• Had a VSA in high school (early involvement)
• To learn more about the Vietnamese culture and history
• Meeting new people and making friends
• Had a sibling or friend who was in VSA
• Professional development
• Leadership development
• Volunteering and helping the community
• Participate in events/projects
  • Cultural dancing
  • Self-expression
• To reinforce the Vietnamese identity
• Be part of a team

If any of these reasons are missing, then members won’t stay in the VSA. There is also a natural order to things; social comes first, and professional development comes later.

• Fun! (i.e. the experiences are interesting)
• Develop life experiences and friendships
• Working towards a common goal and develop a sense of progress
  • More members
  • Increase experiences
  • Increasing a sense of community through participation
• Close connections and friendships
• Have invested time bear something (i.e. to see the fruit of one’s own labor)

• Bring members into project committees; it is the act of participating and creating
• Response to “What’s the Benefit?"
  • Recognition
  • Making friends and connections
  • Learning culture
  • Leadership skills
  • Learn different culture
  • Develop personal confidence

• The events themselves, if they are good, will promote the club
• Word of mouth
• Fliers and pictures
• Networking
• Facebook Group
• Videos
• Food selling
• Radio advertising
• Souvenirs
• T-Shirts that stand out

• Talking & eating
• Outdoor activities
• Potlucks
• Knowing thy neighbors (really get to know them)
• Arrange transportation and carpools (not everyone has a car)
• Give responsibilities in a project
• Crafts & art
• Points system; rewards for points for participation
• Remind members
• Breaking members into teams or families
• Buddy system

• Food (and the stories and origins of them)
• Tết and Tết Trung Thu
• Folktales
  • Bánh chưng
  • Hai Bà Trung
• VSA History
• Vietnamese clothing
• Teacher’s Day (Nov 28)
• Songs
• Language lessons
• Proverbs
• Forums: issues, current events
• Publications
• Slideshow of trips
• Biographies of members and notable Vietnamese figures