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Student Engagement

Student Groups

The following student groups engage and support the Northwestern community with the topics discussed in Crying in H Mart

Active Mind

Active Minds works to change the conversation about mental health. Through campus-wide events, we aim to remove the stigma that surrounds mental illness, and create a comfortable environment for an open conversation about mental health issues. NU Active Minds utilizes the student voice to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness through education, advocacy and awareness events.

Advancement for the Undocumented Community

Advancement for the Undocumented Community (AUC) is a student organization dedicated to providing resources and support for undocumented students and students with undocumented family members. Through events, workshops, and organizing we hope to raise awareness, uplift, and advocate for this community. We hope to work with a number of local and national organizations to find resources and foster an inclusive environment.

Ahana Dance Project

Ahana (अहना) in Sanskrit describes the first rays of sun that we see at dawn and represents the inner light present within all. To us, Ahana means a new beginning. Grown from our passion for dance, our desire to create, and our vision to bring ideas and people together, we proudly present Ahana Dance Project. We are a non-competitive South Asian fusion dance team that hopes to provide dancers with a space to learn, grow, and create. By fostering a community that celebrates its strengths, we will encourage dancers to share themselves through their ideas, choreography, and presence. In doing so, we hope to build a platform that supports individual growth and collaboration, and continues to spread our love for South Asian culture.

Aikido

The Northwestern Aikido Club (officially Zanshinkan Dojo) was founded in 1974 by Fumio Toyoda Shihan. At 46 years old, NU Aikido is the oldest martial arts group on campus! Our members include students – undergraduates and graduate students, faculty, and staff. Aikido is a dynamic, powerful and graceful martial art developed in the early 20th century by Morihei Ueshiba. Aikido training teaches both defensive techniques (strikes, throws, join locks) and the use of traditional weapons (long sword, staff and knife).

Anyone who is interested in learning more about Aikido is welcome to join us any time during the academic year.

Alliance of Chicago Minority Students

The Alliance of Chicago Minority Students (ACMS) seeks to establish a comfortable community and social environment of diverse students on the Chicago campus. Our goal is to rally underrepresented minorities (URM) and allies to be active members of the community through community service engagement and to be a support system to navigate the ups and downs of graduate and professional school while staying up to date on current controversial issues through student discussions. We also look forward to promoting professional development for all students on the Chicago campus. Our organization promotes camaraderie through socials and organization outings.

Alliance of Evanston Minority Students

We are the Alliance of Evanston Minority Students (AEMS), a student-led club on campus geared towards creating intersectional spaces for graduate students that center people of color (POC) and other marginalized racial/ethnic identities. Our goal is to foster relationships between POC/minority students across campus and to host events that celebrate the diversity of cultures represented by Northwestern’s graduate student body.

We want to better support minority students' feelings of inclusion on campus by creating a diverse community of graduate students and making it easier to find a community that represents their intersectional identities.

Asian American InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

Asian American InterVarsity is a group of students on campus who grow together to love God, His Word, His people and His purpose in the world. Students work together to find genuine friendship and a real community through small groups, one-on-one discipleships, and large group gatherings.

Asian American Students Journalists

Affinity space for Northwestern's Asian American student journalists to build community and access resources such as mentorship, opportunities to interact with industry professionals, updates on internships/jobs, and more.

Asian Pacific American Coalition

In recognition of the heterogeneity of Asian America, the Asian Pacific American Coalition is a sociopolitical group that provides a space for students who identify as Asian American and Pacific Islander to connect, learn, organize, and ultimately resist systems of domination. We recognize that our liberation must be collective because of the interconnected nature of oppressive power structures. From our unique position as similarly racialized peoples, we build community and raise awareness of historical, social, and political issues that affect all marginalized communities.

Bhakti Yoga Society

Bhakti Yoga Society provides students the opportunity to experience yoga and spiritual culture from ancient India through a blend of yoga classes, small group discussions, meditation sessions, vegetarian cooking classes and speaker events that provide ancient prescriptions for modern maladies. Bhakti Yoga is the Vedic Science of connecting with the Higher Consciousness through devotion, bringing about genuine care for all people and things. People of all backgrounds are welcome! We meet on Fridays at 6:00 p.m. for yoga, guided meditation, discussions and dinner.

