The Pan-Asian American Community House is a hub of academic, personal, and professional growth for University of Pennsylvania students interested in Asian American culture and the Asian American Diaspora. Through advising, leadership development, advocacy, social and cultural programming we expand student access to the University’s resources.
- As a center with an educational mission, PAACH works with its academic partner, Penn’s Asian American Studies (ASAM) Program, to provide co-curricular events focusing on Asian American research, culture, history, politics and social issues.
- As a community center, PAACH develops and implements innovative programs for leadership development and community service in close collaboration with student and community groups.
- In addition to advocacy for students (undergraduate, graduate and professional), PAACH also strives to partner and collaborate with Asian American and Pacific Islander alumni, staff, and faculty.
The center is open to all members of the University of Pennsylvania and the surrounding community who have an interest in issues relevant to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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Our Team
Mei joined the PAACH team in July 2023. Prior to PAACH, she served as an Associate Director of Academic Affairs and Advising at the Wharton School’s Undergraduate Division for five years. Mei's experience also includes teaching and career advising at Penn and other institutions. Throughout her career, she remains deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment where students from all backgrounds can thrive academically, culturally, and professionally. Mei is currently pursuing a doctorate in Higher Education at the Penn Graduate School of Education, where she also earned her master’s degree. Mei loves nature and seizes every opportunity to explore mountains, oceans, rivers, and woods with family and friends. Whether hiking, kayaking, or getting her hands dirty in the garden with her kids, she finds peace and joy in the outdoors. As an eco-minimalist, Mei embraces a simple lifestyle and practices mindful consumption to minimize her environmental impact.
Vicky Faye Aquino (she/her) is the Associate Director of the Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH) at the University of Pennsylvania. She also serves as a Lecturer in Filipino Language and Culture at the Penn Language Center, and is a doctoral student in the Literacy Studies program at Penn GSE. At PAACH, she advises student organizations on developing programs centered on leadership, advocacy, community engagement, and cultural awareness. One of her key goals is to connect students with Philadelphia’s diverse communities and cultural institutions. For the past three years, Vicky has also created PAACH Murals to honor and celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, using art as a medium to bring the community together. She believes art is a universal language that connects people across cultures. Before joining Penn, Vicky spent five years working in development and human resources at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Her first career was in corporate banking, where she served as an analyst for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). She later transitioned to the arts, nonprofit, and higher education sectors in pursuit of more meaningful work. Vicky is a Founding Member and Board Vice Chair of Bahay Kultura, the first Filipino American school in Philadelphia, which fosters cultural identity in children through play, language, history, and the arts. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Asian American Women’s Coalition (AAWC), an organization that promotes the advancement of Asian American women through scholarship, leadership, and mutual support. She holds a double bachelor’s degree in Psychology (B.A.) and Business Management (B.S.) from De La Salle University and earned her master’s degree in Art and Design Education (M.A.) from The University of the Arts, graduating with distinction. Her master’s thesis, “The Effects of Doodling on the Academic and Artistic Learning of K-12 Students,” received the Elizabeth C. Roberts Prize and has been cited in scholarly publications. Fun fact: Vicky is also a world traveler, photographer, and visual artist. She has visited over 35 countries and territories and has held six solo exhibitions, along with group shows in Philadelphia, New York, and Manila.
Daniel Hoddinott (pronouns: he, him, his) is the Associate Director for the Pan-Asian American Community House. He received his B.A. in Human Resource Management and Labor & Employment Relations from Rutgers University and a M.S. in Higher Education from Syracuse University. Daniel is a proud product of the Asian American Cultural Center at Rutgers University and previously worked at the Asian & Asian American Center at Cornell University. Outside of work, he enjoys running, cooking, eating, and traveling!
After completing her BS in Accounting/Geography (SUNY Albany) and MBA (NYU Stern School of Business), Cindy has worked in finance for over 15 years, as a CPA, Investment Bank Controller, Big Four systems implementation consultant and more recently as a healthcare system finance professional. During Covid, she took an honest look at what she really wanted out of life and what kind of impact she wanted to make – to join the Penn community and to help students access campus services. Cindy supports students and provides financial and operational support for PAACH’s many initiatives/programs. In her spare time, Cindy indulges her love of book art by teaching bookbinding in the local community, builds online communities, and creates fun experiences for her teen children.
Program Assistants
AiLing Chen (she/her) serves as an undergraduate Program Assistant at the Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH). She is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences pursuing a major in Economics and minors in Neuroscience and Healthcare Management. Outside of PAACH, she is involved in Penn First Plus, Penn Wind Ensemble, 7/8, and alpha Kappa Delta Phi Sorority. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, traveling, and watching movies!
