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Celebrating Years of PAACH

By Peter Van Do

Welcome to the 12th annual issue of the Pan-Asian American Community House newsletter.

Time flies when you are having fun and working with great, hardworking, and passionate students. I have completed 5 years working at PAACH. PAACH has become a place where we are thriving—we are fortunate to be working with such dynamic student leaders who are working to create tangible change on campus. I am glad to be a part of the PAACH community because it allows me to support and encourage the personal success of AAPI undergraduate and graduate students at Penn. This year I am proud to announce that we have started a number of new PAACH initiatives on campus, which include a program on black, Latinx, and AAPI intersectionality called Solidarity Series, space for AAPI women named The Spice Collective, and community organization for AAPI first generation/low-income students called 7/8.

We continue to offer our signature programs. The Asia Pacific American Leadership Initiative (APALI) celebrated 15 years. Due to very generous donations to the PAACH Endowment, the program can continue to grow and provide enhanced programming for the AAPI community. The Promoting Enriching Experiences and Relationships (PEER) mentoring program will celebrate 15 years in the Fall of 2017. Asia Pacific American Heritage Week (APAHW) will celebrate 25 years in the Fall of 2017 as well.

Students can find their niche within any of the 23 groups in APSC. APSC continues to act as a strong voice for the AAPI community.

With the help of the University of Pennsylvania Asian Alumni Network (UPAAN), we raised more than $15,000 in gifts to the PAACH Endowment Fund in honor of Kusum Soin, an effort that was started by alumni at the PAACH 15 year anniversary. We are grateful to have so many alumni who contributed to this fund. With alumni support, we can build and invest in our home so that programs like APALI, APAHW, ASPIRE, 7/8, The Spice Collective, Solidarity Series and other PAACH initiatives may grow and thrive.

Alumni are an excellent resource when determining what has worked in the past and what has not worked. We invite alums to informally speak with students to discuss career goals, and to talk about ways to work together to improve PAACH. This is why we have had Career Conversations (AAPI alumni speaker series) in the PAACH Living Room.

If you are ever in town please stop by to visit us—we welcome you back to PAACH, your home away from home, with open arms. As always PAACH is open to our alumni and community partners here at Penn. We invite you to engage with us to let us know how you are doing, and to connect with our current students about professional development, networking, and job opportunities. We also encourage all of you to continue the discussions that you had in PAACH when you were a student within your respective alumni/friend circles wherever you may be.

Finally, let’s all come together to support our academic partner, Asian American Studies (ASAM), as they celebrate their 20 year anniversary during Homecoming Weekend 2017.

We will see you soon!

Other posts:

Filipino Language And Culture

Started in 1996, Penn’s Filipino language program is populated with students looking to connect with their culture and converse with their families. Eight thousand miles

‘We Bloom Together’

The mural in the ARCH building lobby represents and celebrates the diversity of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Vicky Aquino, Associate Director and the artist

The Lions try to train pairs of dancers together when possible, as seamless choreography adds power to the visual illusion of one animal, rather than a head and a tail powered by two people.

Penn Lions In The Year Of The Tiger

Dripping rain falls through barren branches along Locust Walk late on a Thursday night. Students hurry past, unwilling to linger in the unhospitable February weather.