The Mid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student Associations (MAUVSA) (Vietnamese:Tổng Hội Sinh Viên Việt Nam Mid-Atlantic) is a non-profit alliance of college-based cultural organizations from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. It consists of local chapters from seven major schools throughout the region: George Mason University, The George Washington University, James Madison University, University of Maryland – College Park, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University.

Recent News

MAUVSA elections are soon to be held on July 19th, nominations will be accepted through their official email.

History

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. 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.

Members of the Union (year founded)

Activities

MAUVSA seeks to unify the Vietnamese American community, facilitate communication and cooperation among the various schools, empower and develop young leaders, foster cultural awareness and education, and promote social justice. To pursue these goals, the organization hosts monthly regional summits that allow students to network, share ideas, and discuss relevant issues. 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 Tết Show;

4) Vietnamese language and culture classes; and

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

Collective Philanthropy Project

Flier for MAUVSA's 2008 Formal Ball 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.

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.

Prospect Universities

Universities that are not officially apart of MAUVSA but have been in attendance of summits include American University and Georgetown University.

See also

  • List of Vietnamese American Groups
  • Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California
  • Vietnamese Student Association
  • International Vietnamese Youth Conference