Since at least 1921, Indonesian students have been attending the University of Illinois. Early Indonesian Illini have included accountants, architects, artists, botanists, chemists, economists, educators, electrical engineers, entomologists, food scientists, geologists, mathematicians, statisticians, and zoologists too.
Read on to learn more about early Indonesian Illini!
Early Illinois – Indonesia Connections
As early as 1934, the campus Fine Arts Gallery featured an exhibit on textiles from Bali, Java, and Sumatra, the Daily Illini reported. In 1944, a temporary Library exhibit titled “Pageant in the Pacific” included textiles and wood carvings loaned from the University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. During the 1950s and 1960s, University participation in the Committee on Institutional Cooperation & AID – University Rural Development (Record Series 8/4/40) connected Illinois researchers with Indonesia. During the 1950s and 1960s, Economics Professor William A. Neiswanger (Record Series 9/5/20) could be found studying the Indonesian economy. From the 1950s through the 1970s, Anthropology Professor Edward M. Bruner (Record Series 15/2/29) studied the Batak peoples of Indonesia. During the 1970s, the University’s participation in the Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities (MUCIA) (Records Series 2/13/12) included research like Agriculture Professor (and later Dean) Orville G. Bentley (Record Series 8/1/24) in Indonesia and other countries too.
Students
A survey of early alumni directories (Record Series 26/4/801), Illios (Record Series 41/8/805), and Daily Illini (Record Series 41/8/801) issues, the earliest identifiable documentation of early Indonesian students feature multiple men from the island of Java. In 1921, the DI reported that among 255 registered foreign students that there was 1 student from Java, suggesting that the Indonesian Illini story begins at least as early as 1921.
Class of 1924
Mr. Kian Gie Lee, (B.S. Mechanical Engineering), of Batavia, played guitar at an off-campus missionary and student speaker event about Asia at Trinity Church, in 1923.
While Mr. Mei Shing Ling, (B.S. Education), of Serang, might have worked while studying at the university. Through the local Y.M.C.A., Mr Ling competed in a friendly hog-tying match in an off-campus event in 1922, and a national student camp in 1924. Unfortunately, during his senior year, Mr. Ling might have lost some of his possessions in a small accidental fire in his room off campus. The following spring, he even wrote at least one unpublished editorial for the Daily Illini.
Classes of 1925 and 1926
Mr. William Yan Lin, (B.S. Banking and Finance, 1925), of Tjilatjap went to his senior ball as an undergraduate. During his graduate study, Mr. Lin was a member of the foreign trade fraternity Theta Delta Pi, and he spoke at an off-campus Wesley Foundation international social event called “Nation’s Party” in 1926.
While Mr. Sin-Yung Sim, (B.S. General Business), of Weltevreden, attended a Y.M.C.A. trip to Indianapolis as a sophomore delegate, and he was a member of Theta Delta Pi too.
Classes of 1929 and 1931
Mr. Soon Hee Tho, (B.S. Electrical Engineering), of Poerwokerto, was involved in student life as a speaker and student leader. In 1927, Mr. Tho represented the island of Java at a University Place Christian Church event titled “Jewels of the Orient”. The following year, in 1928, Mr. Tho was a founding member of the newest multicultural student organization called “International Council of Foreign Students” which was created to provide a new forum for foreign students to further understand each other. And in 1929, Mr. Tho was a Y.M.C.A. committee member which organized at least one international student party off campus.
While Mr. Yeh Chung Yen, (B.S. Commerce), of Koetoardjo, was a member of the student organization Illustrators (formerly Sketch Club), and he was a member of at least one off-campus Y.M.C.A. forum “What is a Man Worth?” in 1930.
Following the Indonesian War of Independence, from Illinois
At the time when the University of Illinois first opened, Indonesia was a Dutch colony, also known as the Dutch East Indies, and it would remain that way until the Indonesian War of Independence from 1945 to 1949. Although there were no Indonesian Illini at that time, there were two Dutch students and one student gave a campus talk on his perspective of the war. That is not implying that the University community did not know about the fighting in Indonesia. In fact, for Daily Illini readers, from the 1920s through at least the 1950s, the Daily Illini featured a large international news section supported by an affiliation with the Associated Press. During the late 1940s, there are many Associated Press articles and images from the War. Today, researchers can still read those preserved, daily Indonesian Independence War updates in the Daily Illini.
The First Students from Independent Indonesia
While Mr. Ho-Chien Wang, (B.S. Chemistry, 1955), of Malang, and Mr. Robert Enghwat Tay, (B.S. Agriculture, 1956), of Semarang, might not have left many records behind, we do know more about other students of the 1950s.
It was February 1955, when Mr. Kartodimoeljo “Dar” Soedarman, of Blitar, and Mr. Ihman Rachmad entered the University to study architecture. [1] After completing an English language program, both men studied community centers, medical clinics, multistory apartment buildings, and other American structures, The Daily Illini reported. In fact, both men excelled in their studies and they became members of the architectural scholastic honorary fraternity Gargoyle too. In addition to classroom and studio time, their American studies included additional travel, and both men took advantage of the opportunity to tour both the United States and Puerto Rico. After graduation in February 1958, both men planned to return to work for the Indonesian government.
