The Department of Asian American Studies is proud to present the Betty Lee Sung Memorial Scholarship Fund. This Fund supports travel scholarships for outstanding undergraduate majors or minors in Asian American Studies. For a student to receive this scholarship, they must demonstrate excellent scholarship in Asian American Studies and show leadership in promoting the understanding of Asian American issues on campus or in the community. Funds from this scholarship are to be used for students to attend a national meeting that is focused on Chinese-American or Asian-American issues (history, policy, socio-economic status, culture, or related topics).

This scholarship honors Dr. Betty Lee Sung, a pioneer in the field of Asian American Studies. Dr. Sung earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology and economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1948. She went on to found City College’s first full-time Asian American Studies program, publish nine books, and advocate for social justice in numerous organizations. In 2017, she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Asian American Studies. Dr. Sung’s passion and generosity are celebrated to this day, as young scholars are encouraged to follow in her footsteps and enrich the field of Asian American Studies through research and stewardship.

Students interested in applying should email clyke@illinois.edu for next steps.