The ASA Newsletter: Issue 28
Happy Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, happy Diwali, and happy Halloween! We at Asian Student Achievement (ASA) hope you’ve had a fun and celebratory month. In the meantime, we’ve been busy prepping for a packed schedule filled with upcoming fundraisers and speaking engagements to close out 2025. Take a look at what we’ve done and catch a sneak peek of what’s coming up in our October newsletter!
Support Asian Student Achievement
From now until the end of December, all gifts to Asian Student Achievement will be matched up to $100,000. We would like to thank our generous anonymous donor for their support in helping Asians and Asian Americans turn their professional aspirations into a reality.
Your gifts support our mission of bringing Asians and Asian Americans into the pipeline to leadership. With your continued support, Asian Student Achievement has been able to offer extensive one-on-one career coaching sessions, meticulously crafted workshops and speeches on educational and vocational soft skills, and a diversity-driven job board—all of which helps to equip Asians and Asian Americans with the soft skills required to succeed in the industries of tomorrow.
CACEN x ASA Joint Fundraiser
Join us on Thursday, November 6 in Denver, Colorado for a joint fundraiser with the Colorado Asian Culture & Education Network! Give, network, and fundraise with us to help bring more Asians and Asian Americans through the pipeline to workplace leadership.
We would especially like to thank 3456tea, a locally-owned Korean restaurant for providing food and drinks.
Staff Corner
Congrats! You got the job! But what now? Content Writing Intern Julianne Sun asked Asian Student Achievement’s Board of Directors for tips on navigating the challenges of a new work environment.
Shane Carlin
Founder and CEO
“A new work environment can be like drinking from a fire hydrant. To start getting comfortable, research, research, research! The more you know, the better you’ll be prepared. Do a listening learning tour of meeting people. Wait until you’ve been in the organization before you say, ‘When I was at ‘X’ place, we did it this way.’ Also, do water cooler talk and have informal conversations. For those that you’ll be working with more often, schedule a get-to-know-you meeting.”
“The biggest hurdles for me are finding out who is responsible for getting you the information you need, as well as everyone’s roles and responsibilities! Then comes the work culture – is it more formal or more relaxed? Do coworkers hang out or is it strictly business? Are there people that I can connect with – maybe someone who grew up in a similar area or someone who likes the same things I do. Also make sure you have a supportive manager who can provide constructive coaching sessions to set you up for success!”
Michelle Ji
Board of Directors
Alana Zhu
Board of Directors
“Making connections with coworkers was definitely difficult for me since I started working remotely. I am used to making connections with coworkers in person! I started building relationships by scheduling one-on-ones with my teammates and getting to know them while also learning the job from them. I always took any opportunity to attend in-person events as well! For any job, remote or in-person, also make sure to learn your resources! Make sure to find out who you can go to for different parts of the job. Make a list and document it so you don’t forget!”
Welcome Our New Staff Member!
We are excited to welcome our new Technology Lead Coordinator, Sue Tan! We are thrilled to have Sue on board and look forward to seeing what she will accomplish during her time with us!
We asked Sue to share why she decided to work with ASA:
Sue: “It’s hard to find a job these days, especially for young professionals and immigrants. I’ve experienced this personally, from my first job searching experience to one in recent years. ASA’s mission to help young Asian and Asian American professionals resonates with me and keeps me motivated to want to help. It’s great to get to work alongside student interns of all different backgrounds.”
Get Free 1:1 Coaching
Trying to land your first internship or job? Making a big career jump? Asian Student Achievement’s free 45-minute coaching sessions might be the boost you need! Get coaching on educational and vocational soft skills, from resume and cover letter writing to interview skills, to elevator pitches and personal branding, and much more from experts across a wide selection of industries.
Intern Hub
Happy Halloween! In the spirit of the season, we asked our interns:
What was your favorite Halloween costume you’ve worn?
“My favorite Halloween costume was a Pikachu costume that I wore several years in a row—I should specify that this was when I was, like, five years old.”
Ryan Kartiko, Special Operations Lead Intern
Lehigh University alum
“I went as a pumpkin for most of my elementary school years, so I think that one’s my favorite! I had a really chubby face as a kid so I feel like the round look suited me.”
Julianne Sun, Content Marketing and Videography Intern
Northwestern University alum
“My favorite Halloween costume I’ve done is Pocahontas.”
Parker Ninesling, Graphic Design Intern
High School student
“I remember I went as Harry Potter one year, so I’d say that’s my favorite since it stands out to me the most.”
