25th Anniversary Celebration

25th Anniversary Celebration
Sunday, April 8, 2-6 p.m.
UConn Alumni Center
Storrs, CT

Will you join us to celebrate 25 years of service and memories at AsACC? We will have food, a cash bar, games, and memories from 2-6 p.m. that day, with the official program beginning at 3 p.m.

RSVP NOW

The Asian American Cultural Center (AsACC) has been a formative force and a cornerstone for not only Asian American students, faculty and staff, but anyone interested in the rich and diverse academic and cultural programming offered through the center.

 

Can’t make it to the celebration?

Make a gift to honor this milestone in AsACC’s history.

 

Giving Day: Asian American Cultural Center

UConn Gives is a 36-hour event uniting UConn Nation in the spirit of Husky pride!

On April 4-5, 2018, we’re asking UConn alumni, friends, students, faculty, and staff to make a gift of any size in support of our University.

We are one UConn, one nation. When we rise together, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.

Paws in–let’s get to work!

AsACC’s Giving Day Page

AsACC Scholarships and AMP Awards!

UCONN Asian American Cultural Center Scholarships & AMP Awards – Spring 2016
The Asian American Cultural Center (AsACC) is thrilled to announce the availability of scholarship opportunities as of March 1st, 2016.  The scholarships and awards are described below and the winners will be announced at our annual Senior Night and Awards Banquet on Sunday, April 24th, 2016.

UCONN Asian American Cultural Center Endowment Fund Scholarship
Established in 2012 through an initial gift from the Slate Family:  George, Laurel, Victoria (’07), and Rebeccah (’11), these scholarships recognize a UConn undergraduate’s active involvement with AsACC programs, demonstrated leadership in Asian/Asian American student organizations, and/or demonstrated involvement in an Asian American initiative, research project or community cause within the State of Connecticut.   The $1000 scholarships are renewable for 4 years, or until graduation, whichever comes first, provided all criteria are met each year.
Download the application here: 2016 AsACC Endowment Scholarship Application Form

ISA (Indian Students Association) Memorial Fund Scholarship
This scholarship, originally created by Prof. Devendra Kalonia and Shilpa Radia, provides financial support to an undergraduate or graduate UConn student who has made an outstanding contribution to intercultural understanding.  This is a one-time award of $1000 to the applicant who best fulfills the criteria demands.
Download the application here: 2016 ISA Memorial Fund Scholarship Application Form

AMP (Asiantation Mentor Program) Mentor of the Year
Every spring AMP honors the AMP mentor whose involvement with AsACC and whose demonstrated excellence in mentoring and leadership have been noteworthy and exemplary.  A one-time award of $250 is given provided all criteria are met.
AMP Mentor Award: Scholarship Criteria
Fill out a nomination form today: Mentor Nomination Form

AMP (Asiantation Mentor Program) Mentee of the Year
Every spring AMP honors the AMP mentee whose involvement with AsACC has been noteworthy and who demonstrates a potential for leadership roles.  A one-time award of $250 is given provided all criteria are met.
AMP Mentee Award: Scholarship Criteria
Fill out a nomination form today: Mentee Nomination Form

AsACC Scholarship Winners

The 2015 winners of the UCONN AsACC Endowed Scholarship and Asiantation Mentoring Program (AMP) Awards were officially announced at the Asian American Cultural Center’s annual Senior Night and Awards Banquet on Sunday, April 26th, 2015.

The UCONN AsACC Endowed Scholarship is a renewable $1000 per year award, payable up to four years or until the student successfully completes his/her undergraduate requirements for graduation, provided all criteria are met each year.

Thanks to generous support from donors, this year’s AsACC Endowment Fund was able to recognize three students for their demonstrated involvement and leadership in the Asian/Asian American community. The 2015 awardees are Ranice Chong, Jessica Lee and Sarah McManus.

We extend our appreciation to the AsACC Endowed Scholarship Committee for their work in reviewing this year’s pool of worthy applicants – Prof. Jason Chang (History), Jan Huber (Co-founder, KUBE program), Sheila Kucko (AsACC), (Rod Rock (Director, Jorgensen Center), and Joliana Yee (Hall Director, Residential Life).

The Asiantation Mentoring Program (AMP), AsACC’s award-winning peer mentoring program, awards $250 annually to the Mentor and Mentee of the Year. The 2015 AMP Mentor of the Year is JUSTIN NG and the 2015 AMP Mentee of the Year is JUEFANG CASSIE ZHANG. The winners were chosen by AMP’s coordinators, Megha Patel, Mikey Truong, and May La, along with their supervisor AsACC GA Jack Nguyen.

Congratulations and thank you for your support and commitment to AsACC!

Alumni Spotlight: Spencer Yip

100

Class of 2004, Physiology and Neurobiology Major

Interviewer: Mikey Truong
Class of 2015/2016, History/Social Studies Education

“Travel as much as you can when you’re young”

Spencer told me travel and see the world as much I can while I have the chance. When you’re young, you have the time and the means to see the world. Before you settle down with your future career, go to Hong Kong, go to Tokyo, go to Paris, go to London. Learning takes place when you live your experience; if you want to see something for yourself, just take that chance and be there.

