Staff

Viraj Patel is the inaugural Director of the Asian American Student Academic Program. She holds a B.A. in English with a minor in Asian American Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Education from the University of Vermont, and a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D) in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania. With over a decade of experience in higher education, she has held a variety of positions focusing on residential life, multicultural affairs, graduate student affairs, student activities, academic advising, and off-campus student affairs. Passionate about public service and community engagement, Viraj serves on the Advisory Council for the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) and has been involved with numerous community organizing initiatives. In her free time, Viraj enjoys spending time with her tuxedo cat, Jalebi, trying new recipes for her food Instagram (@chaikhakhratime), going for a run, or enjoying a cup of tea with friends.

Email: vpatel9@uic.edu

Yunkyo Kim is the program assistant for the Asian American Student Academic Program. Since graduating in 2022 with a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Yunkyo worked with multiethnic immigrant communities to expand access for immigration resources. With additional experience in academic research and program administration, they are excited to serve and learn with AASAP and the UIC community. When not in the office, Yunkyo enjoys reading poetry, cooking for friends, and walking to Lake Michigan.

Email: yunkyo@uic.edu

Celeste Aguirre is an Academic Advisor and Program Specialist for the Asian American Student Academic Program (AASAP). A UIC alum, she holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a Dual Masters in Social Work and Public Health. Previous to this role she led the Asian American Mentor Program at the Asian American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) at UIC, and has worked in student services and provided mental health and resource support in hospital settings. During off hours she greatly enjoys music, gaming, and time with friends and family.

Email: caguir7@uic.edu

Email: elivang@uic.edu

Anya is AASAP’s newest General Office Aide for the Asian American Student Academic Program at UIC, where she is pursuing a degree in Health Information Management and plans to graduate in Fall 2026. A recent graduate of Oakton College, Anya took on a leadership role as President of the Muslim Student Association, where she passionately fostered cultural awareness by organizing vibrant events, thought-provoking interfaith dialogues, and impactful workshops that brought the campus community closer together. Beyond campus, she spearheaded fundraising efforts to unite the community in support of meaningful causes. When she’s not immersed in her studies or campus activities, Anya enjoys discovering new coffee shops with friends and exploring the hidden gems of the city.

Emily is a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering and expecting to graduate in Spring 2028. Outside of her studies, she dabbles in various hobbies such as crochet, origami, and cozy video games like Good Pizza, Great Pizza. This year, she has plans to explore and integrate herself into the city.

In the Spring 2025 Semester, Joon transferred to UIC to pursue a BA in Global Asian Studies (GLAS) with a minor in Black Studies, and has continued to be actively involved on UIC’s campus with the GLAS Student Board (GSAB) or off campus with roles within the Heritage Museum of Asian Art and the HANA Center’s Civic Leaders Fellowship! With their major and minor, they are actively pursuing an education surrounded around the intersectionality between racial and ethnic groups in the US through the lens of critical ethnic studies. When not on UIC Campus, Joon works as a barista and enjoys spending time with their partner and five (5) cats. They also enjoy doing craft nights with their friends, reading, and playing sandbox video games like Stardew Valley or the Sims 4.

Tyler is a first-generation Filipino American student pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois Chicago, with an anticipated graduation in Spring 2027. He transferred to UIC from the College of DuPage, where he began laying the foundation for his academic and career goals. Tyler has been actively involved in cultural and academic organizations, including Filipino church cultural clubs and engineering-related groups, which have given him both a sense of identity and opportunities for growth in leadership and collaboration. Beyond academics and community service, he enjoys spending time with friends, playing sports, and going to the gym.

Yash is a Graduate Research Assistant for the Asian American Student Academic Program (AASAP). He holds a B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology. He has a diverse background in healthcare having worked as a pharmacy technician and a phlebotomist, and now contributes to data analysis for a diabetes prevention program. Yash is passionate about taking advantage of real-world public health data to reduce disparities and promote equal opportunities. A fun fact about him is that he is trilingual, speaking English, Hindi, and Sindhi. In his free time, Yash enjoys going to the gym, driving his Mazda Miata, and browsing Facebook Marketplace.