ITASA

Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association Share stuff you like with us! (Click "Share")

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University of Michigan TASA Spotlight

1. What is your TASA's community like? Our TASA welcomes everyone! We try our best to embody the welcoming community that Taiwanese Americans are. We love food (minced pork rice anyone?), meeting new people, and being our ridiculous selves. 

2. What do you wish to accomplish on your campus/What influence or effect would you like to have on people at your school? Our goal is to create a space for Taiwanese American students or any student partial to our community to meet people and make friends. We really just want to help people form those bonds that carry you through college and through the rest of your life. TASA is where a lot of our board members made our first friends, and those bonds have stayed with us to graduation and beyond. 

3. What are some of your favorite things about Taiwan/Taiwanese culture? One great thing about Taiwanese culture is how respectful people are to each other. Every person deserves courtesy, and every person is valued. In terms of great things about Taiwan, there's awesome night markets to explore, as well as lots of beautiful nature all around.

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Yale University TAS Spotlight

1. What is Yale TASA's community like?

The Taiwanese American Society (TAS) at Yale aims to promote awareness through the cultural, social, and political events and serves as a multilateral platform to connect anyone and everyone interested in Taiwanese culture. Yale TAS is non-exclusive and embraces with open arms all who are interested in joining the organization. From learning how to fold dumplings to sampling authentic Taiwanese dishes, from becoming a Big Sib for adopted Chinese children in CASPY to bonding with a TAS family, TAS welcomes everyone interested in participating. While advocating for cultural diversity, inclusion, and participation in conjunction with the other cultural organizations on campus, TAS, above all, is a supportive community consisting of a warm and diverse group of friends.

2. What do you wish to accomplish on your campus/What influence or effect would you like to have on people at your school?

The largest goal for TAS is promoting cultural awareness, aiming to increase diversity inclusion and multicultural participation on campus. TAS holds political events that provide safe spaces for discussion and invite speakers to address pressing issues. Through the TAS newsletter, TAS serves as the receiver and distributor of important events and different opportunities in Taiwan and in aspects of cultural and diversity engagement. In addition, TAS holds many food events to share the beauty of Taiwanese cuisine. Most importantly, TAS aspires to function as a platform where students of Taiwanese heritage can connect with their roots and where students of all races can find welcoming inclusion into the TAS and the larger Asian American community at Yale.  

3. What are some of your favorite things about Taiwan/Taiwanese culture?

“FOOD!,” shouted the TAS board in response to this question, an enthusiastic reaction as expected for the KING of Taiwanese culture. Food reigns above all not only because Taiwanese food is delicious but also because it constitutes the medium that provides the most direct, intimate , and comfortable connection to many other splendid aspects of Taiwan and its culture. Ken, the TAS co-mod, replied that he loves Taiwan’s hospitality, the people’s friendly smiles and energetic reactions to newcomers and foreigners. For example, for board turnover dinner, TAS dined in a restaurant whose Taiwanese owners prepared a private, off-the-menu meal, with many free extras, to share, very enthusiastically, a taste of Taiwan, of both its delicious food and warm spirit.

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Meet the Philanthropy Department!

Vivian Chen 

Year: Senior 

Age: 21 

School: New York University 

Major: Applied Psychology

Minors: Producing and Creative Writing 

Hometown: Hong Kong 

Been on ITASA: Summer 2013 

A little about yourself: I love listening to music and choreographing, but sadly haven’t really danced again since freshman year. 

Christie Shen 

Year: Junior 

Age: 21 

School: Johns Hopkins University 

Major: Public Health 

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA 

Been on ITASA: since summer 2015 

A little about yourself: I can lick my elbow? 

Alison Chan 

Year: Senior 

Age: 22 

School: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 

Major: Psychology

Minor: Asian American Studies 

Hometown: Carpentersville, CA 

Been on ITASA: Summer 2016 

A little about yourself: I love to travel and try new foods.