“Believe in your failures and take your chances”

Spencer went to UC-Riverside to pursue a PhD after deciding to stray away from the medical track due to his fear of needles. However, while pursuing his degree, he said that getting funded for your research to be successful has to fall into a certain cycle of time. In a sense, you have to get lucky to be successful in research. So Spencer took a risk: he took off school for a year to expand his website, and if it became successful, he would not come back. Years later, http://www.yummyyummytummy.com/ took flight and he never looked back. To pursue video games instead of neurobiology was definitely a risk, but with every risk bears great failure or exceptional rewards, and Spencer believed it may end in failure, but his drive created success.

“Expand your Horizons”

AsACC gave Spencer the ability to expand his horizons and a platform to focus his plethora of ideas. With the help of Sheila, Angela, and the Center, Spencer was able to develop into the person he is. The University of Connecticut is so fortunate to have a Center for students to confide in, when most universities do not have this luxury. Take advantage of the endless support and resource that we get from the Center. Success is bred when you expand your knowledge and expose yourself to diversity and that is exactly what AsACC gave Spencer throughout his college endeavors.

“Think about your Future”

Everyone always use to say that college is the best 4 years of your life, but Spencer never wanted that to be the case. He always said that he would look at his life currently and just think about where he wanted to be five years from now. “There’s only two days that matter, the present and five years from now.” Looking at your life in that sense, you are able to see your end goal, which will motivate you to do better. Clearly, Spencer took his own advice to heart, always looking forward and never looking back.

Spencer taught me a lot about how to achieve and believing that you’re capable to do anything, as long as you set your mind to it. I really enjoyed my talk with him and I gained so much, even in just one short hour. One thing that I’m definitely need to do is go to California after graduation, it seems like an awesome time!
Thanks Spencer, come visit soon!

Alumni Spotlight: Dan Lin

99

Class of 2009
Major in Finance, Minor in Economics

Interviewer: David Han
Class of 2014 Major in Psychology

What did you enjoy about AsACC? 

I guess I enjoyed the ability to explore a lot of aspects of yourself. You can explore your identity as an Asian American, and your identity as a part of a minority group. Coming from high school and then being able to have space to ask questions and talk to people with similar experience. It allows you to grow and be more comfortable with yourself, I think that’s what I enjoyed the most. Angela and Sheila were also critical to my development. I still attribute a lot of my growth and where I am now to the things I learned from them.

What did you miss about it? 

I miss the freedom. During that period of time you think you’re busy…but you’re not really busy. You kind of need to go to the working world to understand. The freedom to go to the center whenever you want and meet new people was great. The freedom to be goofy and silly was awesome. I also miss the ability to make good friend through strange and awesome memories.

How did your involvement in AsACC impact your life?

I think it has hugely changed my life. My first conversation with Sheila was about my interest in joining the a cappella group A-minor. I had no singing experience, but she encouraged me to do it. That led me down the path of being in A-minor, which was an awesome community. I cherish and still communicate with members of A-Minor. It also led me to join the Leadership Legacy program. This conversation sparked the whole metamorphosis. These experiences gave me the confidence to do what I really wanted to do, and not what everyone expected me to do.

What did you do post-graduation from UConn? 

I went on a road trip across the country. We just kind of packed up and left. After that I moved to American Samoa. I moved to the South Pacific, where I was a teacher for a year. That really changed my life as well. I attribute it to Angela and Sheila for telling me to do what I want to do. This led me to my life path.

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Where have you worked and where do you currently work? 

I have pretty diverse work experience. I worked in American Samoa, afterwards when to grad school in Boston. I studied public policy with a focus in international education at Harvard, then I interned for Yo-Yo Ma. I also worked for the State Department for Asian Pacific Affairs. Now I work for policy consulting for governments in Asian Pacific regions. I also do some work with National Geographic – see my page at http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/author/daniellin/

Did you live on campus? 

I went from Northwest, McMahon, South, and then to Charter Oak, all with the same roommate. He is still one of my closest friends!

How often do you visit? Have you been back to campus since graduation? 

Yes I have. I have go back whenever I can. I live in Hawaii so it’s not the easiest to get back. I at least try to see people from A-minor and from the cultural center that I was close to. I try to make a point to see them. I also went back most recently for my brother, because he was awarded the Charter Oak scholarship. I watched him receive it at Gampel.

What were you involved in while in you undergrad? 

At AsACC I was with KUBE and AMP, all the things you would be involved in. I was also part of the Leadership Legacy program that was a really great group. I had a lot of good friends in the men’s and women’s soccer team. A-minor was probably my biggest involvement, being president. A-minor was a really great experience for me, because I’m usually just into athletics.

What advice do you have for current students? 

I think there will be a point where you come to this cross road. There will be path that doesn’t make much sense, but you really want to explore it. It might come in multiple points in your life. I’m not saying not to do what makes sense. My advice is to do what is best for you. Don’t be afraid of picking something that doesn’t seem like the right path, just because it isn’t conventional.

What would you do differently if you had the chance? 

No, nothing. Not a thing. I am happily where I am now. And I think that I would not be here if it weren’t for all the decisions that I made.

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