Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest

We had a jam-packed weekend the last few days facilitating workshops at not one, not two, but THREE simultaneous student conferences! Thank you to my amazing teammates Lady Marie Bulilan and Hojin Kim for their hard work in making all three events successful. Thank you IMPACT National Conference, Mid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student Associations (MAUVSA), and Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest for having us. And thank you to our long-time supporters Katherine Coleman and State Farm for giving us the opportunity to provide leadership and advocacy trainings to high school and college students!

This past weekend, I had the incredible honor of serving as the Programming Co-Director for the 22nd Annual Vietnamese Interacting as One (VIA-1) Conference, hosted by the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Alongside Linh Nga Nguyen and our amazing Programming Committee (Andy Hoang Nguyen, Dong Nguyen, Emily Bui, Julie Phung, Kally Van, and Toby Sison), we worked tirelessly over the past six months to bring this conference to life. Together, we: ?? Successfully executed all major ceremonies (Welcome, Opening, and Closing) ?? Coordinated 31 vendors for our Night Market ?? Hosted an inspiring keynote speaker, Khan Tran ?? Organized 16 impactful workshops ?? Hosted a Professional Development Workshop with the Alumni Programming Committee ?? Designed and led a meaningful closing activity ?? And so much more! From countless late nights to endless emails and meticulous planning, the Programming Committee poured their hearts into every detail to make this conference a success. I’m incredibly proud of our committee’s dedication and beyond grateful for this unforgettable journey! P.S. A big shout out to the amazing director cohort, Executive Directors (Vanessa Ly and Kayla Nguyen) the rest of the Conference Executive team, and all of the staff involved!

As one of our 2024 Inaugural Hall of Fame recipients, Nathan Giang has been a dedicated supporter and legacy to the foundations of UVSA-Midwest. Nathan has served as the Indiana CoSR in 2014-2015, Hospitality Director for the 2016 VIA-1 Conference, and President of the UVSA-MW Executive Board in 2016-2018. Nathan is an alumnus of Purdue University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2017 with a minor in Organizational Leadership. Now, Nathan is a Senior Legal Management Consultant for KPMG US, which is a prestigious accounting firm known as one of the “Big Four”. On a day-to-day basis, his role focuses on optimizing the synergy between people, processes, and technology within corporate legal departments and law firms. He works closely with various clients to understand their challenges and objectives to leverage leading technologies and AI-driven tools to streamline legal processes. For those interested in legal management consulting, Nathan breaks down the key factors to succeed in this role:? 1) prioritize continuous learning and stay updated on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices? 2) focus on building strong relationships with clients, coworkers, and industry peers? 3) seek out mentorship opportunities to gain insights from experienced leaders. If you’d like to reach out to Nathan about legal management or consulting opportunities, connect with him on LinkedIn! “Remember to be resilient and persistent in the face of challenges, practice empathy and kindness towards others, and always stay true to yourself.” - Nathan N. Giang

We’d like to introduce Kim Vu! Recently, Kim was one of the Executive Directors for the 20th Vietnamese Interacting As One Conference at the University of Kansas! Kim is an alumna of the University of Kansas, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. She is currently a Clinical Research Study Assistant at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, collecting and participating in studies and assessments with her research team. She will be attending medical school this fall at the University of Kansas School of Medicine! In her free time, Kim likes to work out and watch TV shows. Some advice Kim has for those going into graduate or medical school: “I would recommend going to a field where you can use your bachelor's degree for a bit! Though I could remain working as a Patient Care Technician or Certified Medication Aide, which only requires certification, I found it to be eye-opening to what others graduating with your degree could do.” If you would like to connect with Kim, connect with her on LinkedIn!

