Programs & Activities
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers a wide range of programs and opportunities to learn about and appreciate Asian and Asian-American culture.
Asian American Cultural Center
Illinois has one of the largest and most vibrant Asian American university communities in the Midwest. It was recently listed as one of the best colleges for Asian American students. Our campus has a total close to 17,000 Asian American and Asian international students, which makes 37% of students at the UI are of Asian descent.
Asian Americans have a strong presence on campus and a long history of student activism since the late 1970s. Over the past two decades, we have developed many resources to address the needs and interests of Asian Americans and those interested in Asian American issues. Opened in fall 2005, the Asian American Cultural Center is the largest of its kind in the Midwest, and it provides the University of Illinois community with space to gather and share the diverse and rich cultures that are a part of the Asian American experience.
Programs & Opportunities
Food for Thought
Tuesdays 12pm
Food for Thought, part of the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relation's Lunch on Us series, is a weekly noontime discussion focused on topics relevant to the Asian American community. Food for Thought is a FREE program and is open to all. Lunch is available on a first come, first served basis.
RSO Leadership Dinners
Monthly
RSO Leadership Dinners are free monthly dinners provided for AACC-affiliated RSO leaders. The AACC brings in various faculty, staff, or community members to talk about various leadership-related topics. RSO Leadership Dinners are a great way for students to network with other student leaders.
South Asian American Leadership Conference
February
The South Asian American Leadership Conference (SAALC) is a new conference that was established in 2020. The SAALC is an all-day conference. During the day there are a variety of workshops, followed by a variety show in the evening.
Asian American Leadership Awards
Late April/May
The annual Asian American Leadership Awards (AALA) recognizes and rewards excellence among those who have dedicated countless hours to campus-wide activities. The winners exemplify a high level of leadership and dedication to the Asian American community in developing and implementing activities, programs, and services that promoted unity among Asian Americans and awareness of Asian American issues.Awards recognize student organizations, events/programs, undergraduate/graduate students, faculty, and alumni. Graduating seniors are also recognized at this ceremony.
AACC Advisory Committee
Academic Year
The AACC Advisory Committee is composed of various faculty, staff, undergraduate/graduate student leaders who meet on a monthly basis to discuss AACC events/programs, vote on AALA awards, and determine how to better address the needs of the APIDA community.
Chai Time
Mondays 5:30pm
Chai Time takes place every Monday evening at the Asian American Cultural Center. RSOs can co-host events during this reserved time, and the AACC provides free snacks and drinks.
Diwali and Lunar New Year Celebrations
Holiday
The AACC collaborates with the University Dining Halls to celebrate cultural holidays. During these celebrations, dining halls serve Asian food and the AACC collaborates with RSOs to organize a performance and activity tables.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
April
Asian Pacific Heritage Month is an annual celebration of Asian culture celebrated on campus. The APIDA community sponsors dozens of events throughout the month like lectures, performances, workshops, and cultural events. The AACC sponsors events such as Asiafest and the Asian American Leadership Awards.
Asiafest
Late April/May
Asiafest is an annual celebration during APA Heritage Month, during which the AACC hosts performances, food stands, and activity tables in collaboration with community members and campus organizations.
AACC Internship Program
Academic Year
The Internship Program gives students an opportunity to undertake creative and challenging assignments that provide a greater understanding of Student Affairs and the Asian American community. The internship program is paired with a 2-credit hour course. Available positions include Programming, Office Support, Marketing & Communications, Health & Wellness, APA Alumni Leadership, and International Education. Volunteer internships are also available for students.
International Education
The University of Illinois has the largest international student community of any US public university, with over 10,000 international students (21% of the student population) from 115 countries. The Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations (OIIR) strives to improve campus climate by providing transformative learning experiences to the Illinois community that result in an appreciation for diversity and cross-cultural engagement. Programs and events are oriented primarily toward college students, but also serve faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
Programs & Opportunities
iCU (Now I See What You Mean)
OIIR Intercultural Dialogue
iCU features individual stories by international students shared among international and domestic students. The goal of iCU is to provide opportunities for domestic and international students to engage in meaningful interaction.
Global Engagement Lounge (GEL)
Global Engagement Lounge is a unique place where you can meet other international and domestic students, enjoy interactive activities and transform your Illinois experience.
Global Leaders: Orange and Blue Engagement (GLOBE)
GLOBE connects Blue members with Orange members (new incoming students) and teams them up in small groups to participate in various activities and events throughout the semester. Membership required.
InterConnect Dinner & Dialogue Series
Each semester, the Counseling Center, along with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations- International Education, and Asian American Cultural Center hosts a series of workshops for international students to assist with getting acclimated to life as a student in the United States and how to thrive at their new university.
Break Programs
Staying on campus during break? Join us for fun activities and get connected with other students and find your home away from home. Co-sponsored by OIIR - International Education and ISSS.
The Name Project
Interested in teaching others how to pronounce your name, and sharing stories of your name with speakers of other languages? The Name Project is a series of student videos available on the International Education website, aiming to help the community learn to pronounce different names around the world.
Academic Resources
Asian American
Studies
Visit their website:
Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies
Visit their website:
Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Visit their website:
Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Visit their website:
Study Abroad
The University offers numerous opportunities to Study Abroad programs. Students can choose to study at one of the 50 countries where programs are offered. There are currently six Asian countries that have study abroad programs: China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, India, Singapore and Thailand. Students can take advantage of these opportunities in the fall and spring semesters as well as the summer and winter break. To learn more about going abroad, students can visit the Study Abroad resource room or attend a First Steps meeting to learn how to research the different study abroad locations, classes, terms, scholarships, financial aid, and more. Students can also visit their website for more information or look for the study abroad fair that is held each fall.
University Library
The University Library on the Urbana-Champaign campus is the largest public university library in the world. Among the collection of more than 10 million volumes and 41 departments/units lie Asian American literature that covers history, politics, fiction, and poetry. In addition, the University also maintains a huge Asian collection that is kept in the Asian Library which is located inside the main library.