AARCC 20th Anniversary

1) What did you study and what degrees did you earn at UIC? “I changed my major a few times, but ultimately I studied Psychology with a concentration in Pre-Dentistry and a minor in Asian American Studies.”

2) What is your favorite memory of AARCC? “Overall I really liked that it was a central place where my friends were and where my friends and I could go in between classes—you know, for breaks—and eat lunch or even have meetings like student organization meetings. There was a day where it was my birthday and my friends had surprised me with a lot of sweets, drawing on the whiteboard, and everyone surprising me as I walked into the AARCC conference room, so yeah, that was a good memory. AARCC used to be smaller in Taft Hall, and we literally broke down the wall to expand into that conference room. Before it was broken down, we were welcomed to paint and draw on that wall. A lot of people came in with different markers, sharpies, and paint and just covered the whole wall. Then, it was removed, and I think [Dr.] Karen [Su] kept a few pieces of the wall—I’m not sure if she still has them—but yeah, that was the first expansion of AARCC that I remember.”

3) During your time at UIC, how did AARCC impact you and influence you to shape who you are now? “I remember my first week at UIC, I was a transfer student from a small town in central Illinois called Bloomington. It’s predominantly a White population. I had one or two friends that were Asian, and everyone else was White. So when I moved to Chicago to attend UIC, I couldn’t handle the change. I took an Asian American class, and Mark Chiang was my professor at the time. He saw that I was struggling, so he introduced me to [Dr.] Karen [Su], who introduced me to the Asian American Mentor Program—or “AAMP”—and that’s when I first started going to AARCC. I met my friends through student organizations, and being around people that looked like me and had similar experiences was very comforting. It got me out of my shell. I was very shy, and I didn’t really know how to start a conversation with people, but AARCC and its many ties to various organizations helped me to come out of that shell. I became a part of different E-Boards and helped out with a lot of projects like “Asian American Appreciation Month”—which I think might have changed its name by now. But yeah, it was great to feel like I was a part of something with people like me.”

4) Why is having AARCC important at UIC or any campus? “AARCC isn’t just a place for students to meet or relax; they also provide resources. They can connect you with other organizations on campus like the Gender and Sexuality Center, or if you want to join any student organizations, they can introduce you to those student orgs. When I was there, if you needed to print a document quickly, you could do that. If you had questions about where to go, like ‘What direction do I go for this room or this building?’—they were literally there to help you with anything. To me, it was like a safe haven. It provided me a place where I could relax after my classes, where I knew my friends would be. It was a safe place. And I think every campus should have that space for any of their students—a spot where all different types of students can go or a space that caters to certain communities.”

5) What are your well wishes for AARCC’s 20th Anniversary and what would you like to see for AARCC in the future? “I’m glad that they have a bigger space now, and I know that’s something they’ve been wanting to do for several years. I hope that AARCC continues to expand and provide that safe space for all UIC students. I think it would be awesome if there were a library in AARCC—not just a bookshelf, but an actual room with a library, chairs, and lamps. That used to be at the old AARCC before the first expansion. There was a library room, and I’d love to see a room with books written by Asian American authors. I think that would be really cool. Maybe name it the “Donnie Library,” ha ha! I hope that AARCC continues to receive funding. I know they have the AANAPISI grants, but I hope money continues to come in for AARCC. It’s a great resource that students have and should take advantage of. I remember talking about this years ago, and it would be cool when we [AARCC alumni] make a lot of money and just donate to AARCC to open up a library or something.”