Summer is on the horizon, and ASA has been keeping busy! If school is over for you, we hope your break is going well, and for those wrapping up the school year, you got this!

A mix of speaking engagements, panels, and partnerships have kept ASA busy this month, so get ready for a recap of all we’ve done! We are thankful to all who have partnered and invited ASA to speak. Also, stay tuned for some new-grad insight, intern Q&A, summer advice, and ASA’s annual report.

ASA Staff Corner

During the summers of your college years, what are you happy you did and what do you wish you did more of?

Michell Ji (Board of Director): Great question! I think I was glad I took summer school at the local community college so I could make up some general ed credits for a wayyyy cheaper tuition and also made sure I could graduate in 4 years as an engineer! And one summer I lived in Philadelphia city center with my boyfriend at the time (who had a co-op) and took online classes while exploring the east coast. I remember feeling so independent and free. 🙂

I wish I got the opportunity to study abroad tho! I feel like everyone who did loved their experiences!

David Harbin (Board of Director): During my summers in college, I was mostly productive. The summer going into my sophomore year, I attended various leadership workshops with the Philippine Student Association, where we planned the next year’s events as officers of the RSO. I helped design our group shirt, organize our yearly football tournament, etc. Going into my Junior year summer, I held down two jobs – one with the campus IT help desk full time, the other being an internship with the Alumni Magazine (journalism major). Senior year summer I worked full-time at the IT help desk which turned into my career a month in, and I also took an online class to make up some credits I missed during the Spring. So yea, I’d say I made the most of my summers in college. It’s important to prioritize the “break” with something that helps move your life forward. You never know what those couple months could do for you. I saw it as a chance to get a leg up, but be sure you’re enjoying yourself too!

Thank you Sugar Bliss!

ASA and Sugar Bliss’ Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month partnership promotion has come to an end, providing ASA with a generous gift of $250 from this collaboration. Special thanks to Teresa Ging, CEO & Founder of Sugar Bliss, for this exciting partnership! Thank you to everyone who made orders, supporting both ASA and Sugar Bliss.

ASA Day of Giving, Thank you!

Thank you to all who have chosen to support ASA on our Day of Giving! Every gift means the world for a non-profit, and we hope that you choose to continue to support us and our mission.

What are your summer plans? And how do you relax during the summer?

As many schools begin their summer break, we asked our interns what their plans were to unwind?

Aglaia: This summer I plan to road trip to Canada with my cousin I’m very excited. I also have a family reunion in Texas. I have two methods of relaxation during the summer: being outside and soaking up sun, and reading.

Claire: This summer, I’ll be taking a couple online classes and spending time with friends and family. I would definitely say that part of relaxing during the summer is catching up on sleep and enjoying the nice weather.

MJ: After my trip to Canada in the first week of summer (first time seeing Niagara Falls, absolutely stunning, also saw my first baseball game!), I plan to pack my summer would climbing, coding, and work for ASA! In my free time, I like to read, watch movies, and jog outside.

MJ’s view of the Rogers Centre before the Blue Jay’s game against the Minnesota Twins

Liana: Summer plans: I will be going to South Korea for two weeks, working a job, studying Chinese, volunteering, reading, drawing, and of course, being an ASA intern!!! How I relax over the summer: draw, read, bake, go to book stores, and have dinner with my family 🙂

Rehman: I’m taking classes this summer, I play pickleball to relax.

Wendy: My summer plans are actually to learn more about investing and coding through a program I am doing for first-generation women and I will also be going to Cambodia (where my family is from) to see my family for the first time since the pandemic, so I’m super excited!! As for how I relax during the summer, I really enjoy just sitting out in the sun (I’m from LA), grabbing ice cream, and hanging out with my friends in spontaneous trips around SoCal.

Siemens Healthineers

Thank you to the professionals at Siemens Healthineers Siemens Healthineers’ Employee Resource Group, Asian Cultural Exchange, who invited and listened to ASA. It was a great private event, and we hope to see more of you soon!

We encourage you all to invite ASA to your workplace to speak on any topics of your choice!

NAAAP Adoptee Panel

Thank you to everyone who attended the NAAAP Adoptee Panel, featuring ASA’s President/CEO, Shane Carlin. Special thanks to NAAAP for inviting Shane to moderate at the panel.

Donor Spotlight

Intern Spotlight

Each month, we’ll highlight a different intern and ask them different questions for you to get to know them. This month, featuring our interns who just graduated: Annu Luu and Asad Shaikh!

Name: Anna Luu
University: University of Kentucky

Major: International Studies & Japan Studies
Position at ASA: Graphic Design and Data Analytics Intern

What’s next for you?

I’m currently applying to graduate school!

What is your dream vacation spot and why?

My dream vacation spot is Vietnam! There’s lot of delicious foods and really pretty photo spots : )

Name: Asad A. Shaikh

University: University of Texas at Dallas

Major: Information Technology and Systems

Position at ASA: Technology and Business Development Intern

What’s next for you?

Looking for a good job and doing certifications

What is your dream vacation spot and why?

My next vacation is my dream vacation. I’m very outdoorsy and I love nature. In a few weeks I am going to Seattle followed by Alaska.

ASA Annual Report

ASA is so excited to announce our first ever Annual Report! In this report, we recapped our accomplishments in 2023 and what is to come for the remainder of 2024.

Once again, Happy AAPI Month!

We hope that you had a great Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! We hope that it was a time to appreciate and connect with AAPI culture and history.

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