Jordan Hearring, Life Editor

Joining a club is one of the many college experiences that students can look back on fondly. It can improve social skills, communication skills, time management and academic involvement. It can ease the transition from high school into college, allow students to make friends with similar interests and give students a chance to have a voice and a support system. Arkansas State University offers over 300 student-led organizations and this segment in The Herald will spotlight one of the many diverse clubs on campus. This week, the spotlight is on the Vietnamese Student Association.

The Vietnamese Student Association was founded in 2016 to function as a safe space for Vietnamese international students on campus to congregate and hang out while growing accustomed to life in America. The organization expanded in 2018 to hosting events and educational workshops on campus and inviting A-State students from all backgrounds to educate themselves about Vietnamese culture. There are over 50 members in the Vietnamese Student Association. When a Vietnamese student enrolls to the university, the International Student Ambassador is notified and other Vietnamese students can offer to pick them up from the airport, make the student feel welcome, show them around campus and assist them with adjusting to life in America. 

Board meetings with the Vietnamese Student Association are typically more business-oriented, discussing future events and various collaborations that may be held. Their annual Phở Night is one of their bigger events, which is normally hosted in the fall semester. Phở Night raised over $2,000 in November 2021 for children who lost a parent or guardian to COVID-19 while sharing Vietnamese culture with the student body. The organization also collaborates with the International Student Association on various informational events and workshops on campus. When business is not being discussed, the group will hang out together. They play video games on Discord, host parties and barbecues or just kick back and enjoy each others’ company.

Linh Phan, a senior graphic design major from Quảng Bình, speaks on the camaraderie within the Vietnamese Student Association. “We help our members if they’re having different problems in life or in school and we allow them a space to ask for help. We all get along really well and everyone has a couple close friends in the group, but we are all there for each other. We do not exclude anyone on campus, and all we ask for is basic communication.”

The board members include Hoa Le, president and junior marketing major from Da Nang; Linh Phan, vice president and a senior graphic design major from Quảng Bình; Thao Nguyen, event coordinator and a sophomore nursing major from Sai Gon; Hang Nguyen, treasurer and a junior marketing and global supply chain management major from Hai Phong; Thinh Vu, social media manager/PR coordinator and a junior computer science major from Ho Chi Minh; My Huynh, graphic designer and a sophomore graphic design major from Vũng Tàu. 

For more information about the Vietnamese Student Association, reach out to the organization on Instagram @astate_vsa. For a full list of the registered student organizations at A-State visit www.astate.edu/RSO.

Categories: Life