May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, but no matter the time of year, we don’t have to look far to find support, community engagement, and cultural celebration of Asian Americans at UNC Greensboro.
Cultural Learning and Support
Although 5% of our student enrollment identifies as Asian American, these students contribute substantially to the vibrancy of our campus. Groups like the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) and the Japanese Club (known around campus as the J-Club) allow students to learn more about their culture and meet like minds.
Class of 2026 graduate Swee Paw admitted that, as an introvert, she was timid about joining campus organizations until a classmate invited her to join a VSA meeting. “While not everyone in VSA identifies as Asian American, it has been such a supportive community for me,” she says. “Now I am the treasurer, and I also performed the Vietnamese traditional fan dance with the club last semester.”
Paw’s November performance was part of the Asian Autumn Festival, a celebration of harvest holidays in Asia. The event is sponsored by the Department of History and the Department of International and Global Studies with support from the Global Engagement Office and the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures. It invites students, University staff, and the Greensboro community to learn more about Asian traditions and culture through booths, activities and performances.
Elevate Your Flavor Profile
Faculty and staff members also find common ground in engagement with cultural organizations. Assistant Professor of Sociology, Criminology and Justice Studies Ting Wang leads the Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus (APIC) chapter on campus and organizes a luncheon each May.
“We will be celebrating AAPI Heritage Month through APIC’s annual signature event, now in its third consecutive year, with the generous support of the Provost’s Office and the Affinity Group Council,” she announces.
The luncheon is open to the public and features an Asian fusion menu. Held in Room 3501 of Moore Humanities & Research Administration Building on Friday, May 15, noon-2 p.m., it will provide an opportunity for fellowship and cultural sharing. Wang welcomes the entire campus community to attend.
Staff like SaQuang Lam, (left) assistant director of Student Health Services, find their way to UNCG and make it a better place!
Community Engagement and Research
Equally as important as opportunities for connection between Spartans of Asian descent, are the resources and support that UNCG dedicates to causes that affect Asian communities. Many of our faculty members are engaged in research and creative discovery focusing on Asian cultures.
Just this year, the Division of Research and Engagement presented an award of distinction to the Montagnard/Asian Community Disparities Research Network (MACDRN) and Montagnard Association of North Carolina, in celebration of their community-engaged partnership. This partnership was founded in 2012 to address gaps in services provided to refugee communities.
The cause is especially important to UNCG because the Greensboro metro area has the largest population of Montagnards outside of Southeast Asia. They are indigenous people of the Vietnamese Central Highlands whose parents and grandparents fought alongside U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam and relocated here after the war.
The award specifically recognizes the efforts of faculty members Drs. Sharon Morrison, Sudha Shreeniwas, and Assistant Professor Ana Sucaldito, who have worked tirelessly alongside Montagnard civic leaders on community-based participatory research to advance the health and wellness of their community.
Whether through engagement and research, cultural celebrations, or student support, UNCG is proud to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage. Occasions like this give us a reminder to take pride in the ways cultural groups make us who we are.
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications.
Photos by Sean Norona, University Communications.
