Celebrating our AAPI community
May is . This broad term includes cultures from the entire Asian continent—including East, Southeast and South Asia—and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
This month we highlight members of our community who identify as Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and who are making contributions to our college and society as researchers, instructors, student leaders and alumni.
We celebrate the lives of role models such as Col. Ellison Onizuka (Aero’69; MS’69), who became the first Asian American astronaut in space, and Kalpana Chawla (MAeroEngr'86; PhD'88), who became a naturalized citizen in 1991 and was selected for the NASA astronaut corps in 1994. We also recognize and appreciate the students, faculty and staff in our community who add their voices and perspectives every day.
Boulder Engineering recognizes that the terms “Asian American” and “Asian Pacific Islander” may not fully capture the unique experiences of individuals who identify as Asian American or Pacific Islander. We also recognize that a term that feels right for one person may not adequately capture the experience of another. The term sometimes has the practical effect of omitting cultural differences and masking the needs of specific communities and has excluded the experience of South, Southeast, Central, and West Asians.
We seek to celebrate as broadly and inclusively as possible, and to encourage individuals to proudly claim whatever label(s) best describe how they personally identify. As a college we come together to educate ourselves, offer allyship, oppose all expressions of AAPI hate and affirm and appreciate the AAPI members of our community.
Featured News
All New Year Festival dazzles through culture and community
April 29, 2024 • By Charles Ferrer
The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) at Boulder organized a campus AAPI: All New Year Festival in early April. More than 450 people attended the cultural celebration, which featured important cultural aspects through art, music, dance, language and cuisine.
“We realized that a lot of our members, despite being under the umbrella of being Asian, are diverse in many backgrounds,” said Helen Do, vice president of culture for SASE. “We wanted to create a festival that gave opportunities for organizations to share traditions of other AAPI identities in a space that everyone feels they belong and thrive in.”
[video:https://youtu.be/K9leE15xHZY?t=4055]
SASE received the following 2024 Campus Involvement Awards
The Center for Student Involvement and Colorado Creed recognizes student organizations who exemplify leadership and engagement across campus and the Boulder community.
- Cultural Event of the Year Award - AAPI: All New Year Festival
- Student Organization of the Year Award - Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers
- Rising Star Award - Kelly Clingan (Public Relations Chair)
Student Groups
Campus Resources
- Boulder Libraries celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month
- Forever Buffs AAPI
- Center for Asian Studies
- Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS)
- Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) - East and South Asian
- Boulder Center for Inclusion and Social Change Resources
Additional Resources
- is a compilation of original songs, sounds, and meditations created by Asian American women and non-binary artists and musicians.