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Almost two years after Alberto Santana took charge of the Basque Studies Center at Boise State University and on the point of finishing his stint in Boise, he says he is completely satisfied with the job he has done in the capital of Idaho.

Historian and Ethnography technician of the Biscay Foral Council , Alberto Santana took up the directorship of the Basque Studies Center in August 2008. During this period he has overseen the development of the center from its foundation stage, to its current status as a fully-functioning department of Boise State University.

''They all thought that after two or three years once the novelty of a new Basque studies center in BSU had worn off, interest would suddenly decline; that it would be exclusively limited to students of Basque origin. By turning it into an attractive product for a wide number of sectors in northeastern America, we have entered into a very productive phase which is the consolidation and augmentation of the number of students,'' the director of the Basque Studies Center explains.

''We now have full classrooms. And we haven’t achieved that only with the grandchildren of Basques, who make up 15%, but with the other 85%, who are the ones who realize that "Basque" is attractive, both academically and intellectually'' he adds.

Nowadays, the Basque Studies Center is the leading institution of Basque studies outside the Basque Country. “We have become a benchmark in terms of the number of students we admit. There is no other university or academic center in the world that offers so many classes, to so many students, and which teaches as much about Basque culture, history and language as we do. It is a real achievement, not because we have stirred pre-existing interest among young people from the Basque American community, but because we have raised our profile a lot among those who see the Basque component in the United States, and above all in Idaho and the Northeastern states, as an important part of its history,” Alberto Santana explains proudly.

According to Alberto, the Basque Studies Center has increased the degree of knowledge about Basque heritage, tradition and culture to an important academic level that did not exist before, at least not in Idaho.

''In this state, "Basque" is identified with marvelous things, the joys in life: With food, the Jaialdi celebrations, kalimotxo, morcilla and chorizo. We have added a new dimension, a deeper knowledge about the history, tradition and influence of the Basque culture on these lands,'' explains Alberto.

Objectives

Among the things still left to do, Santana mentions two: Firstly, to ensure appropriate financing and a network of local contacts and interest so that the Basque community itself becomes the main source of funding for the Center, and two: To publish the first edition of an academic magazine about Basque studies.

However, the first edition of the magazine may come out this autumn, while financing of the center will be reinforced by Jaialdi. During the Mugas Gaindi Congress, the most prominent and successful members of the Basque community and government will make a five-year commitment to financially support the center.

Defining moments

If Alberto had to choose a highlight from the past few years, he has no doubts about what it would be: ''Jaialdi is the icing on the cake for me; the ultimate achievement''.

''We will present ourselves before the Basque community, the whole of Boise and to all American Basques as a yardstick institution for Basque studies. As a center which offers the best possibilities for extending knowledge about the historic contribution Basques have made to this country,'' explains Alberto, who will be one of the participating lecturers at the congress of Basque studies, BSU’s contribution to Jaialdi 2010.

On a more personal level, however, Alberto recalls another moment: The opening of the exhibition about Basque immigrants on Ellis Island, in which he was involved. That, and meeting Lucia Aboitiz Garatea, the grandmother of Basque immigration. ''She sums up all the values, efforts, achievements and experiences of Basque immigrants,'' he says.