January 2015

A guest post from intern Claire Cella, a MLIS graduate student at UT-Austin.

Claire accompanied Thuy at the Khmer Girls in Action headquarters, assessing and packing their organization records to bring back to UC Irvine for preservation.

I write this post from Austin, Texas with an air of sadness, sentiment and unfortunate sweat from the sweltering heat here. Although it’s been a few weeks since I left the Special Collections and Archives at the University of California, Irvine, I still feel profound gratitude for the truly exceptional experience — and weather! — I had this summer as an intern for Thuy Vo Dang in the Southeast Asian Archive.

A few years ago, I returned to the United States after a yearlong Fulbright English Teaching Assistant-ship in Thailand. My reason for returning was to pursue a graduate degree and the professional qualifications I would need in archival studies, in order to return to Southeast Asia to apply my new skills and expertise to a career in a region of the world that I had fallen in love with. I enrolled at the University of Texas’ School of Information in the spring semester of 2013. Alongside my studies, I have diligently tried to pursue opportunities that would unite my two rather divergent interests here in the United States. In the past, I have interned with the Chinese Culture Foundation in San Francisco, as well as volunteered for the Austin History Center’s Asian American Community Archives Program. However, my internship this summer with Thuy has proven to be the apex of my professional endeavors thus far. It not only inspirited me to continue my career ambitions to work with Asian and Asian American communities, but it also deepened my understanding of the nuances involved in community archiving, public outreach, regional history documentation and special collection development.

Claire attended the Asian Americans Advancing Justice & Orange County Asian Pacific American Community Alliance demographics report launch in July 2014. From left: Thuy Vo Dang, Claire Cella, Anne Frank, and Julie Vo

Shadowing Thuy was a tremendous revelation for me, exposing me to the daily efforts required of a specialized archivist working with and within a specific ethnic community. By attending various community functions, events and meetings in the Asian American community alongside Thuy, I was introduced to a host of individuals who proved the power of collaboration and partnership in affecting change, encouraging unity and strengthening identity formation in ethnic communities. I was graciously given the opportunity to take part in various archival processes that I had only up until that time had the opportunity to study in journal articles — physical and digital accessioning, archival organization and processing, public outreach, networking and community trust building.

I also feel privileged to have been a small part of the collaborative book project, Vietnamese in Orange County, with the Vietnamese American Oral History Project. This involved setting up, planning and executing the event, “Collecting Memories, Preserving History,” as well as assisting with the organization of the book’s content via Canto Cumulus. It was an honor to work closely with and learn from Linda Vo and Tram Le, who were able to offer insight into the significant history, issues and present conditions of the Vietnamese community and the Little Saigon area. I now have an even greater awareness for the history of this specific ethnic community and a profound admiration for their contributions to Orange County in light of the conditions in which they achieved such success.

I feel fortunate to have been introduced to and interact with the Special Collections and Archives staff as well, including Audra Yun, Sara Seltzer, Steve MacLeod, Alex Bisio, Laura Uglean Jackson and Christine Kim. Their individual insight enhanced my knowledge of the various positions involved in a larger research institution, and certainly provided me with important things to consider for my own future career path and the types of positions, institutions and environments I could see myself working within very soon.

I strongly feel that by uniting my graduate archival research and skills with my interests in local Asian American communities, my internship under Thuy’s guidance has already taken position as a central facet to my academic and professional experience. It was an honor to be a part of the University of California, Irvine this summer, even if it was so short-lived. I look forward to reading about further developments at the Special Collections and Archives as well as the publication of Vietnamese in Orange County this fall. Hopefully, after I complete my graduate degree this fall, the future will hold more opportunity for me to collaborate and connect with the profound and powerful work being done here.

~Claire Cella

First Homecoming Celebration, From: The Anteater Yearbook, 1981

Homecoming.

Definition: 1: a return home; 2: the return of a group of people usually on a special occasion to a place formerly frequented or regarded as home; especially: an annual celebration for alumni at a college or university

Preparations for UCI’s Homecoming are in full swing. With tours, performances, special guests and a beer garden, this year’s Homecoming looks to be pretty spectacular. Because so much planning and effort is going into it, I couldn’t help but wonder how it measures up to past homecoming celebrations.

UCI is no stranger to large celebrations and fun events. Since its founding in 1965 several events have become annual traditions, such as Wayzgooze, Lauds & Laurels, and Welcome Week to name a few. But what about Homecoming? When did it begin at UCI, and what typically happens?

A typical homecoming involves inviting alums back to campus for activities such as an athletic event, dance, parade, and coronation of a king and queen. UCI has had alumni since June 1966, when 14 students graduated in the first commencement. Since then, alumni were celebrated in picnics and awards ceremonies, but homecoming was not yet a tradition.

All University Alumni Picnic, January 5, 1967, From: University of California, Irvine, University Communications Slides [AS-061]

UCI’s first official Homecoming occurred on January 30, 1981, fifteen years after UCI’s founding (and almost 34 years to the day before this year’s homecoming!). It was held in conjunction with the grand opening of UCI’s first student center.

The 1981 Homecoming included the coronation of a king and queen, a basketball game at Crawford Hall, and a post-game dance at the Backlot, a restaurant in the student center. Since then, Homecoming has become a strong UCI tradition, becoming bigger and bolder every year. In 1988, Jay Leno came to campus! This year, as part of UCI’s 50^thanniversary celebrations, UCI will hold its 34^th Homecoming celebration. It promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Hope to see you there!

Article from the New U, January 20, 1981

Reflections from a Southeast Asian Archive intern

UCI’s First Homecoming

Archives for January 2015