In 1999, jazz musician Aram Shelton drove from Florida to Illinois in his brother’s orange Trans-Am, a bird with blazing wings adorning the hood. He came with a singular purpose: to seek jazz.

Bright lights and loud beats fill a stage as performers in colorful costumes arrive right on cue.

Living in a plaza, hall, suite or apartment are some of the housing options that students on campus choose from. With the magic swipe of a key card, many students that live on the Hill have instant access to their bedrooms, a study lounge and even their own restrooms.

Not many students of jazz have the rare chance to study under legends of the genre, but at UCLA they do.

For decades, the culture nights held by the Nikkei Student Union (NSU) have featured performances such as Japanese drama, taiko drumming and modern Japanese hip-hop. NSU will hold its 26th Annual Cultural Night on Monday ““ not just as a celebration of Japanese American history and heritage, but also as a celebration of the Japanese American present and future.