The stereotype: Good at math and science, destined to be a wealthy engineer. A slight accent perhaps, first generation out of China or Japan. And while the reality might not be the polar opposite -- a third-generation New Yorker, Communications major and member of Penn Players -- Asian students at Penn represent a wide range of backgrounds and interests.
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Divani
When College sophomore Divani Nadaraja first chose to come to Penn, she believed that she would be attending a tolerant university. Nadaraja, who is Sri Lankan, grew up in San Francisco's Bay Area and attended a predominantly white high school. She was one of only a few South Asian students in her graduating class. And while Nadaraja said she feels Penn is very diverse relative to her high school, she sees that ethnic groups segregate themselves "almost naturally" on campus. At Penn, Nadaraja has chosen to socialize in a predominantly South Asian crowd. She is active in the South Asia Society and dances with PENNaach, the University's South Asian all-female dance troupe. Though she said she cannot compare her high school and college experiences, Nadaraja notes the unparalleled depth of her friendships with South Asian students. "We share the same experiences and values that don't have to be explained. If I joke about my parents' accents, my [South Asian] friends can identify with that." But as a member of the South Asian community, Nadaraja has also experienced subtle discrimination by students who expect her to have certain interests and abilities. Many students expect that Nadaraja will major in a pre-professional area such as business or medicine. But she plans to break out from what she terms the South Asian "cookie-cutter category" and major in Psychology and Communications, with a minor in South Asia Regional Studies.
Grace
Participating in minority focused groups has not played a large role in creating College junior Grace Lee's identity at Penn. It is not that Lee, a second-generation Korean American, does not strongly identify with her Asian background. Rather, she feels that attending Penn has given her an opportunity to learn from and share with students of diverse backgrounds and experiences. "I am in no way denying my heritage," Lee said. "But I don't like being Korean American held over me," she added. As a sorority member of Penn's Greek system, Lee has found a way to establish herself apart from her ethnic background. "In a sorority, our common points don't have to do with ethnicity. They have to do with liking each other. In an Asian club, the bonds would be on ethnic lines, " Lee said. "I grew up with my culture. I'd rather open up to new cultures than dwell on my own," she added. Still, Lee recognizes the invaluability of having supportive ethnic organizations established on campus, especially for first-year students. "When you first come to Penn, it is easier to relate to people with similar experiences," she said. But Lee seeks to share her experiences with students outside her ethnicity. Most recently, Lee worked to broaden the audience of the Asian Pacific American Fashion Show held early November. "I'd be pretty bored with people just like myself," she said.
Hoa
College senior Hoa Duong, a Vietnamese American, identifies publicly with her Asian heritage. Duong works actively with multiple Asian student organizations on campus to promote Asian issues and concerns. As the former chair of the Asian Pacific Student Coalition -- a large umbrella organization for 14 Asian Pacific American student groups -- Duong has worked with various members of the University to build racial awareness and tolerance. Most recently, Duong led the APSC in helping to create the Pan-Asian American Community House, a resource center for Asian Americans that opened on November 11. Duong concedes that the active role she has assumed within the Asian community at Penn is not pursued by all Asian students. "Not everyone has to be solely involved with Asian-American interests," Duong said. "But it's not something you can put away. Whether others try to or not," she added.
