Western Michigan University hosted the Midwest Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Students Union (MAASU) Spring Conference from March 20-22, bringing together more than 200 students from over 20 partner colleges, according to an April 13 announcement. The event, held in the WMU Student Center ballroom, focused on building leadership skills and promoting a sense of community among attendees.
The conference aimed to help students connect with their cultural heritage while developing professional and personal growth. This year’s theme, “Threads of Identity,” encouraged participants to explore diversity within the Asian American community and unite varying identities through workshops, keynote addresses, and social events.
Thien Lohavichan, a first-year aviation flight science major who served as chair of the Family Leaders Committee for the event, said: “My favorite part of the conference was seeing all the family leaders meet their family members for the first time as well as seeing the bonding and growth within all the families throughout the conference!” Gabbi Salud, an aviation technical operations student and conference co-director, added: “It was great to see everyone working together and having fun, especially as people who had just met started to open up and really connect with each other.”
The schedule included a keynote address by actress Kausar Mohammed along with various workshops. Participants also attended cultural events such as a night market and performances by MAASU’s K-pop dance workshop attendees. Phuong Le, another co-director studying aviation management and operations said: “I feel great that I could contribute to a place that allows lesser-known topics to be brought to light and foster a space for more conversations.”
Several WMU students were nominated for new leadership roles on MAASU’s Executive Coordinating Committee during the event. Bhawana Khatiwada will serve as programming co-chair; Lohavichan will join membership outreach; Salud will act as committee vice chair. Khatiwada said: “The leadership skills this experience has given me will be used in all aspects of my life.”
Western Michigan University supports inclusive excellence for all students according to its official website. The university enrolls more than 17,000 students according to its official website and fields 16 Division I varsity sports teams in the Mid-American Conference according to its official website. It emphasizes learner-focused education that is research-oriented and globally involved according to its official website, promotes sustainability through LEED-certified buildings according to its official website, and has earned top-100 national rankings for several graduate programs according to its official website.
Salud reflected on her experience saying: “Through my involvement, I have grown as a leader, built connections with people from diverse backgrounds and contributed to something larger in the community. These experiences have made my time at WMU more fulfilling.”