Our Community

Community Involvement: What Will It Mean to You?

For many, a Stanford experience is not complete without community involvement. Participation in co-curricular activities is an important avenue for students to gain valuable experiences and knowledge that cannot be found in the classroom. Stanford offers a wide variety of opportunities for students, and many of them are within the Asian American community.

With many Asian and Asian American organizations on campus, we hope you will find one that matches your interests. Students are constantly creating new cultural, social, political, religious and service-oriented groups to address the changing needs of the community.

The Asian American community continues to flourish through the hard work and dedication of each group. So, take advantage of these opportunities at Stanford!

All of us find our own answers to the question, "What is Stanford?" The following is one of A³C’s previous staff member’s answer to this question.

What Is Stanford?

“Stanford is TCS dumplings served fresh and tender in Tresidder Oak. Stanford is SVSA presentations on Agent Orange and stories of its survivors. Stanford is Magic Mic karaoke with PASU, partition discussions with Sanskriti, Boehemian Jam and identity talks at Okada House. Stanford is the A³C pronounced “A cubed C,” the paradoxical Listen to the Silence concert, the Asian American Studies class that exposed us to Jhumpa Lahiri before she got popular. Stanford is, among boundless other things, her Asian American community. To all of this, we welcome you!

Of course, I know that Stanford’s Asian American community contains so many groups, Greeks and grassroots organizations that it can get a little overwhelming. Maybe it feels scary (“Do any of these groups represent/accept me?”), maybe it feels irrelevant (“Uh, I just came to major in Electrical Engineering.”), and certainly, having been pre-med, I know both feelings. But as you probably know, no matter your major, classes offer only so much. Whether you’re talking about the mentorship by AIM or direct action organizing by SAAAC, the community offers major venues to develop leadership skills, professional connections and great friendships. Furthermore, the community is a conduit that connects with the African American, Chicano/a, Native American, Women’s and LGBT communities for greater common understanding.

But most importantly for me, the communities at the A³C and Okada have been a home away from home, a safe place where I’ve been nurtured and also offered a space to ask challenging questions about myself and the world. Since freshman year, I’ve treasured this family, and it’s still my rock. My base. Where my questions get answered and where I find support.

Please, drop by the A³C. Hang out at Okada. Check out what everyone has to offer. Who knows—maybe you too will fall in love.”

Takeo Rivera, '08