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The New School Taiwanese Student Association

1. Any big events that are happening throughout the year ?

Some of the major events that New School TSA (NSTSA) hosted this year included Taiwanese Movie Night and International Game Night. On the night of October 10th, we celebrated Taiwan’s National Holiday by screening Taiwanese movies and providing refreshments to the greater New School community. Furthermore, in collaboration with the New School Game Club, we provided various cultural games and refreshments for the public to educate the community about aspects of Taiwanese culture only found in games. For instance, many participants got their hands on Mahjong for the first time in their lives.

2.What do you wish to accomplish on your campus/ What influence or effect would you like to have on people at your school ?

We all know how difficult it could be for college students, not to say those who are just starting in a new environment. We aim to become a platform for all those who are new New York, and introduce them to the cultural melting pot. The New School is known for having a higher international student percentage than most U.S. universities. This is why we take it as our responsibility to promote Taiwanese culture to the community, providing chances for those who are curious and eager to learn.

3. What are some of your favorite things about Taiwan/ Taiwanese Culture ?

You can’t get work done with an empty stomach. One common topic all of our fellow members enjoy is food. Whether it’s quick snacks from the night market or table dish from restaurants, we are proud and passionate about dining. Every month, our members decide on a restaurant in the city to host our Restaurant Night get-together. Great cuisine bonds us with each other and the city itself. That said, one of the things about Taiwanese culture that all our members enjoy is a burning passion for food!

It is a consensus that Taiwan is famous for its hospitality and foods. And the TSNSTA hopes to spread the spirit to the New School community by hosting series of monthly Restaurant Nights in various restaurants within New York City. The passion for delicious foods will bond people together. The sharing of food will create companionship through the hospitality of sharing of food.

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Spotlight: University of California, Berkeley Taiwanese American Student Association

1. Any big events that happen throughout the year? Recent/upcoming events?

With winter break and the end of the semester approaching, our last event will be a banquet to celebrate a great semester and to destress before finals! This semester we've had many events including Mahjong Night and Dumpling Night, where we invited people to come learn to play mahjong and how to make their own dumplings. We've also participated in EAU Night Market, a collaboration event comprised of many cultural student groups with delicious food and talented performers. In the spring we look forward to hosting the 3rd Boba Olympics, a collection of games centering around boba!

2. What do you wish to accomplish on your campus/What influence or effect would you like to have on people at your school?

Our goal is to provide a space for Taiwanese Americans and people with an interest in the culture and identity of Taiwanese Americans to come together and meet like-minded individuals. We hope to create a strong family-like community.

3. What are some of your favorite things about Taiwan/Taiwanese culture?

I love the MRT,  night markets, and beef noodle soup!

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Meet the Finance Department!

Name: Justin Doong

Year: Senior

Age: 22

School: Stanford University

Major: Electrical Engineering

Hometown: Kildeer, IL (Chicago area)

Been on ITASA: First Year

A little about yourself: I play the violin, I'm a big basketball and football fan, and my favorite boba drink is Hot Taro Milk from Fantasia!

Name: Deborah Wu

Year: Senior/ Class 2017

Age: 21

School: University of Maryland, College Park

Major: Community Health, Public Health Science

Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland

Been on ITASA: First year on ITASA! Been involved in UMCP TASA since freshman year of college.

A little bit about yourself: I’m a bit on the weird side, some what of a dork, maybe considered a nerd :) I love flying pigs and am a pretty big fan of any adorable little creatures. I promise I don’t bite so feel free to hit me up for a conversation! I’d love to get to know more people! 

Name: Harry Tong

Year: It’s 2016 but he never filled this out so idk. 

Age: College age. 

School: Northwestern University

Major: Professional Singer

Hometown: Naperville, Illinois

Been on ITASA: Forever in his heart.

A little bit about him: He’s a professional singer in his bathroom. The caption of his picture is: “When the waiter walks by with food but it’s not yours.”

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Spotlight: University of Maryland College Park Taiwanese American Student Association

Any big events that are happening throughout the year?