Brown Sugar

Brown Sugar is the nation's premiere South Asian-interest co-ed a cappella group. Founded in 1999 by two Northwestern students looking to embrace their South Asian roots, Brown Sugar performs a refreshing mix of South Asian and Western music, ranging everywhere from Bollywood classics and Punjabi pop to American rock and R&B. The group performs around the Chicagoland area and around the country. We are currently recording and producing our fifth studio album! Check us out on Instagram and Youtube!

Cambodian Cultural Awareness

CCAC aims to recognize and share the Cambodian student experience at Northwestern by fostering an appreciation of this culture. Introducing different parts of Cambodian cultures and traditions to all students at NU through means of different community activities such as trips to museums, cooking lessons, and movie nights. All students are welcome!

Campus Inclusion and Community

The mission of the Department of Campus Inclusion and Community is to work collaboratively with the university community to cultivate inclusive learning environments through the intentional engagement with difference across and within various identities. We pursue our mission by providing opportunities for dialogue, leadership development, cultural competency education, social justice training, and advocacy.

Center for Civic Engagement

Northwestern University's Center for Civic Engagement promotes a lifelong commitment to active citizenship and social responsibility among all students. Through an integration of academics with meaningful volunteer service, research and community partnerships, the Center supports students, faculty, staff and alumni as they enhance their own academic experiences while contributing to stronger communities and a more engaged university.

China and Sinophone Studies Society

China and Sinophone Studies Society (CNSS) is an academic organization that seeks to engage the Northwestern community in research, discussion, and writing relevant to contemporary China and the Sinophone world through the lens of culture, art, politics, economics, and history. It aims to provide a space for open, genuine intellectual debates in studies of China and the Sinophone cultural sphere, including the Chinese diaspora. Issues and implications less documented by the U.S. mainstream media will be of particular interest.

China Care

China Care is a cultural philanthropy group who helps to fund surgeries for Chinese orphans with disabilities and provides programming for adopted Chinese children who live in the Chicagoland area.

Chinatown Health Initiative

What we do:

Volunteer - You will work with medical students and health professionals to provide free primary healthcare to the indigent public at health fairs and clinics. Interpreting is a further way to get more involved clinical experience (conversational proficiency in Mandarin or Cantonese required as translator).
Education - CTHI hopes to foster greater education of health-related issues on campus and in Chinatown. On campus, we have held speaker events and discussions. In Chinatown, we are starting outreach initiatives to connect to the public.
Fundraising - In the past we hand-made and sold Chinese spring rolls and pastries to raise funds to buy medicine, equipment, and other medical supplies. New initiatives are always welcome! No cooking or language experience needed
Socials - We hold all types of socials, including dim sum outings, movie nights, game nights, etc! Come meet fellow CTHI members and have a good time.

Chinese International Student Association

Formed in 2009, Chinese International Student Association is a culture-based club that welcomes international Chinese students and all friends who are interested in Chinese. It aims to promote the authentic Chinese culture on campus, while providing a sense of belonging for the international Chinese students, helping them in transition to college life in the US. CISA also aims to connect Northwestern students with the scholars/ visitors from China in order to gain understanding of Chinese society from a local perspective. Moreover, CISA is also promoting the brand of Northwestern University in China, helping to match Northwestern students to career opportunities in China.

Chinese Students Association

The Chinese Students Association is one of the first established, and largest Asian-American student groups at Northwestern. We aim to promote the awareness of Chinese culture on campus and elsewhere while encouraging a social environment for students of all backgrounds. Furthermore, we strive to bring service to our community. Our events are geared towards bringing together the Asian community while sharing our culture with others. Some annual events include: Celebrasia, Dumpling Night, Cultural Festivals, dances, dinner parties, and hosting famous guest speakers.

Hindu YUVA

Hindu YUVA aims to organize activities for community service in the spirit of Sewa (Hindu conception of service to humanity) and celebrate Hindu festivals. In our weekly meetings, we play traditional team-building games, practice yoga and meditation, and study Hindu scriptures.

