Clubs & Organizations
Make the most of your university experience and grow, learn, laugh, and run with us. With dozens of clubs and organizations to choose from, you’re sure to find a new creative outlet and build lifelong relationships. Join students with similar interests to discuss ideas, promote your work, form collaborations, and share information. Below are just some examples of our clubs and organizations that have been part of the Academy throughout the years.
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
ASLA’s mission is to provide resources and support to students in the department and anyone who wants to learn more about landscape design and architecture.
Contact: aslastudents@academyart.edu
Discord: https://discord.gg/c4TZsJyh6Q
Club leadership: Christine Gonzalez (President), Rachael Roditti (Treasurer)
American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
AIAS is a national organization dedicated to providing unmatched progressive programs, resources, and information on critical issues in architecture and architectural education. Membership to AIAS can be obtained through the AIAS national website by paying a $45 fee, or by directly contacting us at the email provided. Contact us before you pay the membership fee.
Contact: aias@academyart.edu
Link to join (email us first before you pay the fee): https://www.aias.org
Club leadership: Admin/Leader: Giorgi Mezhevidze, Chapter President: Andrew Hart
ArtU Game Club
ArtU Game Club is about making friends, hanging out, playing games, and studying together.
Contact: artugameclub@gmail.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/5dhVP8Yc8C
Club leadership: Kevin Suber (President), Racheal Klink (VP), Areej Haq (Moderator), Jinyu Li (Events), Piers Issler (Events)
Beyond the Front Row (BtFR)
Beyond the Front Row is the official club of the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University, devoted to creating a community of fashion enthusiasts and designers.
Contact: beyondthefrontrow@gmail.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/beyondthefrontrow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondtheFrontRow
Club leadership: Kendra Rae, Valentia Perez
Black Student Union (BSU)
BSU is a community for students who identify as Black (of African descent), share an interest in issues related to the Black community, and wish to join a proactive club.
Contact: blkstdnt.academyofart@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsu.aau
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArtuBLKUnion
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ7COHmXjkQCWnWU_W5rAmg
Club leadership: Jonathan Mitchell (President), Cristiana Alvarez (Vice President)
Chinese Student & Scholars Association (CSSA)
CSSA is a non-profit and non-political organization dedicated to promoting social, intellectual, and cultural activities for Chinese students at Academy of Art University. All Academy students interested in joining are welcome, too.
Contact: aauchinasa@gmail.com
WeChat: AAUChina | QQ Group: 144364733
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aauchina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aauchina
Club leadership: Katie Lou, Julie Wang
Women in Animation (WIA)
The Women in Animation (WIA) Student Chapter at ArtU focuses on encouraging and inspiring equity across all facets of the animation pipeline in the film and video game industries. We support anyone who is interested in pursuing careers in these industries through a wide range of resources. WIA x ArtU is an inclusive and diverse chapter that embraces all majors and identity groups to achieve a common goal of equity for women and other marginalized groups in the entertainment arts. We also gather as a group to share our passion for animation. Please note this club is open to everyone, not just women.
Contact: wiaxartu@gmail.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/WIA_ArtU
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wia_artu
Mailing list: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdyWY_I7PgRgVyE5WOiPfoxGSBW-mZ_o5tNXzZNcpMdsKJR5Q/viewform
Club leadership: Samantha Blum (President), Alina Jankowski (Organizer), Mary Kiss (Organizer), Emma Hollenberg (Organizer)
Interior Architecture & Design Club (IAD)
IAD Club is the official club of the Interior Architecture and Design School at Academy of Art University. Good art inspires; good design motivates! The interior design and architecture club gathers students from the IAD majors (or any other Academy of Art University students interested in Interior Architecture) for instructive and constructive discussion. Additionally, the club aims to create an inviting atmosphere for students with similar interests to connect socially and academically.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iadclub/?hl=en
Discord: https://discord.gg/r5Afhu9v4Z
Club leadership: Missa Kato (Secretary), Vedya Kaya (Membership Chair), Layan Almarzogi (Onsite Social Media Chair), Kamelya Parmaksiz (Online Social Media Chair)
National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS)
NOMASAAU is an organization that strives to foster innovation and collaboration by amplifying the voices of minority architecture students through the celebration of our experiences and excellence.
Contact: nomasaau@gmail.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/P6Pn4RQYru
Club leadership: Dania B (President), Giewel Samantha David, Joanna Gonzales
Outloud! LGBTQIA+ Club
Outloud! celebrates individuality and highlights equality at ArtU by promoting tolerance and acceptance. We work toward creating and maintaining safe, inclusive, and equitable environments as a support network for LGBTQIA+ students and alumni.
Contact: artuoutloud@gmail.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/artuoutloud/
Discord: https://discord.gg/gbvuj7Sa7N
Club leadership: Justyne Gurley (President)
Street Dance Club
The Street Dance Club was founded by two ArtU students to celebrate hip-hop, urban, K-pop, and dance choreography. To celebrate multiculturalism, we also offer special classes like Chinese dance, contemporary dance, and Latin dance. In addition to regular classes, the club hosts one special class every month, ensuring everyone enjoys a variety of experiences. We extend a warm invitation to all ArtU students—whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a beginner—to join our welcoming and free dance classes.
Contact: YSUN69@art.edu or XZHOU39@art.edu
Club leadership: Yufei Sun and Xiaoyu Zhou (dance teachers)
Tea Time Animation
The goal of Tea Time is to bring together current students and alumni to discuss industry- and department-related news and concerns, facilitate lectures by guest speakers, nurture communication between the student body and the animation department, and provide opportunities for peer-to-peer critique. We are a networking resource for the student community. We offer the opportunity for you to get more out of your education and learn what it takes to become a driving force in the future of our industry. The level of engagement with the group is up to you; you can attend our weekly meetings. participate in our large online community, or any combination that works for you. You’ll have the opportunity to join face-to-face discussions with industry professionals and get answers to your most pressing questions.
Contact: teatimeanimationclub@gmail.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TeaTimeAnimation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teatimeanimation
Discord: https://discord.gg/xzynJkb3k7
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeaTimeAnimation/permalink/2938753526217922/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/teatimeanimates
Website: https://www.teatimeanimation.com/
Club leadership: Sylvia Rivera (President), Bolu Oriowo (Vice President), Josephine Albrektsen (Secretary/Treasurer), Liz Gerger (Communications Chair), Robin Burney (Events Chair), Khadijah Coleman (Webmaster)
KSA
The AAU Korean Student Association (KSA) is dedicated to fostering a constructive community among Korean and Korean American students. We aim not only to participate in social and networking events together but also to engage with one another, offering mutual support for personal growth. Ultimately, our club’s objective is to establish a collective of designers and artists based on the shared identity of Korean AAU students.
Contact: aauksa82@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aau_ksa
Visionaries Concept Art Club
With fundamental concept art principles at its core, Visionaries of Concept Art serves as a Project-based springboard to give life to each member’s unique interests and inspirations within the context of one collective universe/game development project. The club offers a safe space to explore new skills, hone your specialty, learn from industry professionals, and experience the community aspects of studio-style game development with other students. Let’s envision worlds together!
Contact: councilofvisionaries@gmail.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/pnJh79bMvc
