UNCW celebrates Asian Heritage Cultural Center ribbon cutting

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Asian Heritage Cultural Center is now officially open on UNCW’s campus.

The center celebrated its ribbon cutting Thursday afternoon.

It is the fourth cultural center on the university’s campus. The other centers are Centro Hispano, the Mohin-Scholz LGBTQIA Resource Center, and the Upperman African American Cultural Center.

The Asian Heritage Cultural Center will be used to provide academic support and programming on Asian and Pacific Islander heritage, and offer a welcoming space for all students interested in the culture.

Winnie Chen and Brienna Rafferty, Asian Student Association officers, had a hand in the center’s creation and are proud to see it officially open.

“Seeing it come true, seeing people actually come and use it, and making friends within the center and meeting other people,” ASA Vice President Winnie Chen said. “I guess like seeing people who also look like you on campus is such a big thing and that’s what you can do here.”

“It’s amazing to think that our dream is now going to be a legacy here at UNCW and could probably be here for the next 50, 100 years from now,” ASA President Brienna Rafferty said.

The two hope the opening of the center will encourage even more people who come from Asian and Pacific Islander communities to attend UNCW.

Students of Asian descent and allies will be able to use the space.