INTRODUCING THE VIETNAMESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION
The Vietnamese Student Association at Lakehead University serves as a vibrant hub for students to celebrate and share the rich culture, traditions, and experiences of Vietnam. Founded by Hung Lam, their aim is to foster a sense of community and belonging. The club organizes a variety of events that showcase Vietnamese heritage, from traditional festivals to cultural workshops. VSA not only provides a space for Vietnamese students to connect with one another but also invites those from diverse backgrounds to learn and engage with the culture. With a warm and welcoming atmosphere, they are a key player in the university's multicultural landscape. Whether you’re interested in exploring new cuisines, participating in cultural celebrations, or simply making new friends, the VSA offers a unique opportunity to experience the richness of Vietnamese culture right on campus. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Hung Lam, President of VSA to ask some questions regarding his club. These were his responses:
What challenges do you foresee, and how can the club address them?
“As a newly emerging club, I think getting new members, retaining current members and popularizing our brand are the most prevalent challenges. Our club is called Vietnamese Student Association but our membership is not at all restricted to Vietnamese, as of the current state, I believe about 30% of the club's members are from other countries. And that is the message that I've been working with my club to convey. Regarding the mission of popularizing ourselves, I understand that Vietnamese culture is a niche content, not everyone would be interested and care much about it as it is, so one of our largest challenges has been how to introduce it to a larger international community while still making it interesting.”
How will you measure the success of the club’s initiatives this semester?
“To me, the easiest measure of success for us will be the attendance of our two main events: the Mid-Autumn Festival in October and the Lunar New Year Celebration in January. To follow up with last year's successes is to match or surpass the number of attendees while retaining the same level of positive feedback. And we further hope to grow the name of VSA to more than just a niche club but a commonly mentioned name when it comes to Lakehead's student clubs.”
What opportunities are there for members to take on leadership roles?
“We hold annual elections where all of our registered members are eligible to run for any and all of our leadership positions in the club. On top of that, with every event, we will always let our members volunteer to take on the leading role of a specific task group.”
How can the club improve communication and involvement among members?
“So far, we've relied on LU email and Instagram for the majority of our mass communication, and for more casual chats and talks, we have several smaller group chats for our members to freely communicate. To further improve this system is to ensure that all of our members are aware of the availability of these channels and that they can contact our BOD as well through any of our posted emails or social media accounts.”
Hung is a student at Lakehead and a longtime friend. He is extremely committed to providing the best experiences at his club events. If you are interested in joining, head over to LUSU’s club page and look for the Vietnamese Student Association! We look forward to seeing you there!