The above initiatives will serve the purpose of creating a vibrant Hindu presence on campus, and will aid in providing a home-away-from-home feeling to incoming and existing Hindu students.

Hong Kong Student Association

Hong Kong Student Association aims to promote the vibrant and cosmopolitan Hong Kong culture on campus. Given that Hong Kong is one of the most culturally diverse and international cities in the world, we welcome students from all backgrounds to participate in our activities.

Our social and cultural events held throughout the year range from celebrating cultural festivities to doing community service work for marginalized communities in Hong Kong… think dim sum get-togethers, canto karaoke, Wong Kar-wai movie marathons, and much more!

Not only are we here to provide support to HK students through peer support and alumni relations, but we’re also open to connecting with prospective HK students.

Indian Graduate Students and Scholars Association

Indonesian Students’ Association

IDSA creates a social environment for students of all backgrounds, and promotes Indonesian culture at Northwestern University. Our club aims to foster a stronger sense of community between our members, and form close relationships with other student organizations by celebrating and sharing the Indonesian identity. We hope that through IDSA, members will have access to professional opportunities and various student resources (e.g. consular services), and that the broader Northwestern community will have a place to learn about Indonesia. Finally, IDSA is a proponent for Northwestern University’s global initiatives, and aims to garner broader recognition as a prestigious institution for higher education among student communities in Indonesia.

International Student Association

ISA seeks to promote interaction among students from different cultural and religious backgrounds and to build a cohesive community of students both from the United States and around the world. ISA serves as a platform to engage with global issues, spread cultural awareness, and voice the concerns and interests of the international and domestic student body.

Japan Club

Northwestern Japan Club is an organization that fosters an open and friendly environment for the enjoyment of Japanese culture through a supportive network and in a community oriented environment. We are an active student group that holds numerous events throughout the academic year to celebrate and explore Japanese culture.

Japanese American Student Association

JASA is established for the purpose of providing a community for Japanese Americans on campus. JASA provides a safe community for Japanese Americans for them to talk about contemporary issues and topics regarding the Japanese American identity. The organization also provides a platform for Japanese Americans and other interested parties to come together for informal networking. JASA is also meant to educate those within and outside of the Japanese American community about Japanese culture and contemporary issues.

Japanese Graduate Student Association

JGSA primarily serves the community of Japanese-identifying graduate students and postdocs alongside their family members across all disciplines and programs. The organization aims to enhance the quality of the graduate student life of this community by 1) Providing an emotional safe space in which Japanese-identifying students/postdocs can feel a sense of belonging, connect, and receive support in times of need, 2) Offering opportunities where members can help each other with academic/professional development to overcome the difficulties of navigating this space as a Japanese-identifying student, 3) Offering opportunities for social activities in which Japanese-identifying students/postdocs can enhance their overall experience in graduate school, and 4) Facilitating the communication between the school administration and the Japanese-identifying community.

K-Dance

Northwestern K-Dance is a student-led K-Pop dance group open to all levels of experience.

K-Dance works to create a community for all to enjoy K-Pop. K-Dancers may enjoy one of two levels of membership: casual or auditioned. Casual general members are able to enjoy any of our middle pieces performances, bi-weekly dance workshops, socials, YouTube videos, or other events.

Those particularly passionate and interested are encouraged to audition for our quarterly performance teams in order to learn the full choreo to a K-Pop song, perform on stage, and have a music video filmed! Past performances have included our own Spring Show and guest appearances at Refusionshaka, CSA's annual Celebrasia and CISA's Lunar New Year event.

Kaibigan: Philippine American Student Association

Kaibigan is a Northwestern student-run organization dedicated to promoting Philippine culture through education and exposure. Kaibigan means "friend" in Filipino. The group fosters a sense of community providing a reliable and supportive environment for its members. We host a variety of events throughout the year such as Filipinx Fiesta, where we provide free Philippine food and teach attendees dances, as well as our biggest event Pinoy Show which is our annual cultural show that involves cultural and modern dances, skits, student-made videos, live music, and more.

Kendo Club

Kendo Club is open to Kendoka (practitioners of Kendo) of all levels! We learn how to wield a shinai (the sword) and also learn the culture and mental practice of the sport.

