AAS honors professor emeritus George Yu, who passed away on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Prof. Yu taught at the University of Illinois from 1965 to 2005 and served as the founding director of the Asian American Studies Program from 1997 to 2002. He also served as director of the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies from 1992 to 2004 and head of the Department of Political Science from 1987 to 1992.

Prof. Yu was a fierce advocate for arts and culture, and he was renowned globally for his contributions to the study of Chinese and African politics.

Professor Augusto Espiritu has fond memories of working with Yu during their time together: "My deepest condolences to George Yu's loved ones. I remember George fondly as the Director of our Asian American Studies Program at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. I was one of the half dozen faculty he hired, along with faculty colleagues in other departments, to establish the Program. He assembled a terrific team of top-notch faculty from the nation. It was a real pleasure to have been in conversation with him. George performed his duties with aplomb. He always invited the campus leaders and administrators to our Open House and enjoined them to keep invested in Asian American Studies. He was a consummate diplomat with a wonderful sense of humor. While he did not speak of it much in our unit, time has proven the enduring value and strategic global importance of his work on the relationship between Asia and Africa. He will be missed."   

AAS is forever grateful for the legacy he leaves behind at the U of I. Additional information about Prof. Yu’s life and details for a memorial service can be found here.