Asian American Alumni Network History

Conversations occurred between FSU students and alumni in early 2014 about the representation of Asian Americans at the alumni level. After discussing the need for an organization of this nature and the potential for its success, the decision to move forward with its creation was an easy one. It was in the Summer of 2014 that three individuals – Seve Kim, Zach Heng and Vu Thai – spearheaded the initiative to start what is now the Florida State University Asian American Alumni (FSU AAA)© Network group, an affiliate of the FSU Alumni Association. The three co-founders have all served as past Directors of the Asian American Student Union during their undergraduate years at FSU so they were aware of the challenges ahead with starting and sustaining this type of organization. Each individual played a critical part in the organization’s inception. Seve was starting his final year at FSU in pursuit of a Computer Engineering degree. On the ground in Tallahassee, he had a direct line to the Alumni Association to gather all the appropriate paperwork and documents needed. As the eldest of the three, Zach had the project management background and alumni network necessary to garner the support that the organization needed for a proper launch. Vu’s extensive graphic design skills were invaluable to the concept and creation of the logo and the organization’s brand management. Thus, the collaborative efforts led to the inception of the FSU Asian American Alumni Network.

The development of the Executive Committee (Executive Board and Board of Governors) was challenging as there were so many great leaders that blazed a trail for Asian Americans at Florida State. As such, the Executive Committee is comprised of a diverse group of individuals that range in age, ethnicity, profession and location in an effort to be as representative as possible of FSU’s Asian American alumni community. The members of the Executive Committee reside in all regions of the United States from Washington state to Washington, D.C. The backgrounds of the Executive Committee span over 15 years of FSU history and represent various industries such as medicine, technology, public policy, higher education, hospitality and the arts. It is with great privilege and honor that the inaugural members of the executive committee serve the entire Asian American community of The Florida State University – Past, Present and Future.