By the 1950s, of course, there were already graduate students too. Some early graduate students have included, Key H. Gouw (M.S. Mathematics, 1958), Jacob W. Passelima (PhD Physical Education, 1958), Muhammadi Siswosudarmo (M.S. Electrical Engineering, 1959), Moedomo Soedigdomarto (PhD Mathematics, 1960), Doli Lelo Pamintori Siregar (M.S. Accounting Science, 1961), Karel Frederik Liem (PhD Zoology, 1961), Soegito Sastromidjojo (M.S. Accounting Science, 1962), Sunardi Wirjosudirdjo (PhD Statistics, 1962), Rubini Soeria-Atmadja (PhD Geology, 1963), John Asa Baginda Siregar (PhD Food Science, 1965), Ishemat Soerianegara (M.S. Botany, 1963; PhD Botany, 1965), Sosrowinarso Sosrodiningrat (PhD Theoretical and Applied Mathematics, 1965), Soetarmi Tjitrosomo (PhD Botany, 1966), Moenap Hamid Regard (M.S. Accounting Science, 1966), and Soelaksono Sastrodihardjo (PhD Entomology, 1967).
Early Indonesian Guests in Illinois
Other Indonesian students or officials visited the campus and community in time too.
In 1955, as the Gadjah Mada University student newspaper editor-in-chief, Mr. Soelistio, toured United States university campuses to understand student publications at American institutions of higher education, The Daily Illini reported. Mr. Soelistio was surprised that many 1950s American student newspapers focused primarily on student affairs–with the exception of The Daily Illini. In his experience, Indonesian student newspapers were more internationally focused. [2]
The following year, Indonesian President Sukarno and his official party toured parts of the United States including Abraham Lincoln’s tomb, lunch at a livestock farm west of Springfield, New Salem State Park, and dinner at the Mansion of the Governor of Illinois. [3]
Indonesian Night, a University Tradition Since 1958
Since at least 1958 and still continued today, Indonesian Illini have organized an annual student-organized “Indonesian Night” to showcase Indonesian cultures to the University community. In fact, while the first Indonesian Night was hosted by six Indonesian students with the support of the YMCA-YWCA in the YMCA Building’s Latzer Hall, today’s Indonesian Night performances have featured dozens of student organizers and performers in large auditoriums like Lincoln Hall. So, what was the first Indonesian Night like?
For two weeks leading up to the 1958 Indonesian Night, in the YMCA’s Clark Lounge, a traveling art exhibit was installed by Mr. Budiharto (B.S. Liberal Arts and Sciences, 1959), of Surabaja (seen below), The Dailly Illini reported. On Friday night, at 5:30 p.m. guests gathered at Latzer Hall in the YMCA building off campus. There they found Indonesian food prepared by the students and they were treated with an Indonesian film called “Three Brothers” which told the story of three young Minangkabau siblings who pursued separate carers in education, oil, and farming. The film was selected, because it visually portrayed economic and social change in contemporary Indonesia.
While early Indonesian Nights included dinner and conversations, later Indonesian Nights have expanded to include theatrical performances in a campus-based theater and generous student-prepared buffet dinners afterwards. Recent student performances have developed to become great one-night shows including dances, live music, and cultural talks representing many cultures of the many islands of the archipelago.
The Indonesian Student Association, Since 1964
For the first few decades of Indonesian Illini history, like Chinese Illini, Hawaiian Illini, Hong Kong Illini, Malaysian Illini, Singaporean Illini, and Taiwanese Illini, some early Indonesian Illini were part of the large historic Chinese Students Club. However, by the early 1960s, some Indonesian Illini and other interested students formed additional student organizations to explore the cultures of Indonesia too.
During the 1960s, the Indonesian community continued to grow and enjoyed University support. The University first offered Indonesian language classes in the Fall of 1964. That same year, Indonesian Students formed an Indonesian Student Association on the University campus where they continue to contribute to campus life today including annual welcome back picnics, networking events, social events for members and interested guests, shared social programs with other Indonesian student groups across the United States, and of course annual Indonesian Nights too. [4]
Are you an Indonesian Illini? Do you know someone who is? We’d like to hear from you! Please send us a message or leave a comment below. We want to include you and your story, as we celebrate the first 150 years of the University of Illinois.
Happy First 150 everyone!
(A special thank you to the 2016-2017 University of Illinois Indonesian Student Association officers and members who invited me to their meetings and events, while supporting the development of this story and for sharing their stories too.)
References
[] As always, a special thank you to all students whose tireless work for student life and publications (many of which are available at the University Archives) help preserve the memories of Illini everywhere.
[1] By the time Mr. Soelistio reached Illinois, he had visited Stanford, U.C.L.A., and the Universities of California, Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, and Chicago.
[2] In 1959, a Daily Ilini writer reported favorably on the role of Indonesian, Japanese, and Philippine student newspapers and the role of national unions of students in providing financial support but some potential limitations press freedom. “Student press differs in Asian countries“, Daily Illini, February 7, 1959, page 6.
[3] Indonesian officials were close to campus but they did not visit. “Indonesian Party to Make Tour of Illinois Cities“, Daily Illini, May 26, 1956, page 1.
[4] University recognition for the ISA came late because the original application closed membership to Indonesian students only. Exclusive membership was against University policy. The ISA members complied and they were recognized during the Spring 1964 term.