I would say for the college students going back to school, the most important thing is to HAVE FUN! College goes by so fast, and some of the best friendships and memories are made that last a lifetime. Experience everything, go out with friends, study hard, and do your best! But at the same time, be sure to evaluate your mental health and take a step back if you ever feel overwhelmed- student health clinics are free and have therapists to talk to whenever you need.

For the young professionals, NETWORK! I was a recruiter for 3M for the University of Missouri when I lived down there before moving to St. Paul, and I chatted with lots of potential candidates at our booth, reviewed hundreds of resumes, interviewed many students, and HIRED some of them. The best candidates have confidence, composure, great writing and communication skills, and are well rounded with their experience and extra -curriculars. We’d always hire the 3.0 student with a stellar personality and campus involvement over the 4.0 student who only focused on grades. Because the most important thing that we look for is how well you work together with others, how well you manage conflict, and how well you manage your time and priorities. And even if you’re a freshman or sophomore, still go to the career fairs and talk to us! We remember you!! And we remember you over the years so that puts you in a really good light and helps to at least get your foot in the door. Good luck to all the students out there!!

My big tip for college students going back to school would be to get involved and get a jumpstart on nailing down your routine! I always found that finding a routine was helpful in my day to day.

For those young professionals looking to enter the job force soon, my best advice would be to take advantage of all the resources your university has to offer when it comes to networking events, mock interviews, and etc.

Jamie Cha, UX/Tech Coordinator

For freshmen in college, I would say make an excel sheet with all the classes you need to take to graduate. You should have a planned out list of what year and what semester you need to take each and every class. sometimes you need a prerequisite class, like a class that you are required to take before a certain class and if you miss the time to take it, you could be set back. I would also recommend that you read when each class is offered because they could differ and mess with your schedule in the future if you are not prepared.
A lot of students like to go to their advisors for their schedules but I would recommend you go to the director of your major. they know a lot more and more details about the courses you need to take and which ones you can take together. I would also say try and take as many credits as possible. be mindful of how much you can handle of course but don’t just take the minimum required but maybe take an extra class and see how you do with that load of work.
Finding internships are hard but don’t be discouraged. definitely start applying way before you think you need to. Keep track of the status of all your applications. A handful is never enough with internships. Apply to as many as you can.
As for applying to jobs, it’s the same thing as internships, however, it’s more daunting. It’s your first step into the real adult world and it can be scary. Don’t think your first job defines you. This is a stepping stone and a piece of your overall career. It may also shape you and show you what you like and don’t like in a job that you can now use to find other jobs in the future.

As I get ready for graduate school, I’ve found that staying organized and starting early makes a big difference. I’m preparing for any required assignments and tests with a study plan and keeping in mind my goals through this program. Keeping track of deadlines and getting advice from my professors and Teaching Assistants (TAs) has also been really useful. Staying focused and motivated helps me handle the process more easily. In addition, building good relationships with classmates and professors are important, as they are the people that I will interact with most often and we often have similar goals and interests.

Anna Luu, Marketing Coordinator

Anna Luu, Marketing Coordinator

A class that impacted me the most would be a Global Inequalities course that I took prior to college. Through this course, I was introduced to critical topics, including economic disparities between nations, social justice issues, and the effects of globalization on different populations. This not only deepened my understanding of the systemic inequities that exist on a global scale but also highlighted the interconnectedness of these issues. The knowledge I gained from this class inspired me to major in International Studies and look into careers and extracurriculars that deal with advocacy and diversity.

The most impactful class I’ve taken in college has been my freshman year Chinese class. It was a small class but filled with genuinely kind, hardworking, and funny people from all different years. It was a very unique class in that we all spent Monday through Friday at 9:30am together and quickly bonded with one another over learning a hard language and spending time together studying and worrying about exams. The professor was also truly outstanding in her patience, understanding, and ability to make this class very accessible and fun. This class has made me really motivated to continue learning Chinese and has allowed me to meet some really great people.

Liana Tortora, Graphic Design Intern

Avery Tortora, Videography Intern

The most impactful class I’ve taken is journalism during my junior and senior year of high school. From being the opinions section editor to the Co-Editor-in-Chief, it was an amazing experience learning leadership skills while also being able to do something I love, which is write. It helped me stay involved in my campus and community and forge amazing relationships as well.

I studied abroad in Costa Rica after graduating college in 2023 (quarantine’s effect on the college experience left me no choice to travel sooner) and I took a course for Costa Rican Culture. The class essentially was an overview of Costa Rica’s history – diving into a lot of different aspects, including: wildlife, cultural diversity and mythology. Not only did I learn about the area where I was living at the time, but I connected with the information I learned. I especially feel like that class enhanced my experience while I was in Costa Rica because we took trips to immerse ourselves in the culture by visiting the National Museum of Costa Rica and the University of Costa Rica.

Tyler Turner, Web Design Intern

Name: Avery Tortora
University: Penn State University

Major: Film production
Position at ASA: Videography Intern

What is something memorable that happened this summer?

A memorable event from summer would be visiting Niagara Falls with my family.

What was a movie you recently watched and did you like it? Why?

My most recently watched movie is “Village of the Damned” and I enjoyed it because it reminded me of a longer version of a “The Twilight Zone” episode.

Asian Student Achievement is hiring for ALL our intern positions. Join our amazing team and help Asian/Asian Americans through the pipeline to leadership in the workplace.

Click the button below to find the job descriptions of all our intern positions and send your CV to ops@learnasa.org.

As an Asian American who has personally benefited from mentors and coaches in navigating my career journey and now advises underserved college-aged students, I wholeheartedly believe in the mission and work of Asian Student Achievement (ASA) to empower Asian and Asian Americans to progress through the pipeline into leadership positions. Without the space, community, and opportunity that organizations like ASA provide, it shows that success is not only possible but achievable.