We have many events throughout the year. One of our four earlier events was a Big/Little pairing event, which consisted of old and new members meeting each other and pairing them up based on preferences and interests. Very recently we hosted a joint event with the Filipino Cultural Association called Survive CP. It involves teams and taggers running around the campus trying to solve clues at different stations. Casino Night is our game night mixer for TASAs in the DMV area. We encourage people to dress up in light-hearted fun and come enjoy some pseudo-gambling with us. This year’s theme is the roaring 20s/Great Gatsby! We offer performances from various student organizations, delicious Taiwanese food, games, and culture activities. Night market attracts over 800 attendees each year, which makes the event very lively and festive. 

What do you wish to accomplish on your campus/What influence or effect would yo like to have on people at your school?

On our campus, there has always been a slight rift between many of the cultural organizations on campus and we hope to help close that gap and make lasting impressions that will set a precedent of unity amongst the Asian Pacific Islander American community here at the University of Maryland.

What are some of your favorite things about Taiwan/Taiwanese culture?

Night market culture is very fun and is unique to Taiwan. It gives people the opportunity to sample different aspects of Taiwanese culture such as food, games, and traditional activities. Food is a very important aspect of any culture. In night markets, we get to explore different kinds of Taiwanese cuisine, and also talk about the culture behind each food. Night markets also have a lot of interesting games that integrate cultural aspects. We also love the traditional culture of Taiwan that is showcased. For example, yo-yo is a traditional toy that plays a significant role in Taiwanese history and is also utilized in performances.

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Spotlight: University of California, Santa Barbara Taiwanese American Student Association

Any big events that happen throughout the year? Recent/upcoming events?

At the end of each year we have our annual night market where we sell popular Taiwanese snacks such as sausage, oden, minced pork rice, and wintermelon tea.  We also have activities and performances throughout the night!

What do you wish to accomplish on your campus/What influence or effect would you like to have on people at your school?

Our goal as a club is to raise awareness and spread knowledge about Taiwanese culture.  We also provide a supportive community to Taiwanese-American students at UCSB. 

What are some of your favorite things about Taiwan/Taiwanese culture?

Some of our favorite things about Taiwan are 7-Eleven, the food of course, holidays such as the Mid Autumn Festival and the Lantern Festival, and the distinctively beautiful land of Taiwan itself!

Follow UCSB TASA on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/UCSBTASA/

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Meet the Programs Department

Interested in getting to know us or anyone else on national board? Be sure to sign up for FreeForCoffee and Search ITASA 2016-2017 National Board to sign up for some bonding.

 Dorinda

Name: Dorinda Fong

Year: Junior (2-18)

Age: 20

School: Brown University

Major: Environmental Engineering

Minor(s):

Hometown: Oak Park, CA

Been on ITASA: First Year

A little bit about yourself: I do aerial arts and make podcasts (take a listen here!). Let’s get to know each other on FreeForCoffee (sign up now at m.me/freeforcoffee<3!).

 Jason

Name: Eh-Hern Wang

Year: Senior

Age: 22

School: Stony Brook University

Major: Applied Math and Economic

Minor(s): Computer Science

Hometown: Taipei

Been on ITASA: First Year

A little bit about yourself: Hi my name is Jason.  I play sports and league.  I love making new friends via FreeForCoffee (sign up now at m.me/freeforcoffee<3!).

  Miru

Name: Miru Osuga

Year: 2018

Age: 20

School: University of Pennsylvania

Major: Communications

Minor(s): Asian American Studies

Hometown: New York City

Been on ITASA: 2 years

A little bit about yourself: Aspiring Asian American activist. Coffee and tea, photography, violin. GREAT AT PEELING ORANGES. Always down to talk via FreeForCoffee (sign up now at m.me/freeforcoffee<3!).

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A Letter to ITASA from 2016-2017 PVP

Welcome to another year with ITASA! This is Alice and Tiffany, your President and Vice President for 2016-2017! We hope that the start of the school year has been going great for everyone and that everyone has had a wonderful first few days of Fall! We are extremely excited to lead ITASA for this upcoming year and want to continue furthering the ITASA mission of connecting, inspiring, and empowering the Taiwanese American intercollegiate community!

