Princeton Asian American Students Association

Princeton Asian American Students Association
Name	Princeton Asian American Students Association
Founded	1960s
Headquarters	Princeton, New Jersey
Affiliation	Princeton University
Type	Student organization
Leader title	Executive Board

Princeton Asian American Students Association

The Princeton Asian American Students Association provides a focal point for Asian American student life at Princeton University, engaging with campus groups such as Princeton University Graduate School, Princeton University Band, Princeton University Library and regional institutions like the Asian American Studies Center. It connects members to broader networks including the Asian American Journalists Association, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum and national associations such as the Japanese American Citizens League and Korean American Coalition.

History

Founded amid student activism that paralleled movements at Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, Yale University and Cornell University, the organization emerged alongside groups like the Asian American Political Alliance and the Third World Liberation Front. Its development intersected with events such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War protests, the Asian American Movement, the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 and campus initiatives modeled on efforts at University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University and Brown University. Over decades it responded to incidents documented by groups including the Asian Law Caucus and the Chinese American Museum while collaborating with cultural institutions such as the Asia Society and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.

Mission and Activities

The association advances aims comparable to those of organizations like the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, the National Association of Asian American Professionals, the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center and the Asian American Educational Development Fund. Programming emphasizes leadership training reminiscent of United Asian Americans workshops, advocacy in the spirit of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, cultural preservation akin to the Chinese Historical Society of America, and alumni engagement paralleling the Japanese American National Museum outreach. Activities include dialogues on policy topics tied to institutions like the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and academic forums similar to panels hosted by the Brookings Institution and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Campus Programs and Events

Signature events draw inspiration from festivals and programs at organizations such as the Asian American Arts Centre, the New York Asian Film Festival, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, the Asian American International Film Festival and university events like the Harvard Asian American Alumni Association reunions. Regular offerings include cultural showcases comparable to the Tet Festival, performances influenced by Kathak and Noh traditions associated with institutions like the Asia Society Museum, film screenings reflecting catalogs from the Criterion Collection, workshops using curricula from the Asian American Studies Program (UCLA), and conferences echoing themes from the National Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership. Collaborations occur with campus groups such as the Princeton University Orchestra, Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton Entrepreneurship Club and external venues like the McCarter Theatre Center and Taplin Auditorium.

Organization and Governance

Governance follows models used by student groups at Columbia University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University and University of Michigan, with an executive board, committees, and faculty advisors from departments including the Department of East Asian Studies (Princeton), the Department of Politics (Princeton), the Department of Sociology (Princeton), and centers like the Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding. Financial oversight coordinates with entities such as the Student Activities Fund and alumni offices modeled on the Princeton Alumni Association. Leadership development draws on training formats employed by TakingITGlobal and the National Association for Campus Activities.

Partnerships and Community Outreach

The association maintains partnerships reminiscent of collaborations between the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and local NGOs, coordinating service projects with organizations like Catholic Charities, Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Asian Americans for Community Involvement and cultural exchanges with consulates such as the Consulate General of Japan in New York and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York. Outreach includes internships with institutions like the Museum of Chinese in America, fellowships analogous to those from the Kellogg Foundation and volunteer programs inspired by AmeriCorps and Teach For America. Joint ventures have included panels with the Princeton Public Library, collaborations with the Trenton Chinatown Initiative and civic engagements alongside the Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission.

Notable Alumni and Impact

Alumni have pursued careers at organizations such as Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, Deloitte, Facebook, Amazon (company), Apple Inc., National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United Nations, World Health Organization, and in public service at offices like the New Jersey Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. Graduates have contributed to cultural institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Asian Art Museum (San Francisco), academic posts at Princeton University, Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, Yale University, Harvard University, and civic leadership reflected in roles with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education, Sikh Coalition, and the Hmong National Development, Inc..

Category:Student organizations in New Jersey Category:Asian American culture in New Jersey