Student Organizations
Asian Student Council (ASC) is an "umbrella organization," whose purpose is to promote unity among the Asian organizations. Its members are inclusive of any who wish to come to its meetings on Mondays at 6pm in Washington 201, and it functions in all practical sense to organize a meeting between all the club heads: the highest ranking officer or designated "liason" of the Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, South Asian, and Vietnamese student organizations. It is organized by six outside officers, a variety of people from the various Asian organizations.
The Chinese Student Organization (CSO) at the William & Mary is made up of culturally enthusiastic, goal-oriented, and fun-loving students. We hope to foster an academic and engaging social environment for students interested in Chinese culture. CSO has consistently worked to develop strong relationships with the college administration, other W&M student organizations, CSO alumni, and Chinese student organizations at other universities. In addition, the club bi-annually showcases Chinese culture and tradition through dance, skits, and songs during Harvest Moon Festival and Chinese Lunar New Year. Please also check our blog to find out more information about our organization.
FASA's (Filipino American Students Association) main objective is to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the rich Filipino-American culture to all students of the college and community.
Hindu Student Alliance (HSA) is a non-sectarian international forum targeted towards but not limited to the education and promotion of the Hindu cultural and spiritual heritage. HSA honors each member's own religion and HSA does not promote any type of conversion. Students, faculty members, and all other academicians are welcome to join. HSA also provides opportunities for non-academic individuals to work and identify closely with the objectives and programs of HSA.
IPAX is the International Performance Arts eXchange. The mission of IPAX is to expand perspectives, expose worlds never before experienced and inspire others to engage the arts on a personal and artistic level. Professor Francis Tanglao-Aguas, along with several other students, created IPAX in the Spring of 2007 after the production of Ramayana La'ar and officially became an organization of the College of William & Mary on December 2007. IPAX carries the legacy of the AATC (African American Theater Club) and it is thus historically significant to the William & Mary community. As of late, the organization is currently based in Williamsburg, Virginia but hopes to expand its performance space internationally.
The Japanese Cultural Association seeks to promote awareness and understanding of Japanese culture and society at the College of William and Mary. We host various cultural events on and off campus, including festivals, movie showings, and cooking events. JCA membership is open to all members of the W&M community, including students, faculty, and staff; we welcome anyone interested in Japanese language or culture.
Korean American Students Association In 1984, a small group of Korean students founded the Korean American Student Association; It was the first Asian organization on campus. The Korean American Student Association strives to promote awareness and appreciation of Korean culture. Students from a variety of backgrounds such as second generation Korean-Americans, international students, and those simply interested in Korean culture come together as members of KASA.
The purpose of the Middle East Students Association (MESA) to promote solidarity among those interested in the various cultures of the Middle East at William & Mary, as well as provide a platform for open discussion of political issues and cross-cultural understanding. MESA will sponsor Middle Eastern social and cultural activities and events open to the entire campus community. A primary goal of MESA will be to explore issues relating to the Greater Middle East, recognizing the unique socio-political ties between the Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. As such, all MESA activities and events will take care to include those countries and cultures traditionally considered to be part of the Middle East, as well as those MESA will consider part of the Greater Middle East.
Tribe Link: https://tribelink.wm.edu/organization/mesa
The Muslim Student Association is an organization that seeks to foster a Muslim community on campus and also invites non-Muslims to learn more about Islam. We are devoted to making MSA a safe place both for Muslims and non-Muslims alike and hope that MSA can be a fun and enriching addition to campus. We hold many social and religious events throughout the year for our members to feel a sense of community such as MSA basketball, Halaqas, Muslim Voices, and You Discuss. Through larger events such as the Eid Banquet and Fast-a-Thon, the MSA aims to spread awareness about Islam and current events pertaining to Islam around campus.
Created in October 2005, the Persian Student Organization hopes to enhance diversity in William and Mary by promoting the Persian culture and heritage.
The South Asian Student Association (SASA) is an undergraduate student organization at the College of William and Mary dedicated to promoting cultural unity and awareness in the college community and among its members. The countries of South Asia are: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. Some of the goals that SASA strives to meet are: to educate the College community of South Asian culture and heritage through educational, social, and charity events, to encourage students to learn, experience and continue South Asian culture, to gather and round up students in addressing critical issues that face the South Asian community in the United States, and to provide an enjoyable atmosphere for the College community members interested in South Asian culture.
Students for Justice in Palestine is a student organization that works in solidarity with the Palestinian people and supports their right to self-determination. It is committed to ending Israel’s occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Separation Wall. It recognizes the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality. It calls for respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194. ‘Students for Justice in Palestine envisions a world where humans are treated equally with respect and dignity; where people live without the oppression of foreign occupation. We envision a world where justice and the rule of law bind humans together. We envision that one day, Palestinians will be free from occupation, free from fear, free from poverty, and will be able to determine their own fate as an independent nation living peacefully with its neighbors. We will work to educate members of our community specifically about the plight of the Palestinian people. We will raise awareness about this issue and provide students with an alternative resource of information to the mainstream media. We will also work to provide a comfortable environment where students and faculty can discuss and debate their diverse views on the various aspects of Palestinian politics and society.
The Vietnamese Student Association of the College of William and Mary was founded in 1988 and has been growing ever since! Our organization is made up not only of students of Vietnamese descent, but of students who are simply interested in Vietnamese culture as well.
