Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations
Encyclopedia
The Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations (UNAVSA) is a non-profit, community-based organization founded in 2004 as a means for Vietnamese
youth organizations from across North America
to network, share common resources, and collaborate with one another on youth-related and philanthropic work.
, there were initial talks for creating a network of Vietnamese Student Association
s in North America
modeled after the Federal Vietnamese Students Association of Australia
. Through a collaboration of the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California
along with the New England Intercollegiate Vietnamese Student Association, the first North American Vietnamese Student Associations (NAVSA) conference was held in the Summer of 2004 in Boston, and with that NAVSA was born. Only with the second conference in 2005 in Chicago, was the name of NAVSA changed to The Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations (UNAVSA) to better reflect that nature of this organization as a union.
Undergraduate and graduate students as well as young professionals participate in the conference. The majority of attendees are current and future officers of Vietnamese American student groups (VSAs, VSUs, UVSAs, etc.) seeking to develop personal leadership abilities, build organizational management skills, and network with other leaders from around the country.
The first conference was held from July 2, 2004 to July 4, 2004 at Emerson College
in Boston. The second conference was held in Chicago as a joint-conference with the Vietnamese Interacting as One conference in July 2005. The third conference was held from July 13, 2006 to July 16, 2006 at the San Jose State University
in San Jose
. The 2007 conference was held in New Orleans, Louisiana
from July 26, 2007 to July 29, 2007. The 2008 conference was held in Portland, Oregon
from July 31, 2008 to August 3, 2008. The 2009 conference took place in Atlanta, Georgia
from July 30, 2009 to August 2, 2009. The 2010 conference was held in Washington D.C. from July 29, 2010 to August 1, 2010. The 2011 conference was held in Denver, Colorado from July 28, 2011 to August 1, 2011. The 2012 conference will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
. In 2006, the Catalyst Foundation was selected as the CPP recipient.
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
youth organizations from across North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
to network, share common resources, and collaborate with one another on youth-related and philanthropic work.
History
During the Third International Vietnamese Youth Conference in 2003 in San DiegoSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, there were initial talks for creating a network of Vietnamese Student Association
Vietnamese Student Association
The Vietnamese Student Association refers to campus-based not-for-profit student groups located all over the world in areas where communities of overseas Vietnamese exist...
s in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
modeled after the Federal Vietnamese Students Association of Australia
Federal Vietnamese Students Association of Australia
The Federal Vietnamese Students Association in Australia is an Australia-wide non-profit network composed of Vietnamese student and youth organizations for the purpose of networking as well as philanthropic and political work related to the Vietnamese youth....
. Through a collaboration of the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California
Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California
The Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California is a network of Vietnamese Student Associations at various Southern California universities and colleges...
along with the New England Intercollegiate Vietnamese Student Association, the first North American Vietnamese Student Associations (NAVSA) conference was held in the Summer of 2004 in Boston, and with that NAVSA was born. Only with the second conference in 2005 in Chicago, was the name of NAVSA changed to The Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations (UNAVSA) to better reflect that nature of this organization as a union.
Regional Partners
- Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of the Midwest
- Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Georgia
- Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California
- Southwest Union of Vietnamese Student Associations
- New England Intercollegiate Vietnamese Student Associations
- Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Ontario
Conferences
The UNAVSA conference attracts hundreds of undergraduates, graduates, and young professionals from around the country participate in the multi-day event to hone their leadership skills, hold discussions with speakers, and explore issues in the North American Vietnamese youth community.Undergraduate and graduate students as well as young professionals participate in the conference. The majority of attendees are current and future officers of Vietnamese American student groups (VSAs, VSUs, UVSAs, etc.) seeking to develop personal leadership abilities, build organizational management skills, and network with other leaders from around the country.
The first conference was held from July 2, 2004 to July 4, 2004 at Emerson College
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
in Boston. The second conference was held in Chicago as a joint-conference with the Vietnamese Interacting as One conference in July 2005. The third conference was held from July 13, 2006 to July 16, 2006 at the San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. The 2007 conference was held in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
from July 26, 2007 to July 29, 2007. The 2008 conference was held in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
from July 31, 2008 to August 3, 2008. The 2009 conference took place in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
from July 30, 2009 to August 2, 2009. The 2010 conference was held in Washington D.C. from July 29, 2010 to August 1, 2010. The 2011 conference was held in Denver, Colorado from July 28, 2011 to August 1, 2011. The 2012 conference will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Collective Philanthropy Project
The Collective Philanthropy Project (CPP) was introduced during the second conference in Chicago as a means for all UNAVSA partner organizations to collaborate on one single philanthropic project each year. Through a presentation, discussion, and subsequent voting, a non-profit organization servicing the Vietnamese community is selected from a panel to be the recipient of CPP. In 2005, the inaugrual CPP recipient was the anti-human-trafficking organization VietACTVietnamese Alliance to Combat Trafficking
The Vietnamese Alliance to Combat Trafficking is a Vietnamese non-profit, grassroots organization founded in 2004 dedicated to eradicating human trafficking of Vietnamese victims through collaboration, advocacy, and education.- History :...
. In 2006, the Catalyst Foundation was selected as the CPP recipient.
Presidents
The UNAVSA executive board is headed by the President. The current President is Dan Huynh, who took over from Brian Vo in 2010 and will conclude his term at the UNAVSA Conference in 2012. The President is responsible for the strategic direction of UNAVSA and is tasked with ensuring the organization is operating within the scope defined by its partner organizations.| No. | Name | Region of origin | Took office | Left office | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quoc Phan | Southern California | 4 July 2004 | 31 July 2005 | |
| 2 | Tony Ngo | Southern California | 31 July 2005 | 16 July 2006 | |
| 3 | Hai Ton | Northern California | 16 July 2006 | 3 August 2008 | First two-year President |
| 4 | Brian Vo | Mid-Atlantic | 3 August 2008 | 1 August 2010 | |
| 5 | Dan Huynh | Midwest | 1 August 2010 | Incumbent |
See also
- List of Vietnamese American Groups
- Mid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student AssociationsMid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student AssociationsThe Mid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student Associations is a non-profit alliance of college-based cultural organizations from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia...
- Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern CaliforniaUnion of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern CaliforniaThe Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California is a network of Vietnamese Student Associations at various Southern California universities and colleges...
- Vietnamese Student AssociationVietnamese Student AssociationThe Vietnamese Student Association refers to campus-based not-for-profit student groups located all over the world in areas where communities of overseas Vietnamese exist...
- International Vietnamese Youth ConferenceInternational Vietnamese Youth ConferenceLen Duong International Vietnamese Youth Network organises multi-day International Vietnamese Youth Conferences every 2-3 years, drawing Vietnamese youths from around the world to gather and discuss topics relating to Vietnamese youths and to network with each other. These conferences draw anywhere...