APA Review Asian Pacific Alumni Newsletter Spring 2007, Vol. 7, Issue 2

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Cailan Remedios is a Political Science major with a 3.8 GPA and has been on the Dean s List for four semesters. However, it wasn t only her academic achievements which made her the obvious choice.

1 APA Review Asian Pacific Alumni Newsletter Spring 2007, Vol. 7, Issue 2 APA Scholarship Recipient Cailan Remedios Out 2007 scholarship recipient was selected by a unanimous vote of the APA Scholarship Committee. Cailan Remedios is a Political Science major with a 3.8 GPA and has been on the Dean s List for four semesters. However, it wasn t only her academic achievements which made her the obvious choice. It was her attitude. Cailan is passionate about peace, health, security, and equality for the underrepresented. Accordingly, her studies concentrate on international relations and peace studies. She codesigned a student group advocating the Millennium Development Goals, enlightening the student body on human rights violations in Uganda. She has served as a Diversity Peer Educator, participated in the D.C. Urban Plunge, and attended a seminar in Appalachia. She plans to pursue an advanced degree in peace and conflict resolution from Kings College in London after graduating in Then, she intends to work for the U.S. government in diplomacy and peacekeeping initiatives. We congratulate Cailan and wish her a successful and enjoyable senior year. APA Senior Student Award Paul M. Nguyen The APA Board congratulates Paul M. Nguyen as the 2007 recipient of the Asian Pacific Alumni Senior Student Award. Paul graduated this year, earning a Business degree in Finance with a minor in Japanese. During his four years, Paul made a significant impact upon the Notre Dame community for current and future students. He held leadership positions with the Asian American Association (serving as President in 05-06), Japan Club, and the Vietnamese Student Association. He was a major catalyst in developing a strong and welcoming community bond amongst a growing Asian American enrollment. Paul was named MSPS Officer of the Year and AAA received Outstanding Club of the Year from the Student Activities Office. Paul also served in many capacities as a tutor for Teamwork for Tomorrow, peer mentor for Hyde CoMo, a discussion leader on the first Asian American Winter Retreat, and one of 15 students chosen on President Jenkin s Student Advisory Committee during its first year. Congratulations, Paul, and thank you for all your contributions to Notre Dame! Good luck in your future endeavors! 1

Message from the Chairperson On the shoulders of giants, that's where we stand. On July 1, I begin my three year term as Chairman of the Asian-Pacific Alumni of Notre Dame Board of Directors.

2 Message from the Chairperson On the shoulders of giants, that's where we stand. On July 1, I begin my three year term as Chairman of the Asian-Pacific Alumni of Notre Dame Board of Directors. I'm extremely honored and humbled to be entrusted with this responsibility. I, and the rest of the APA of ND Board will be operating in the shadow of the great leadership shown in the past by three Asian alumni who have served our University with passion and dedication (Dr. Robert Lee '62, Kenneth Kwak '62, and Trung Tu '95). As we look forward to the challenges before us, we endeavor to build upon the successes of their administrations. Since the APA of ND was formed over ten years ago, the organization has reached and exceeded numerous of its goals. Its accomplishments include: Helping to increase the Asian-Pacific student population Launching a scholarship program for Asian-Pacific students and raising tens of thousands of dollars for it Engaging Notre Dame APA and encouraging them to be more active in local club and campus activities. Supporting further development of Asian Studies, in coordination with the Office of the Provost It is here where I take my place; it's here where we begin together. With a renewed passion and refined focus, the Board of Directors will concentrate our resources and efforts where the APA mission calls us... to the alumni, to current students, and to prospective students. Initiatives where we will focus over the coming year include: Increasing the number of AP student applications, admits, and confirms Increasing the support provided to AP students, through financial support, career guidance, internship, job opportunities, and care packages. Increasing the number and value of APA of ND scholarships Identifying and engaging ALL Asian-Pacific Alumni Encouraging measurable and meaningful progress in the Asian Studies Program at Notre Dame This is a special time, a time when we face unique challenges, our challenges. With this Board, and with your support and prayers, I'm confident we will engage and meet these challenges, just as our predecessors have done before us. God Bless and Go Irish. Michael Wong APA of ND, Chair-Elect Class of 1996 REMINDER APA of ND Board Elections will be held in July. Everyone is asked to please participate by voting. Thank you for your interest and support. 2

3 The Asian Pacific Alumni of Notre Dame congratulate the 2007 graduating Asian Pacific students. Welcome to the ranks of the Asian Pacific Alumni! 3

