Asian Student Association celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month
Kaitlynn Devitt / Hilltop Views
Asian Student Association President and soon-to-be graduate, Jazmine Collins, with the support and celebration from her family, received her AAPI cord/stoles at the Asian Student Graduation on April 12.
Here at St. Edward’s, our school has several organizations for students to be able to connect with their culture and heritage. One example of this is the Asian Student Association, which is a social organization that aims to bring attention to Asian culture and heritage within our community.
This organization was founded by Erica Zamora, the director for the Office of Student Diversity & Inclusion. The current president is Jazmine Collins, with Paula Sweeny as vice president, Cynthia Zhao as secretary, Minh-Thi Nguyen and Lionel Lopez as advisors and Kaitlyn Nguyen as historian. Kaitlyn Nguyen will be moving up to president after Collins graduates this May.
ASA works towards creating a setting where students can feel like family and find a safe space to build friendships and also share experiences and a variety of cultures. This month is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, and ASA celebrated by planning their first Asian Night Market which will occur on April 26 at 5 p.m.
“The event will include a variety of Asian cultured activities and foods,” Collins said. “We will also be having local vendors as well.”
This organization also has their own merchandise – bucket hats – which the members of this organization have been sure to wear proudly around campus this month in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month.
Each year, St. Edward’s University hosts an Asian American Pacific Islander Graduation ceremony for those graduating in May. This ceremony allows these students to receive their AAPI graduation stole and to celebrate alongside others who share their culture and heritage.
This year, this event took place on April 12. The emcee of the event was ASA advisor Minh-Thi Nguyen along with Collins, Lopez, Kaitlyn Nguyen and President Fuentes, who each shared a speech that connected to ASA and what it meant to them and our university.
Each AAPI graduate was introduced and was awarded their cords/stoles at the ceremony. Friends and family also attend to support and celebrate these graduates’ accomplishments. For anyone who identifies as Asian American Pacific Islander and attends St. Edward’s, don’t hesitate to join ASA and be a part of this organization.