We hold weekly practices that teach both basic and advanced techniques, like footwork, offensive and defensive strikes with the shinai, and etiquette.

Korean American Student Association

The Korean American Students Association (KASA) is an organization formed to provide social and culturally informative activities to all those who share a common interest in Korean culture and Korean American issues. KASA also strives to promote awareness of Korean American students’ interests as well as intercultural understanding and cooperation. KASA does not discriminate against persons of a different race, color, religion, creed, or national origin.

Korean Student Association

Korean Student Association (KSA) at Northwestern University is a voluntary organization for Korean graduate students, by Korean graduate students, and of Korean graduate students. Post-docs and visiting scholars are also members of the group. KSA supports its members through welcome events for new students, campus recruitment from Korean companies, and joint-socials with other universities in the Chicago area.

Liberty in North Korea

NU LiNK is an independent chapter of the international organization Liberty in North Korea. The Rescue Team at Northwestern University was established for the purpose of changing the narrative surrounding North Korea and North Korean refugees by educating the Northwestern community and providing fundraising resources so that we may help the North Korean people achieve their freedom and develop self-efficacy during resettlement.

MENtal Health

MENtal Health was founded to bring dialogue and combat stigma surrounding mental health to the male population of Northwestern University. MENtal Health acts as a response to the gender discrepancy in who utilizes mental health resources and student groups at Northwestern University. On a larger scale, MENtal Health aims to combat negative perceptions of masculinity that can lead to mental health issues and illnesses.

Mixed Student Association

Multiracial Identity Xperience Education and Dialogue (MIXED) Student Association, was founded in 2013 as the Mixed Student Coalition and renamed MIXED Student Association in 2020. MIXED was founded to provide a space for those who identify with a multiracial background or have interest in mixed race affairs. MIXED serves to create an inclusive community for people of all racial/ethnic backgrounds by hosting fun activities as well as generating discussions and bringing in speakers with an emphasis on the multiracial experience.

Multicultural Filmmakers Collective

The purpose of the Multicultural Filmmakers Collective is to nurture, promote, and ally multicultural student filmmakers at Northwestern University, as well as support student films that present multicultural concerns and experiences. We define multiculturalism as including, but not limited to, underrepresented races, ethnicities, and religions. In addition to general meetings, our programming includes film screenings, script workshops, and speaker events.

Multicultural Student Affairs

Multicultural Student Affairs is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that promotes identity development, intercultural exchange, academic excellence, and leadership. While our departments primarily focus on traditionally under-served student populations, we strive to play an important role in creating an institutional climate that values diversity and educates the Northwestern community about cultural competence and social justice.

Northwestern Bhangra Dance Team

Passion, dedication, and talent united to form Northwestern Bhangra in 2006. An enthusiastic co-ed university dance team known for its energy on and off the stage, the troupe performs bhangra, a traditional folk dance originating in the Indian state of Punjab. The team has performed at numerous campus events, imprinted its name all over the Chicagoland area, and entertained the bhangra community across the nation. Throughout the years, the team has performed at prestigious competitions such as Bhangra in the Bell, Bhangra Blowout, Bhangra in the Burgh, Nachte Raho, and many others. As they continue to inspire others with their dynamic style, the bhangra team shares and celebrates Punjabi culture with the Northwestern community. Northwestern Bhangra is a true family, and they always animate the stage with personality and originality while remembering their traditional roots.

Northwestern Chinese Christian Student Fellowship

We are a group of Chinese students, scholars and local families united by the Christian faith. We share the gospel and study Bible every Friday evening on Evanston campus. Our door is open to all.

Northwestern Taekwondo

Northwestern Taekwondo Club is a community of students who love to kick! Our members are of all skill and experience levels; from black belts with 10+ years of experience to some who have never heard of Taekwondo before joining, we are open to all. We offer weekly practices, hold belt tests, attend competitions, and perform at the annual KASA show. We are more than a team; we are a family :)

NU Asian Magazine

NU Asian Magazine is Northwestern University’s Asian American-interest magazine. We publish at least twice a year and cover anything and everything related to the greater Asian American community.