Amy Liao (she/her) is a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania intending to major in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, with minors in Consumer Psychology and Cinema and Media Studies. Originally from Northeast Philadelphia, Amy joined the PAACH team to help foster a stronger sense of belonging amongst the Asian community at Penn. Beyond her role at PWC, some of the activities Amy is involved include The Daily Pennsylvanian, the Asian Pacific Student Coalition, and The WALK Magazine. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants and swimming. Looking ahead, Amy hopes to travel the world.
Areebah is a senior at the College of Arts and Sciences studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics with a Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership. Areebah is the president of Penn Bangla, Programming Chair of the United Minorities Council, and part of various organizing efforts within Penn and broader Philadelphia. In the future, Areebah hopes to work within refugee legal rights, nonprofit grassroots work, and generally work alongside and for the community. In their free time, Areebah loves to try chai and matcha from cafes all around Philadelphia and strike up conversations with anyone willing to listen.
Gina Joo (She/her) is a junior in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in Philosophy, Politics & Economics, and Design. She had heard about PAACH before attending Penn and is excited to be working as a program assistant this year! In her free time, Gina likes to explore Philadelphia, try the weekly 1-900 ice cream flavors and hang out with Kimmy.
Joseph Qiao (he/him) serves as an undergraduate program assistant at the Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH). He is a sophomore in Wharton, studying Real Estate & Finance with an Urban Studies minor. Other than PAACH, he is a Wharton Undergraduate Cohort Director for Shekel, part of the Marketing Committee of the Wharton Undergraduate Finance Club, the Finance lead at a local nonprofit, Ginger Arts Center (off-campus), and intern at The Welcoming Center (off-campus). He loves baking/cooking/eating at restaurants, finding new music, and just talking about anything and everything.
Kelly Chen (she/her/hers) is a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences, studying Communications with a possible minor in Philosophy. As someone who grew up in a small country, often feeling isolated from others for being the only Asian person in the room, she hopes to build a community where everyone feels welcome to embrace and show off their cultural identity. In terms of interests, she enjoys photography and gaming, with an aspiration of someday working for the same gaming company that sparked her never-ending love for game development. As a student leader, she is the Communications Manager for Penn’s Esports Club and works as a Public Lead for Penn’s very own FGLI Podcast!"
Board of Advisors
History
In the fall of 1999, an ad hoc committee of the 1999-2000 Asian Pacific Student Coalition board launched a campus-wide campaign for a Pan-Asian American resource center. The SPEAKOUT! Rally was organized to gain support and publicity for this initiative. Petitions were also circulated to push for the creation of this resource center.
On November 15th, 1999 a large group of students demanded a meeting with then President, Dr. Judith Rodin. A declaration from APSC and constituent groups, campus groups, and coalitions was presented for the need of the APA resource center.
A preliminary PAACH proposal was submitted to the University President on November 24. In February, student, staff, and faculty supporters met with the President to discuss the implementation of the proposal. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Office of the President committed to the establishment of the Pan Asian American Community House at Penn.
The Grand Opening of PAACH was on November 11th, 2000 – only a year after the SPEAKOUT! Rally, and PAACH signature programs soon followed.
- Planning for the Asian Pacific American Leadership Initiative started in the spring of 2001, with the first class assembled for Fall 2001.
- The Promoting Enriching Experiences & Relationships (PEER) Mentoring Program was developed in 2002 to meet the needs of incoming APIA students.
- The first Conference for Achievement Through Asian Pacific Undergraduate Leadership Training (CATAPULT) retreat was organized as a collaborative project between PAACH and the Asian Pacific Student Coalition in April 2003.
- The Asian Students Promoting Identity, Reflection, and Education (ASPIRE) high school outreach program, formerly Asian Pacific Americans Tackling Identity Through Education (APA-TITE), began as an informal collaboration between PAACH and Central Philadelphia High School. The program was refocused in 2008 to be more student-driven and led.
- Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, established in 1993, celebrated its 20th heritage week in 2012 with the theme “20/20 Vision”.
- The Asian American Mentoring Program (AAMP) was started in 2012 to provide opportunities for graduate students to engage with the undergraduate community. AAMP has produced programs such as the South Asian Men’s Circle, South Asian Women’s Circle, and the Chinese Student Support Network.
In an effort to strengthen its ties with the graduate student community, PAACH developed the Asian American Mentoring Program (AAMP) in 2012. As a result of this program, PAACH piloted the South Asian Men’s Circle, the South Asian Women’s Circle, and the Chinese Student Support Network (CSSN).
The ARCH Building began a complete 18-month long renovation in May 2012 thanks to an anonymous donation. During the renovation period, all three ARCH cultural resource centers were relocated to Houston Hall, with collaborative programming supported by funding from the President’s Office. PAACH, Makuu, and La Casa Latina moved back into new ARCH spaces in December 2013.