Mid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student Associations

In 2006, the Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations (uNAVSA) approached students from Virginia Commonwealth University with the idea of creating an umbrella organization in the Mid-Atlantic area, similar to UVSA and other regional networks. The seven universities that would form MAUVSA held their first summit on October 14, 2006.[2] Representatives from these schools were greeted by the helpful direction of uNAVSA President Hai T. Ton, External Vice-President Minh Thanh Nguyen, and Treasurer Aileen Pham. The uNAVSA officers presented an overview of leadership, and facilitated workshops on topics such as membership, coalition building, and project management. After this initial summit, leaders from the seven VSAs continued to meet throughout the academic year, and focused on drafting MAUVSA's new constitution. On July 21, 2007, they ratified and signed the constitution, officially recognizing and sanctioning the organization.

The primary activity for MAUVSA is a series of monthly leadership summits. Each summit provides the opportunity for students to exchange information, establish relationships, evaluate activities, and coordinate programs at the campus level. The summit series also provides a forum for student leaders to discuss common organizational challenges such as membership recruitment, membership retention, conflict resolution, and project management.

Each January, MAUVSA hosts a retreat for its general body members. Programming for the event emphasizes networking and social interaction. It also includes information seminars and workshops on topics such as Vietnamese history, Vietnamese cinema, personal finance, and teambuilding.

MAUVSA also supports and promotes the programs of its campus chapters, such as:

1) VSA Families, a mentoring program for new freshmen and transfer students;

2) VSA Interns, a training program for emerging leaders;

3) Cultural holiday celebrations, including Full Moon Festival and T%u1EBFt Show;

4) Vietnamese language and culture classes; and

5) College Preparation Seminar, an outreach and development workshop for high school students.

Each year, the members of MAUVSA participate in a Collective Philanthropy Project (CPP) to raise money for charity. In 2007, MAUVSA's efforts benefitted the Catalyst Foundation, an organization supporting homeless and poverty-stricken children in Vietnam. After various fundraising activities and events throughout the year, MAUVSA donated $7,000 to Catalyst.

In 2008, MAUVSA successfully raised $7,700 for Vietnamese Overseas Initiative for Conscious Empowerment (VOICE), an organization offering legal and social services to Vietnamese refugees overseas. To celebrate and commemorate their achievements, the members of MAUVSA hosted a formal ball in June.[3]

In 2009, MAUVSA donated to VietHope, an organization dedicated to building schools and offering scholarships in Vietnam. MAUVSA presented a ceremonial check for $5,000 at a formal dinner gala in June.[4]

MAUVSA's charitable efforts and contributions have received attention from various media sources in the Vietnamese community. They have been featured on stations such as Vietnamese American Television (VATV) and Saigon Broadcasting Television Network (SBTN), as well as news websites such as VietBao Daily and Vietmedia.

100% of our donations received from this website will be funneled into the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation

Blue Dragon reaches out to kids in crisis throughout Vietnam. Our residential facilities, centers, and programs give children and youth a new chance in life: the chance to have a home, a good education, and a happy, stable life.

They aim to break the poverty cycle by offering education, training, and job opportunities to those who need them the most: street kids, child victims of trafficking, and the rural poor.