Pakistani Students Association

PSA aims to represent a home away from home for international students, a way for the diaspora to connect with their roots, and a means to project a positive image of the country amongst the Northwestern community. Through programming and collaborations with different organizations, both within Northwestern and outside, we hope to offer the following along with many other:

Cultural gatherings e.g. for Eid, Independence Day etc.
Collaborative literary and political speaker events with other interest groups like SASA, the Subcontinent Project etc.
Networking opportunities with Pakistani professionals in Pakistan and the US
Fundraising and awareness for community uplifting in Pakistan and for South Asian communities in the Chicago area

It is difficult to represent every group under an umbrella which is why we hope to offer a unique space for those who find they do not completely fit in present structures, but without drawing any restrictions on membership. With the aforementioned programming we hope to offer members a sense of security, belonging and opportunities to engage with the identities they hold dear, hence allowing them to thrive in their time at Northwestern.

Sig Theater

SIG Theater is established for the purpose of diversifying the cultural life primarily for students from Northwestern University. The service majority of SIG Theater is the Chinese community located in Evanston and the greater Chicago area. SIG Theater serves as a connecting platform among the theatrical community, the student community and the Chinese community.

Society of Asian Scientist & Engineers

The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) seeks to advance Asian-heritage scientific and engineering professionals and help achieve their full potential. SASE members help create and partake in a variety of cultural and professional development activities as well as volunteering work to help the surrounding community. SASE is open to all majors, races, ethnicities, and genders, and is an organization where students can connect over an appreciation of Pan-Asian culture and support each other.

South Asian Students Alliance

The South Asian Students Alliance (SASA) is the largest cultural student organization on campus that is dedicated to the celebration of South Asian culture. We proudly put on events that display our South Asian culture throughout the year, the largest of which is the annual SASA Show held in February. Other events include a Spring Speaker, a Garba/Raas/Bhangra, Holi, and student dialogues (among others). We dedicate time and effort to fostering a vibrant student community that engages with South Asian culture on the NU campus and in its surrounding community.

Taiwanese American Students Association

Northwestern University's premiere student group for those passionate about Taiwan and Taiwanese culture!

Previously known as TASC, we are rebranding to TASA!

The Taiwanese American Students Association (TASA) was established in 1992, and the Associated Student Government recognized TASA as a student organization in January of 1994. Since then, TASA has grown from a group of eight members to an Associated Student Government A-status organization with members from all backgrounds, Asians and non-Asians alike.

TASA was founded to provide a forum in which Taiwanese history, culture and current events could be openly celebrated and shared among all Asian Americans and the NU community at large. Our mission is two-fold: to build community amongst students interested in Taiwan, and to provide the larger Northwestern community the chance to explore and learn about the many facets of Taiwanese culture.

Typhoon Dance Troupe

Typhoon Dance Troupe is a student organized dance group that highlights popular, classical, ethnic, and contemporary dances of East and Southeast Asia. Through the art of dance, we dedicate ourselves to displaying pieces of the regions' rich, diverse cultures and to promote more interest and appreciation in the community for those cultures.

Dances are open to people from any type of background, ranging from beginner to experienced, in many styles of dance, including but not limited to: Traditional Han and ethnic Dai Dance, Hip-hop and street dance, jazz dance, and kpop dance. We have weekly workshop and rehearsals and we also invite famous dancers all over the world as our "Master Class" program. We learn and practice for several performances in Northwestern-affiliated productions and off-campus events, most notably Celebrasia, the annual Chinese New Year celebration co-sponsored by CSA and TASC, which draws over 500 people annually. We also make dance videos to record our work and memorable time together.

Vietnamese Student Association

VSA is for everyone who has an interest in the Vietnamese culture. VSA exists in order to promote awareness of and appreciation for Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American culture and history within the student body as well as to form a mutual relationship between Northwestern University and the local Vietnamese community. We host a variety of social and cultural events, such as Pho Outings, Tet Night, and SEA Night, and attend different conferences with other VSAs in the area. We also do a lot of collaborated events with other VSAs, primarily at UIC, Loyola, and UIUC.