Chu - Advancement & Public Services - Western Illinois University

Advancement & Public Services

Why We Give

Felix & Nancy Chu

Dr. Felix and Nancy Chu have committed $10,000 to University Libraries for establishment of the Chu Multicultural Book Collection. The collection will feature works of fiction with social content, particularly featuring stories of immigrants or people seeking to become immigrants.

“Western’s core values support internationalization of the curriculum and the campus,” said Felix Chu, associate dean for the University Libraries. “This collection is one way for people to understand different cultures.”

“Fiction is a better teacher in this instance,” continued Chu. “Fiction is read by more people, it is easily understood, and people tend to remember stories more than facts. Fiction is one of the easiest ways to learn about and understand complex social issues.”

The Chus have donated several books of their own to get the collection started and provided the funding to build the collection. “Western is a good place for our philanthropy,” explains Chu. “We came here in 1984; our son was only two weeks old. Nancy & I both were able to work; we like it here and this is where we raised our son.”