from your languages!
Community Expectations
Behaviour and Conduct
We know for a fact that when our island communities come together, we always have a great and memorable time. Health and safety for everyone is still our first priority at PISACON. Our conference expectation is that the behaviour and conduct rules that you follow in your classes and on your college campuses indeed apply here at this conference. This is especially in terms of interpersonal conduct and relationships, substance usage, and rules around maintaining professional and kind connections with others etc. Please speak with your college staff or PISACON staff if you have any questions and thank you in advance for making PISACON a safe and welcoming conference for everyone.
Community Guidelines
Here are some community guidelines as determined by our PISA Student Council as general rules to follow at our conference:
Be curious, open, and respectful
Don’t assume that people know and together we know a lot
Be open to the outcome, not set on it
Be courteous of when others are sharing and allow folks to facilitate, share and speak
Take some space if you are quieter, and if find yourself using a lot of space, be mindful to leave room for other people’s voices
Housekeeping: Take breaks, grab water, use the restroom, take care of yourselves in whatever way that means to be as present as possible.
Quiet Space
There will be a quiet space available at our conference. There will be low lighting, trinkets and snacks. Everyone is welcome to use the space and talk to a staff member if they are experiencing or needing anything.
PISACON Team
The PISACON Leadership team is the decision making body for all matters related to conference planning and direction.. PISA also has two board members currently. Our PISACON Leadership Team for 2026 includes:
Mak Porotesano, Founder & Director
Lipo Sinapati, OSU
Brandon Naihe, Pacific
Whitney Murphy, PSU
Pam Frederick Williams, EOU
Lana Lopesi, UO
The PISA Council was formed in Eugene, Oregon in 2024 and will continue to grow. PISA Council will be the student-led body of PISACON who drive the theme, intentions and outcomes of PISA’s programs and annual conference. PISA Council will consist of 2-3 members per college/university. We are recruiting PISA Council members this year. Email faith@pisanw.org to join!
Thank you so much for attending PISACON! We hope you enjoyed your time at our conference! We’d love for you to stay involved with us in any of the following ways:
Follow us on IG: @pisa_nw
This is a great way to get updates from us!
If you’d like to sponsor our next program, please email us at connect@nwpisa.org
Attend our events: PISA is expanding and will be hosting more activities around the PNW in the next year and we’d love for you to join us and get involved!