4 Board Member Perspective Trisha Garces Pomerenk During my first seven years as an alumnus, I certainly had no idea what the APA of ND Board was all about. Now that I am approaching the end of my 2nd year on the board, I can tell you with pride how much I have enjoyed representing Our Lady s University as a servant leader of the Asian Pacific community. Among other things, we promote diversity efforts and increase involvement by reaching out to all Asian Pacific members of the Notre Dame family at the three critical points of the ND life cycle: as prospective students, as current students, and as alumni. But with the opportunities of serving on the APA board came so many privileges that I never dreamed I would have access to. Never did I think I would have the opportunity to participate in the grand procession through campus for the inauguration of Father John Jenkins as University President in the fall of 2004! Never did I think I would meet and share ideas with presidents of alumni clubs all over the country, then see my name flash across the ND stadium scoreboard during an Alumni Senate reception in the Press Box! Never did I think I would sit in a private audience among trustees and benefactors of the University, then join in song with them to greet the amazing Father Ted Hesburgh for his 90th birthday! As much as I thrill in these on-campus perks and special V.I.P. access, the real treat of serving on the board is the inspiration I receive from my fellow board members, who constantly impress me with their passion, dedication and energy. We meet on campus twice a year from all over the country, from all types of industry backgrounds, from all stages of life, from the class of 1953 to the class of Every time we answer questions from prospective students, call to congratulate admitted students, swap stories with current students, or bring alumni together around the world, we repeatedly have the chance to relive the highlights of our own Notre Dame experiences. But most importantly, we have something in common with all of you: we each had a unique experience as minority students on campus, we are proud of our Asian Pacific heritage, and the Spirit of Notre Dame is alive with all of us Asian-American Students at Notre Dame Year Growth in the Asian American student population at ND is due, in part, to the efforts of the APA of ND Board AP Admissions For the freshman year of , 893 applications were received from Asian Pacific students. Of these, 360 were accepted, or 40%. This far exceeds the 23% for the overall application pool. Of the Asian Pacific students accepted, 150 confirmed that they would attend Notre Dame, or 41%. This compares to the 59% overall confirmation rate. So, 7.6% of next year s freshmen class will be Asian Pacific students. 4

Student Perspective Andy Tran When I first moved to campus, I knew my four years at Notre Dame would be memorable. It was the place where I thought I could learn the most.

5 Student Perspective Andy Tran When I first moved to campus, I knew my four years at Notre Dame would be memorable. It was the place where I thought I could learn the most. Even my 17-minute walk to Jordan Hall of Science taught me a few things, like why Carroll residents should never, ever sleep in. Though, the most valuable lesson was from the Notre Dame people. From the very beginning, the community of students supported me. Complete strangers gave me advice about the next four years of my life. Upperclassmen encouraged me to join clubs and try new activities, not to increase membership or find more concession workers. They wanted me to realize my potential. They asked for my opinions, put me in charge, and let me make decisions in order to show me what I could accomplish. They had confidence in my abilities and knew I could do great things; they just gave me a little push to get started. Now, whether it s planning events for AAA, building the website for Carroll Hall, or discussing turtles and the identity of Kurowa-san at Starbucks, I know I have the skills to reach my goals because so many people empowered me to believe in myself. Notre Dame is a lot more than a place for a great education; It s a place where students work together to reach their dreams. Spring Viz Frank Perez As Student Recruitment Chairperson, my favorite APA Board meetings are always the spring meetings. My excitement sets in on my connection from Cincinnati, where I can spot the high school seniors making their way to Notre Dame for Spring Visitation. You know who they are - the eager ones, the shy ones, the nervous ones, showcasing their high school pride on their backpacks or sleeves. They look so intently and in awe as the plane makes its descent into South Bend. These students will find out that they are the newest members of the Notre Dame Family. In its effort to attract students of diverse ethnic backgrounds, the Admissions Office sponsors a select group of 150 minority applicants - including transportation cost. The prospective students participate in a host of activities. The highlight of our spring Board meeting is the opportunity meet with these students. This March, we met at least 20 prospective Asian American students at a lunch where prospective students bridged the gap between the current students and alumni. "We bring in the best and brightest minority students from all over the country to show them what Notre Dame is all about," Assistant Director of Admissions Son Nguyen explained. Tsz Wong, from Brooklyn, remarked, "The first thing I noticed was the Golden Dome, which wasn't surrounded by clusters of apartment complexes. The campus is so beautiful." 5

Student Activities InFocus (Extracted from The Observer) Outgoing APA of ND Board Chairman, Trung Tu, was given a warm farewell at the spring 2007 Board meeting.