Meet the Director of Finance and Treasurer of the UVSA-Midwest Board of Directors, Jason Ngo (he/him). Jason, throughout his time with UVSA-Midwest, has held many roles which include: 2018-2019 Michigan CoSR and being on staff for numerous UVSA-Midwest Flagship Events. Jason is an alum from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor where he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science in 2021. He is currently working at MRM as an Analyst for Performance and Analytics. Jason’s usual workday creates reports over his assigned account and website and reports back to stakeholders on potential ways to improve the brand. Jason’s favorite UVSA-Midwest memory was attending his first Vietnamese Interacting as One Conference at Indiana University. If you’d like to reach out to Jason or talk to him about building Gundams, connect with him on Linkedin. “Stay true to yourself but don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Rely on your support network when you need it and take care of yourself.” - Jason Ngo

Our next Alumni Spotlight is Alex Ngo (he/him). Alex was involved with UVSA-Midwest for three years and held many different roles: 2018-2020 Secretary, 17th Annual VIA-1 Logistics Director, and also as a Staff Member for Leadership Summit, Summer Extravaganza, and the 16th Annual VIA-1. Alex is an alum of Indiana University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology in 2019. Alex also attended Case Western Reserve University and received a Master of Science in Medical Physiology in 2020. Currently, Alex attends Des Moines University for Medical School. He also works as a Teaching Assistant for the Surgical Simulation Center at Des Moines University. On a day-to-day basis, Alex aids students in their learning experience in surgical attire and etiquette, suturing, knot tying, surgical instrumentation, tissue dissections, and many other medical and surgical procedures. Some advice that he would give to those pursuing medicine is to utilize any of your resources such as family, friends, employers, and faculty. Alex also says to take gap years if you need to and to travel, volunteer, work, and take extra classes. If you’d like to reach out to Alex and talk about the medical field or even his hobbies of games and cooking, connect with him on Linkedin! “Take every misstep, rejections, and failure as a lesson to learn from and move forward.” - Alex Ngo

Last month I was allowed to attend the Vietnamese Interacting as One Conference at Purdue University! Being in Layfayette and networking with new faces across the Midwest was an amazing experience for me. I wanted to thank the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest for hosting an extraordinary event. From the workshops that I learned from to the people I met, I'll never forget my experience there.

Introducing Suong Nguyen, LLMSW, who currently serves as the Director of Elections for UVSA-Midwest as part of the Board of Directors! Sue has been on the Entertainment Committee during the 19th Annual VIA-1 Conference in 2022? and has been a Director for the Family Programming Committee during the 2020 VIA-1 Conference! Finally, Sue has assisted the organization year-round as a member of the Civic Engagement Committee in 2021! Sue is an alum of Michigan State University (MSU), where she graduated with a Bachelor’s AND a Master’s degree in Social Work, with a Minor in Youth and Society. Sue currently works as a Therapist at the MSU Center for Survivors, where she provides trauma-informed therapy to survivors of sexual violence at MSU. In her free time, Sue likes to try out art-based hobbies or play with her pet bunny, Kiko! Some advice that Sue has for aspiring leaders in her field: “If you do what your heart's calling you to do, you'll find your professional purpose with ease.” If you’d like to reach out to Sue about social work or therapy, connect with her on LinkedIn!

Last month, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest's 21st annual Vietnamese Interacting as One (VIA-1) conference at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana! As a member of the University of Missouri-Kansas City VSA chapter, it was so meaningful to interact with hundreds of Vietnamese-American leaders from across the Midwest to see how their organizations are making a difference in their communities. As part of the conference, I was notably able to attend the "Leading with Your Values" workshop hosted by the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, connect at a networking mixer held by the conference, and listen to phenomenal guest speakers. I find myself inspired by every interaction I had at this conference to continue staying involved with Asian-American advocacy efforts and be proud of my Vietnamese-American heritage. I would like to thank UMKC VSA for giving me this great opportunity and Purdue University for hosting this amazing conference!

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Vietnamese interacting as one Conference at Purdue University! We were able to attend workshops and panels with other leaders to learn more about how we can better our organizations within our home universities. I was able to network and connect with other student leaders all across the Midwest and build relationships within a wider cultural and professional community. Thank you to the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest for creating a welcoming space for student leaders to come together, share our experiences, learn from one another, and grow as passionate individuals.?