Mid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student Associations

The Mid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student Associations (MAUVSA) is a non-profit alliance of college-based cultural organizations from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. It consists of campus chapters from eight major schools throughout the region:

1. George Mason University
2. George Washington University
3. Georgetown University
4. James Madison University
5. University of Maryland – College Park
6. Universityof Virginia
7. Virginia Commonwealth University
8. Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University.

Each chapter operates independently and autonomously from the rest. Over the years, this has led to various (and sometimes conflicting) goals, methods and activities.

By providing common direction and focus, MAUVSA seeks to unify the student community, facilitate communication and cooperation throughout the region, empower and develop young leaders, foster cultural awareness and education, and promote social justice.

History

In 2006, the Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations (uNAVSA) approached students from Virginia Commonwealth University with the idea of creating an umbrella organization in the Mid-Atlantic area, similar to UVSA and other regional networks. The seven universities that would form MAUVSA held their first summit on October 14, 2006. Representatives from these schools were greeted by the helpful direction of uNAVSA President Hai T. Ton, External Vice-President Minh Thanh Nguyen, and Treasurer Aileen Pham. The uNAVSA officers presented an overview of leadership, and facilitated workshops on topics such as membership, coalition building, and project management. After this initial summit, leaders from the seven VSAs continued to meet throughout the academic year, and focused on drafting MAUVSA’s new constitution. On July 21, 2007, they ratified and signed the constitution, officially recognizing and sanctioning the organization.

Activities

The primary activity for MAUVSA is a series of monthly leadership summits. Each summit provides the opportunity for students to exchange information, establish relationships, evaluate activities, and coordinate programs at the campus level. The summit series also provides a forum for student leaders to discuss organizational challenges such as membership recruitment, membership retention, coalition building, conflict resolution, project management, and the role of young Vietnamese Americans in society.

Each January, MAUVSA hosts a Annual Conference. Programming for the event emphasizes networking and social interaction. It also includes information seminars and workshops on topics such as Vietnamese history, Vietnamese cinema, personal finance, and team-building.

MAUVSA also supports and promotes the programs of its campus chapters, such as:

1. VSA Families, a mentoring program for new freshmen and transfer students
2. VSA Interns, a training program for emerging leaders
3. Cultural holiday celebrations, including Full Moon Festival and Tet Show
4. Vietnamese language/culture classes
5. College Preparation Seminar, an outreach and development workshop for high school students