This weekend, students from more than 100 colleges will travel to Penn for the 2010 East Coast Asian American Student Union conference.
Approximately 1,400 students from all over the East Coast and as far as Nevada and California are expected to attend. The turnout will make the conference the largest in ECAASU history, according to Associate Director and College senior Edith Chao.
Participants said they are looking forward to the conference.
“I think it’s going to be the perfect start to spring break,” volunteer and Engineering sophomore Brian Lee said.
“It’s going to be really crazy, but all the energy of the people and the atmosphere will be amazing,” Executive Director and Engineering senior Carlin Yuen said.
Organizers are excited to showcase Penn’s resources and support for the Asian American community, according to Associate Director and Wharton and College junior Rohan Grover, who is also the Asian Pacific Student Coalition chairman.
Even though the conference is scheduled for spring break weekend, there has been no shortage of Penn volunteers — 150 students have signed up to help, according to Yuen.
Planning the conference has been “almost a full-time job,” Chao said, but she added that the effort has been worthwhile because of its positive impact on Penn’s Asian American community and on freshmen in particular.
There are 130 workshops scheduled for this weekend.
Topics range from the perception of Asian Americans in mainstream media to breakdancing and a workshop entitled “Adventures in the World of Chinese Food,” according to the ECAASU website.
Multiple performances are also scheduled for this weekend, including one from Youtube star AJ Rafael.
The opening keynote address will be given by journalist Helen Zia, who has written about issues affecting Asian American communities.
After workshops, social and networking activities on Friday and Saturday, the closing keynote address will be given by California congressman Mike Honda.
The planning experience has been hectic, but after the conference is over, the directors expect to miss all of the activity.
“All we do now is think about the conference, and I feel like after, we’re going to feel a sense of nostalgia,” Yuen said.
Grover agreed. “ECAASU hasn’t just been a conference — it’s been a lifestyle.”
