Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University
When Amanda Wijaya stepped onto DePaul University’s campus, it marked more than just the start of college—it was her first time returning to the United States since she was an infant. Born in Illinois but raised in Singapore, Wijaya found herself navigating a country that she technically called home yet felt entirely foreign to her.
Now a junior majoring in health sciences with a minor in Chinese language, Wijaya recalls the early culture shock she experienced while adjusting to DePaul’s environment. When she discovered DePaul’s Asian, Pacific Islander, and Desi-American cultural center, that changed. Wijaya found not only a sense of belonging but also a mission.
What began as steps into community involvement evolved into leadership. By her sophomore year, she was a cultural officer for the Asian Cultural Exchange club. Today, she is president, bringing people together across cultures and helping others feel the warm welcome she once needed.
“When I became president, I sometimes thought to myself, ‘I still felt out of place within ACE because I’m not from here,” Wijaya says. “As I grew closer with ACE members, I felt like it was my second home--a safe space to get to know people of similar yet different backgrounds.”
In this Q&A, Wijaya recounts her path to leadership, bridging cultures and what celebrating AAPI Heritage Month looks like at DePaul.
What does
being the president of ACE involve?
It can be challenging at times, especially when the ACE e-board members and I have different ideas and unique perspectives. As a team, we collaborate on ideas in making a variety of events for the community to have fun and bond. As a leader, I listen to their ideas and that brings the group together, which is the vision of ACE. We build off each other and not only create a community of friends but a place that feels like home.
As president, it involves delegating tasks to my team, making weekly agendas and schedules to discuss during meetings, and overall keep an uplifting environment. I also reach out to collaborate with other DePaul organizations like KALAHI and the Chinese Students Association. Some events that we previously had were the Spring Mixer, Valentines Day, and Koffee Meets Kulture.
ACE also has a dance group called ACE Modern. We performed at various events on campus like the Lunar New Year gala and off campus at Prelude Midwest. We welcome all DePaul students to join.
What does celebrating AAPI heritage look like to you?
In Singapore, we don’t really have an “AAPI month,” so it was a new idea to me when I came to the U.S. Like the U.S., Singapore has a diverse ethnic makeup, but ethnicities have their own holidays that are celebrated with days off from school, like Lunar New Year, to allow people to commemorate the culture and traditions that go alongside.
In the U.S., they don’t promote these celebrations as much. This made me feel especially out of place as a Chinese Indonesian student at DePaul. AAPI Heritage Month is an avenue for me to keep the culture in me going. It reminds people that there are many different and unique traditions in the Asian community. It’s a way to remember what our history is.
Why is it important to take time to celebrate AAPI month at DePaul?
A lot of the time, college students are so focused on school or work. Sometimes we forget our culture and history. We forget to celebrate specific traditions and holidays because they get put into the back of the mind.
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month at DePaul is a way for us to strengthen the Asian community at DePaul and educate the DePaul community of the diverse countries, language, and cultures that are within the Asian community.
What are your favorite
memories of being involved with ACE and the DePaul community?
One of my favorite memories is when
we had our Spring Mixer. We provided snacks, matcha, coffee, and an opportunity to mingle with new people. This allowed the community to bridge connections with other DePaul Organizations like KALAHI, ASCEND, the South Asian Students Association, and Women of Color Pre-Law Association, who attended the event.
Another one of my favorite memories is our yearly ACE cultural celebration at DePaul. It’s a bittersweet moment. Even though we’re celebrating the memories we made throughout the year, we’re also saying goodbye to our graduating seniors. It’s like a formal send off and it resonates with me. As seniors, they always provided me with support and advice whenever I needed it.
How can students get involved with ACE?
Anyone who wants to get involved with ACE can check out our
DeHUB and Instagram page,
@ace_depaul. Our dance team’s Instagram is @acemodern_dpu.