Christian So, Operations Intern
High School student
“I was a witch once as a kid. Of all of my Halloween costumes, that’s one I’d like to do again. “
Sydney Cazier, Content Writing Intern
Utah Valley University alum
“Sorry to disappoint, but I’ve never really dressed up for Halloween before. I’d love to one day, probably as a character from an animated movie!”
Vaishnavi Nair, Data Analytics and Business Development Intern
University of Maryland alum
“I’m going to say my favorite Halloween costume that I’ve worn is No-Face from Spirited Away. Mainly because I actually made the costume instead of buying one, and I really liked how it turned out! I wanted to make the character’s face (or no-face?) really big, so I built it over a large box and placed it on top of a helmet, which made it pretty heavy to wear… but, it was fun to see people getting a little spooked by his face!”
Jessie Zhou, Graphic Design and Videography Intern
University of Michigan alum
“My favorite Halloween costume was Ghost Face. It’s a classic character, and easy to wear too!”
Zach Anota, Content Writing Intern
Student at Purdue University
Join our team!
Event Recap
On October 16th, Asian Student Achievement’s founder and CEO Shane Carlin had the opportunity to a conduct a networking workshop with the Asian American Association at the University of Kentucky. It was a highly successful night of sharing ASA’s mission with UK students and building up the networking skills vital to landing internships and jobs. We would like to thank AAA for inviting us, and look forward to coming back!
Upcoming Events
Check out the roadmap below to see where Asian Student Achievement will be speaking next!
CMAA:
Public Speaking Workshop
Date: November 12, 2025
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Oakton College:
Networking Workshop
Date: November 13, 2025
Location: Des Plaines, Illinois
Chinese University of Hong Kong:
Startup 101
Date: November 20, 2025
Location: Hong Kong
National Chung Hsing University:
Western Way of Networking
Date: November 25, 2025
Location: Taichung City, Taiwan
Education University of Hong Kong:
Western Way of Networking
Date: November 27, 2025
Location: Hong Kong
Let’s Meet Up!
Want to invite us to your campus or your organization? Check out our speaking engagement page below for more details!
We Are Hiring!
Asian Student Achievement is hiring for ALL of our intern positions. Join our amazing team and help Asians and 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 or resume to ops@learnasa.org.
New Internship Opportunity
The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) is hiring new interns for spring and summer of 2026! Join them as a travel intern to get real world experience in operations and communications, all while networking across the country.
Donor Spotlight
Dr. Joianne Smith
President of Oakton College, Des Plaines, IL
“I give to Asian Student Achievement because I have seen the impact of investing in the leaders of tomorrow, particularly leaders who are often underrepresented in leadership pipelines. As a leader of an AANAPISI designated institution, I am deeply committed to supporting the leadership development for AAPI students.”
Thank you to Dr. Joianne Smith for supporting Asian Student Achievement, and for all the amazing work you do to empower the AAPI community!
Baisun Candle Co.
Asian Student Achievement is proud to partner with Baisun Candle Co. again! From April 2025 to April 2026, you can use the code “ASA10” during checkout—not only will we receive a portion of proceeds from their sales, but you will also receive 10% off of your order!
Inspired by a rich cultural background, Baisun Candle Co. creates beautifully hand-poured candles that connect heritage to home. As summer approaches, cool off in the company of Ashikaga wisteria, or soak in the scent of exuberant yuzu—no matter the occasion, there’s sure to be a scent for you or your loved ones this season!
A heartfelt thank you to Brandon Leung and the team at Baisun Candle Co. for choosing to partner with Asian Student Achievement! We are so grateful for their support, and are so incredibly excited to share their unique products with our community! If you’re interested in shopping Baisun’s delectable scents, you can visit their website below.
Furever Young Co.
Asian Student Achievement is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Furever Young Co., a Kansas City-based small business. Their bandanas are designed to fit pets of all shapes and sizes, whether they be a dog, cat, or even a bird! With their ever-growing design launches, there’s something for everyone. Showcase your pet’s unique personality with a bandana from Furever Young Co.! ASA-themed bandanas will be coming soon, so make sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Pegasus Education
Pegasus is a mentorship program that aims to make Ivy League universities more accessible! Meet with over 150+ alumni from Ivy League and other major universities to gain advising on college and grad school applications, explore unique projects and career paths, and build relationships that are sure to set you up for success. If you or anyone you know is interested in broadening their network or getting help with college applications, then sign up for Pegasus below!
Job Postings
Give Today!
If you’d like to support Asian Student Achievement, click here to give today! Your gift will help us shape the next generation in Asian American Leadership.