The Asian Student Union (ASU) has been inactive due to decreased participation within the student organization, stemming from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, members said. However, starting this spring semester, ASU is back.

“[ASU is] active again because we saw the need for representation of Asian identity in the Iowa State community, so we wanted to be a spot where people could come together and meet new people that share the same identity as them,” MaLeena Tiengkham, president of ASU and a senior in event management, said.

ASU aims to build community by hosting events and creating a safe place to socialize on campus. The club is dedicated to providing resources and spreading awareness about the Asian identity on campus, whether by raising money for organizations that support the Asian identity or sharing campus resources.

With its diverse and inclusive atmosphere, ASU serves as an umbrella for the Asian community on campus. “ASU is for everybody, even though the other organizations welcome everybody, we’re more of a community that people feel comfortable joining,” Zhi Yang Teh, internal of ASU and a junior in computer science, said.

Tiengkham emphasized the importance of creating meaningful connections among identity-based organizations on campus and amplifying collective voices.

“We are trying to reach out to other identity-based organizations such as the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) and Ames Student Association for Malaysians (ASAM),” Tiengkham said. “We also connected with Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) and found out that they support organizations like this regarding funding or resources. If we have an event for all students, they’ll be able to support us as well.”

ASU will collaborate with the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) Friday to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

“We will have a potluck, a presentation on the history of Lunar New Year and students will share how they celebrated at home,” Anthony Phan, ASU treasurer and a senior in software engineering, said.

This exciting collaboration gives students the opportunity to learn about the significance of this traditional holiday while celebrating it in joyful custom, Phan said, with traditional games, karaoke and paper crafts provided.

Campus life is often accompanied by the inevitable stress as students navigate through assignments, exams and various responsibilities. Recognizing the significance of wellness, members of ASU said the organization prioritizes initiatives to support student well-being.

“We want to do more wellness events to help people during stressful times, like for midterms, we want to have a study social where people can come together, study and keep their mind off all their stresses,” Ashante Leng, secretary of ASU and a senior in apparel, merchandising and design, said.

Members of ASU said the student-led organization provides a space for those seeking connection, understanding and a sense of belonging.

“You can note that it’s free to join our club, and we welcome everybody, so you don’t have to be Asian to join the club,” Jaelyn Luong, multimedia director of ASU and a senior in culinary food science, said. “You can have an interest in Asian culture, or you can just come to hang out and meet the members. A lot of lowerclassmen are looking for a group or a community to go or join, and some people feel lost when they go to college, and having an organization like this helps them find a home away from home.”