MOST OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATION NOMINEE
vietnamese student association at Louisiana state university
What are the purpose and goal(s) of your organization, and how has it met or exceeded those goals?
The purpose of VSA-LSU as an organization is to be a place of community, uniting students through opportunities to connect, serve those in need, and partake in culturally-enriching events. We’ve met our goals and so much more. Looking back to when VSA-LSU first started, there has been so much growth in not only membership but also the overall activity of the organization. This year, we have branched off into new territories and even broke records for our organization setting ourselves to higher standards.
For example, this year VSA-LSU partnered with multiple organizations on campus to raise money not just for our CPP but with other fundraisers as well. This year for community service not only did we focus on giving back to the community, we were able to give more to those further out. For community service month, organizations like Global Brigades at LSU helped us bring many members together with the goal of assisting doctors, military men, and students in other countries by helping those and piled money to purchase donations for those around the world. Donations included money, toiletries, feminine and hygiene products, cleaning materials, and canned goods. All of this couldn’t have been done with the help of our members.
VSA-LSU has also remained consistently active throughout the year with being involved within our own VSA, holding casual outings, visiting GC and other VSA events, and much more. This year we didn’t just make members feel welcome, we created a community where each member had their moment and every moment is its own memory.
Address how your organization was outstanding in the following areas: recruitment, marketing, outreach to campus community, use of resources, officer training and event planning.
On campus, VSA-LSU has been involved with many student involvement fairs for the Fall and Spring semesters where student organizations gather around to inform students about their mission and potentially recruit new members. At these fairs, as we inform students about VSA, we draw crowds to our organization with raffles for prizes ranging from a free shirt to free entry to some of our events and increase attendance, we include a flyer containing all of our events with dates, times, and social media information.
Outside of campus VSA-LSU utilizes many social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. To maximize communication between VSA-LSU and our members, we have a formal page where we post our upcoming events and the information pertaining to them. On this private page, E-Board and members of VSA-LSU are notified of any upcoming events and are able to discuss freely about anything they’d like to, from starting video game groups to finding help for classes, members use this page to speak their minds in a safe and welcome environment. In addition to the use of Facebook, we use Snapchat and Instagram to promote our events with informative flyers about events from VSA, other VSA’s, and LSU events. These efforts have resulted in a massive audience at intramural games from members and nonmembers, many of which envy the overwhelming support of our organization. We’ve also seen other organizations come and support our events such as Global Brigades, Asian American Ambassadors, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers.
In past years, VSA-LSU has been fairly active in campus community outreach. Despite having slow communication, interference with weather, and other issues, VSA-LSU has promoted activity on and off campus. On campus as a student organization, we’ve partnered with the campus in promoting the tutoring center in helping students with their education and earn money if they wish to be a tutor. As a cultural organization LSU has reached out to VSA-LSU as one of the most populous student organizations on campus to participate in many multi-cultural events. This year we were invited to partake in a cultural fashion show, perform on stage with the other cultural organizations, and display our culture’s cuisine at a “Street Food Night” event. Unfortunately, some of the events listed had been cancelled due to the current pandemic, but we have been invited to partake in the events once everything calms down.
VSA-LSU has been efficient with using and reusing resources. When it comes to planning, we break down to the smallest of details to know where things go and what is needed for our events. Luckily for us, past e-boards have left us an inventory with materials that can be reused. To plan out events we take a look into what is needed and check our inventory to see if we already have the required material, if not we take note and put it into account for what needs to be prepared or bought. As for preparations we like to utilize resources that we have at home such as tools, electronics, and more to save us time, money, and energy. With high consideration we make sure that everything stays in the budget and prevents any excess work.
Around the beginning of the Fall Semester, VSA-LSU holds a V-Day, which serves as a one-day leadership retreat for executive board members. This event is set up and put together by our senior advisors. The purpose of V-Day is to benefit the executive board members by teaching crucial skills for a group; these skills include communication, teamwork, trust, and patience. This helped the board as they didn’t quite know each other’s work ethic, thoughts, and backgrounds. It helped the board grow closer and work together effectively throughout their term.
When planning events, VSA-LSU created a timeline for both the fall and spring semester, accounting for major events like music festivals, holidays, midterms, finals, and even other VSA events. Based on the event, planning starts 2 weeks to as early as 7 months in advance. Event planning included location, time, date, supplies, ingredients, expected attendance, and contingency plans - such as relocating and insufficient supplies. To further expand, we would have a list of places to relocate a meeting or event at a moment’s notice. More supplies would be on hand, in case we ran out, excluding food for budgetary reasons.
How did the organization work together to maximize strengths and overcome weaknesses?
At the start of the 2019-2020 term, the E-Board lacked confidence, communication, and synergy, and as a group, the board members decided to make it a priority to improve, to grow, and to overcome this weakness. To initiate such a growth, the board would often get together for a regular hangout, eat dinner, and even share a day to celebrate Christmas together like a family. As an E-Board, we faced many different personalities of many different leadership directions, where some members would be more on the creative side and others would be leaning more towards being analytical. This, however, turned out to be one of our greatest strengths in which we were able to come up with amazing ideas for VSA. Some of which could be recognized, such as the Spring Game Night event, which brought together new members and new friends. With the amount of support and outlook of the board, friends who were once strangers, this brought about a spark of bringing the initiative, leading to newer ideas for the future. In the end, we collaborated and pushed one another to do the best we could for VSA-LSU and figured out the best solution.
Provide specific examples of how the student group demonstrated growth and development in the 2018-2019 academic year.
This year, VSA-LSU continues to grow as it always has, but this year it’s different. What makes this growth different from past years is how we decided to make some adjustments to how things have been run. Changes ranged from date planning, detail adjustments, and adding new events. Even with these changes we have been able to maintain consistent energy and activity, if not then more. As usual, we continue to provide exceptional events for our members, offering opportunities for members and nonmembers to socialize, bask in the Vietnamese culture, and take part in helping our community. As a result of these slight alterations and consistent activity with our regular events, VSA-LSU has been able to reach new heights.
One of our best examples that demonstrates growth development this year is the Spring Semester Game Night. Compared to past years where there was only one “Game Night” event in the year, this year we saw that with another “Game Night” event, members get another opportunity to interact, socialize, and essentially have a good time. At this event members got to participate in a Smash Bros. Tournament with the small fee of $2 to enter and enjoy a rich and crispy pandan waffle where all proceeds gained from the event would be
Another good example would be the promotion of our new “Too Much Drip” CPP Shirt. The idea of having the CPP Shirts itself was already concrete, but collectively as an E-Board we were given the idea that we could do much more with the idea of a CPP Shirt. By coming up with this marketing strategy of combining a sleek design, pop culture incorporation, and high levels of promotion, we have been able to gain much popularity not just within the region, BUT within the nation, receiving orders from all over. With much profit gained from this grand idea, all proceeds will be going to CPP.
Based on the couple of examples alone, it can be seen that VSA-LSU has demonstrated much growth and development. These ideas not only benefit the present, but it builds more potential for the future.