Junior Ashley Chan, a conference organizer. Student Body Composition, Fall 2006 Asian 6.8% Latino 9.2% White 76.0% Black 4.0% Native American 0.7% International 3.

A mix of cultural presentations and lectures Saturday will cater to almost all interests and tastes and highlight popular fields of interest about Asian culture in connection with the Asian American

6 Student Activities InFocus (Extracted from The Observer) Outgoing APA of ND Board Chairman, Trung Tu, was given a warm farewell at the spring 2007 Board meeting. With the InFocus conference, the Asian American Association is "hoping to bring together not only the Asian community but the entire campus to see how we all fit into the big picture," according to Junior Ashley Chan, a conference organizer. Student Body Composition, Fall 2006 Asian 6.8% Latino 9.2% White 76.0% Black 4.0% Native American 0.7% International 3.3% The Chicago Club attended The Trouble with Romance, produced by Emily Liu. A mix of cultural presentations and lectures Saturday will cater to almost all interests and tastes and highlight popular fields of interest about Asian culture in connection with the Asian American community's desire to blend in American society. Eliot Chang, a comedian from Comedy Central, led a workshop, Asians in the Media, to kick off the conference. "He fits in well with the vision of our conference," Chan said. Students, alumni, and faculty in Asian Battlegrounds II Bookstore Basketball. "We're really stretching to recognize all of the demographics on campus and bridge the gaps between them," said junior Kathy Lee, another organizer. PLEASE! If you end up with football tickets you won t be able to use, consider donating them to the APA for Scholarship fundraising. 6

7 New Football Ticket Lottery System for the APA of ND Mini-Reunion Another Reminder In an effort to meet the high demand for tickets to our annual mini-reunion game, and to make the process as fair as possible for all APA participants, the APA of ND Board established the following policy. (This policy has previously been disseminated.) In order to be eligible to purchase tickets for the 2007 APA of ND Mini-Reunion game, each APA alumna/us MUST complete the following steps. 1) Qualify to participate in the general University of Notre Dame 2007 Football Ticket Lottery by making at least the minimum annual gift by the December 31, 2006 deadline. In order to be eligible for the 2007 APA of ND Mini-Reunion Ticket Lottery, you MUST have already earmarked your qualifying annual gift for either the APA of ND Scholarship Fund or the Kenneth Ho Sung Kwak Scholarship for Asian Studies. The deadline for this requirement was December 31, If you did not earmark your annual gift for either of the APA scholarships, you are not eligible to participate in the 2007 APA of ND Mini- Reunion Ticket Lottery, unless your gift has made before this policy took effect. 2) Once you receive your 2007 Football Ticket Lottery Application, you must request and submit payment for two (2) tickets to the designated 2007 APA of ND Mini-Reunion football game, Notre Dame vs. GEORGIA TECH, which will take place on September 1, 2007, in order to be considered for the APA of ND ticket lottery. 3) After the general 2007 Football Ticket Lottery results have been released by the University in mid-july 2007, you will be eligible to participate in the APA of ND Mini- Reunion ticket lottery only if you DID NOT win tickets to the Georgia Tech game through the general University ticket lottery. 4) If you followed steps 1-3 above AND were UNSUCCESSFUL in attempting to purchase tickets to the Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech game on September 1, 2007 through the general University-wide ticket lottery, you will be eligible to participate in the 2007 APA of ND Mini-Reunion ticket lottery which will take place in early August In order to have your name included in the APA of ND lottery, you must Cathy Dale at by July 31, 2007 with your name, year of graduation, and contact information. Once we receive your information, we will verify your lottery results with the University ticket office to confirm that you are eligible to participate. Thank you for your continued support of the APA of ND s scholarship fund and your anticipated participation in the new ticket lottery process. If you have any questions about this APA policy, please direct them to the APA of ND Alumni Relations Director, Jaclyn Rey-Hipolito 02, at jreyhipo@alumni.nd.edu. If you have questions regarding when the University will send out the general lottery applications, please contact the ticket office directly or check the University s website at Information about the APA of ND and our scholarship funds can be found at 7

8 APA Review Asian Pacific Alumni Newsletter APA Review Asian Pacific Alumni Newsletter News items, photos, comments, and suggestions from alumni are welcome. Please send to: Brian McLaughlin 82 Communications Director, APA of ND 8

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