This year, we are focused on repositioning and rebranding ITASA to better connect with districts and the greater community. What this means really is changing the way ITASA interacts with its members and the wider AAPI community; ultimately refocus on what truly matters- that is supporting and invigorating the TASAs within our network.

We look forward to working with everyone this year and hope to see you guys and the work you do in community!

Sincerely,

Alice and Tiffany

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Austin’s Letter to ITASA

Dear Readers,

It was four years ago that I had settled into my new dorm room and my new routine and thought, “this is going to be the year that I get my life together”. I was going to sleep normal hours, go to the gym, eat balanced meals, and actually learn as hard as possible. For a little while, it was working, at least until I cracked my phone screen, got a cold, stopped going to the gym, started hitting up the dining hall at 10 PM, skipping lectures, and you get the point.

Finally, I decided, next school year will be the year that everything comes together. Then of course it wasn’t, so again I made that same resolution, and we start to see a pattern. So eventually I find myself heading home from work after my first day on the new job wondering, “how many more starts and ends will I encounter again?” The truth is, that it’s hard to say. Without the built-in reset of each school year, it’s really up to you to pause and take stock of everything.

When it comes to academics, work, clubs, and everything else, my two cents are to find moments to take a breath and figure out if this is where you want to be. Are you accomplishing the things you set out to do? If both are a no, make tweaks, change one thing for the better, and hopefully you won’t find yourself waiting for the next reset.

- Austin Ko, former ITASA National President

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Meet the PR Department

Name: Jessica Zeng

Year: Class of 2018 (Junior)

Age: 20

School: University of Pennsylvania

Major: Health and Societies

Hometown: Solon, Ohio

Been on ITASA: Second Year! :D

A little bit about yourself: I’m allergic to all animals with fur and it sucks :/ My spirit animal is a squirrel because I have lots of energy. ITS LIT 🔥

Name: Candice Pan

Year: Senior

Age: 22

School: Stony Brook University

Major: Business Management

Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan

Been on ITASA: one year

A little bit about yourself: Sometimes I go to movies by myself so I can go anytime and anywhere without relying on anyone else’s input.’

Name: Jackie Wu

Year: Sophomore

Age: 19

School: Purdue University

Major: Computer Science with an Economics minor

Hometown: San Jose, CA

Been on ITASA: First year

A little bit about yourself: I starve to save money to buy stuff.

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Spotlight: Stony Brook University Taiwanese Student Association

Please briefly introduce us to your E-board members. 

Ladies and gentlemen, may I take this opportunity to introduce you to our able team of 15 members of the executive board.

President: Sydney Jaw

Vice President: Charles Chen

Treasurer: Candice Pan

Secretary: Annie Tsai

Public Relations: Alex Lin, Connie Lu, Connie Wang, Victoria Huang, Anna Huang, Bernie Chen

Event Coordinators: Vivian Wang, Carol Liu, Julie Cheng, Oliver Huang

Webmaster: Joelle Tham

What are a few large events that will happen through the year?

We will be conducting our annual big event called “Night Market” next semester. On this day, we will present our first ever “passport to Taiwan”. During this year, the association will conduct a competition in games and entertainment. The participants will be awarded according to their performance in different events. On the day of the events, we will expect an average of 300 participants. These activities aim at bringing together students of diverse Taiwanese beliefs and culture. 

What does your organization aim to accomplish on campus? What influence/effect would you like to see on your fellow students/peers in SBU?

The organization’s major aim is fostering national integration among students from the diverse culture and beliefs. Through such events, the organization aims at letting more people know about Taiwan. When students attend the event they can make more friends. Similarly, the events help students to discover their talents in other fields apart from academics. The peers in the SBU should learn to embrace brotherhood and hard work in their academic endeavors. Equally, unity will ensure growth, and development in the Taiwanese community. 

What are some of your personal favorites about Taiwan and its culture?

