AAAN Welcome Letter

Dear University of Illinois Alumni,

It’s about pride, friendship, connection and service. As a graduate of the University of Illinois (UI), you have a lot to be proud of, old friends to reconnect with, new friends to make, and opportunities to stay involved with your alma mater, fellow alumni, current students and broader communities.

The Asian American Alumni Network (AAAN) was created by Asian American alumni who recognized the need to create an organization just for you. In 2005, the AAAN became an official affiliate organization of the greater University of Illinois Alumni Association (UIAA). Since then, the AAAN Board has worked hard to launch the organization. We are pleased to announce that we are now ready to invite you to become an AAAN member!

Our Mission

The AAAN strives for the betterment of the UI as an agency for education, public service, and social progress, and seeks to provide a space where interested Asian American alumni can contribute to and become involved with the UI, other alumni, and the larger Asian American community.

Benefits of Joining AAAN

Membership is free and open to alumni of all ages, graduation dates, geographic locations, and from any of the three UI campuses – Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Chicago (UIC), or Springfield (UIS). Once you become a member, you will receive the following benefits:

• access to up-to-date information on student and alumni life,
  issues and progress;
• access to business and professional networking;
• a resource to rediscover, maintain, and create new friendships;
• a vehicle for involvement in your interest areas (e.g., scholarships,
  mentorship, service, etc.);
• a voice to advance programs related to the success of Asian
  American students at the UI;
• monetary discounts for special alumni and student events.

Recent Activities

This is a particularly exciting time for you to become involved with the AAAN – more Asian American students are graduating from the UI than ever before, Asian American students and alumni have access to new and exciting resources, our alumni are in every profession, and we are in an excellent position to give back to current students, fellow alumni, the UI and broader communities. Here is some information on Asian Americans at the UI, and some
of the events the AAAN has been involved in:

• Nationwide, there are over 30,000 Asian American graduates of
  the UI.
• Asian Americans comprise a growing percentage of the UI student
  body – 25% at UIC, 11% at UIUC, and 3% at UIS, respectively.
• In 2000, Asian American Studies became an official academic
  program at UIUC. Today, the program is the largest of its kind
  in the Midwest. As of 2002, UIUC students may now receive a liberal
  arts minor in Asian American Studies.
• In 2005, the Asian American Resource and Cultural Center opened
  at UIC and the Asian American Cultural Center opened at UIUC.
• In 2006, AAAN co-sponsored the UIC Asian American Alumni Career
  Panel and the UIUC Asian American Congratulatory Event.

How To Join

To join, simply follow the link below and fill out a membership form and survey. You will then be added to the AAAN listserv and begin receiving information on students, alumni and events. If you are currently on the AAAN listserv, you still need to fill out a membership form to become an official member of AAAN.

Click Here To Access The Form.

You can also find the AAAN on MySpace.com, Friendster.com, and FaceBook.com.

AAAN strongly encourages you to also become a member of the larger University of Illinois Alumni Association. However, you do not have to be a member of UIAA to join AAAN. Click here for more information on UIAA membership and services.

Summer **Happy Hour HAAANg-Out**

This summer, join us at the Happy Hour HAAANg-Out, where you can mingle and network with featured UI alumni and other notable Asian Americans.

The first Chicago Happy Hour HAAANg-Out is on THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2006,
from 6 to 8 p.m., at JOE'S SPORTS BAR [Directions].

If you are not in Chicago, but would like to organize a satellite Happy Hour HAAANg-Out
or an AAAN Chapter in your city, please contact the AAAN, and we will help you get started.

Please, help us create the broadest network possible and forward this letter to other interested Asian American alumni. We look forward to helping you stay connected to and involved with your alma mater, fellow graduates and larger community, and making the AAAN a world-class, international organization.

Sincerely,

The Asian American Alumni Network Board

President, Paula Kim (UIUC, '01 LAS)

Director of Recruitment, Patricia Chou Lin (UIUC, '91 LAS)

Director of Communications, Pauline Chow (UIUC, '04 LAS)

Director of Programming, Jeffrey Sichaleune (UIUC, MS '04 LIS, '02 COM)

Director of Treasury, Annie Yoo (UIUC, '04 ACES)

Marketing and Recruitment Committee Chair, Lisa Patel (UIUC, '04 LAS)

Technology Committee Chair, Ben Teo (UIUC, '03 BUS)