We love and appreciate the way the Taiwan students embrace diversity, culture, and beliefs of togetherness. This idea provides a favorable environment for one to comfortably live, learn, and work in the Taiwan community. The diversity in food provides one with a wider choice of selection. This promotes a balanced diet, which is indeed of importance to health. 

Follow Stony Brook University TSA Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/stonybrook.tsa/

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Spotlight: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

TASC has grown since it initially started in the spring of 1992. Originally, it started when five Taiwanese American students formed a group to discuss various issues concerning their identity. Eventually, their concerns and interests attracted many others and TASC grew to a membership of over 100 students. TASC has responded to the intimidating large group setting by forming smaller “families” where individuals are better able to share intimately with one another.

Our goal is to develop a family-like community that emphasizes openness to discussing topics such as Asian American identity, topics concerning Taiwan, multiculturalism, and relevant APIA issues.

Any big events that happen throughout the year? Recent/upcoming events?

TASC Night Market on October 21st! It's our biggest event of the year with an expected 2,000 attendees coming!

What do you wish to accomplish on your campus/What influence or effect would you like to have on people at your school?

TASC-UIUC not only hopes to provide a space for Taiwanese Americans to explore and develop their identity, but also to celebrate and share Taiwanese culture amongst the Champaign-Urbana community and UIUC students outside of the AAPI circles.

What are some of your favorite things about Taiwan/Taiwanese culture?

TAIWANESE HISTORY. FOOD. CONNECTION TO AFOREMENTIONED TAIWANESE HISTORY. A FEELING OF HOME EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT from TAIWAN

Follow UIUC-TASC on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/TASCUIUC/

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Yen’s Letter to ITASA

Hi everybody!

My name is Yen, and I was ITASA’s Vice President last year. I’m currently working full-time as a software engineer in Austin, Texas! When I first joined ITASA, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. Seeing groups of people flying into Texas for an ITASA conference from all over the states was an eye-opener, and I knew I wanted to get involved with the organization to be one of them, to see what’s out there and broaden my then limited view. That’s how I started out as the Texas District Governor for ITASA more than two years ago.

Fast-forward a little, after a hectic school year of planning events with a small number of Taiwanese American student organizations in Texas, I’d learned quite a few things and made many new friends. That’s when someone asked me, “hey..why don’t you run for Vice President?” HAHA - NO. That was my first reaction. Come on, are you kidding me, I had only been on the board for one year, and you want me to take on the responsibility of the whole organization? Obviously, I did end up running for the position. Thanks to the encouragement from those many friends I made, I decided to step up and away from my comfort zone. So throughout last year, along with my strong involvement with the TASA at my school, I looked at things from a broader perspective as the VP of ITASA.

I started thinking about how to better connect our Taiwanese American community and the larger Asian American community, and I became more connected through branching out into different organizations. There were definitely times when I felt overwhelmed by all the responsibilities that came with the role and opportunities that I may be missing out on outside of ITASA. Sometimes, I felt incompetent and that I wasn’t fulfilling my duty as the VP of ITASA. However, I was able to pull through with the help of friends that I’ve made along the way, and my involvement with ITASA and the TA community has proved to be immensely helpful with both my career and my personal development.

One lesson that I would tell the new ITASA board members and other students who would like to be involved with the community is to attend as many ITASA conferences as possible. I have attended every conference during my involvement, and I was amazed every time with how much I could take away with me. Our friends spend a lot of time and effort to bring the conferences to us, and attending them is the easiest way to get involved. So..(here comes the cliché) despite the hardships and difficulties that I’ve faced with ITASA involvement, I’ve grown myself as a person and a leader and made fantastic connections along the way; EVERYTHING WAS WORTH IT. If given another chance, I would choose to do it all over again in the blink of an eye.

(Did I mention I made super-duper awesome friends because of ITASA?)

Go ITASA!

Yen

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Pictures from ITASA Summer Summit!

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ITASA 2016 Tri-State District Spring Mixer!

The ITASA Tri-State district held a spring mixer on the Central Park Great Lawn in March, hosting a picnic and scavenger hunt!