Melissa Le ‘13 is President of the Unified Asian American Student Organization
Melissa Le ‘13 is President of the Unified Asian American Student Organization at Montclair State University majoring in Psychology. She is a Vietnamese American girl raised by Vietnamese immigrant parents, mixed of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Cambodian.
Melissa just turned 21 and is living a beautiful balance of work and play. Besides her position of President of the Unified Asian American Student Organization, she is also a member of the East Coast Asian American Student Union and plans to work in Asian American Organizations for the rest of her life!
Some Fun Facts about Melissa:
Loves: Fashion, Photography, Instagram, Event Planning, Traveling, well backpacking, helping others, and meeting and getting to know others, oh and SHOES!
Backpacked: Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, and Vietnam (started out as a paid Business trip)
ASIANCE: Why did you choose your school?
Melissa: I chose Montclair State University (MSU) because it was a school that matched my personality best, in terms of location, college population, and the types of opportunities granted with being apart of this university. In high school, I had a close relationship with my counselor and he was the one who recommended me to apply to MSU. He knew I was accustomed to a diverse student population, coming from Atlantic City High School, one of the most diverse high schools in the country, and the location, since it was so close to New York City. Long story short, he was right! I love Montclair and I am truly blessed with such an amazing college experience! I’ve had so many life changing events take place at MSU that has not only contributed to but has enhanced my personal development and it’s all thanks to my counselor Mr. Henry Winkler.
You’re in college to learn and establish yourself as an individual. Go out and have fun but remember that these years will fly by and before you know, you’ll be a senior looking back at every decision you made and wishing you could go back.
ASIANCE: What is your major?
Melissa: I am a Psychology major with a new concentration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
ASIANCE: What will you be doing once you graduate?
Melissa: I am deciding between whether or not I should continue on with my education, to attend graduate school for Organization Psychology, or continue to work in non-profit organizations and volunteer my time to work with the Asian American community.
ASIANCE: What clubs or extracurricular activities did you enjoy? If Asian specific, why did you choose to join?
Melissa: I am the President of the Unified Asian American Student Organization (UAASO) at MSU and I love it! I have always been a part of Asian American student organizations since high school and I am truly blessed to work with such an amazing board this year and to be part of this organization. When I’m not working with UAASO, I am working with the East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU) to educate and empower other leaders to help inspire their local communities. Let’s just say, I’m a boring person, and all I do is work.
ASIANCE: What do you look forward to the most about graduating?
Melissa: To be honest, I’m very anxious to leave college and “enter the real world”. It’s scary to think about how things will completely change from now on. However, at the same time, I am very excited about starting a new chapter in my life and to further develop myself.
ASIANCE: What will you miss about not attending school?
Melissa: Everything! I love meeting new people and learning about their personal narratives! Believe it or not, I’ll even miss taking classes and learning from such amazing professors, and hanging out with the members from my organization. What I’m going to miss the most is the atmosphere. It is amazing to be in an environment where everyone has a shared purpose: to discover and become the person who they’ve always meant to be. It has been an exhilarating experience and I’m saddened at the fact that it’s coming to an end.
ASIANCE: Was there another school you wanted to attend?
Melissa: Originally, The College of New Jersey was my top choice; a recruiter did a great job promoting the school. Also, after spending so much time in NYC and meeting such amazing people in the city, I’ve considered transferring to NYU or Columbia. In the end, I decided to finish at MSU and apply to graduate programs in the city for I/O psychology instead.
ASIANCE: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Melissa: In five years, I could see myself on one of two paths. In one, I see myself renting an apartment in the city with my best friends. Hopefully, I’ll be finished with my Master’s in Organizational Psychology by then and have secured a job in the city, helping non-profits focus on the Asian American community or helping companies improve working conditions to better manage their employees. Two, I could focus more on volunteering opportunities, either here or overseas, in programs such as the Peace Corps or anything along those lines.
ASIANCE: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Melissa: In ten years, I’m not exactly sure to be honest. I have so much I want to do and I’m the kind of person who welcomes change with open arms! There are so many opportunities out there and I’ve learned that it’s better to enjoy the journey instead of rushing to the destination. I will say this, there are a few things I would like to accomplish before the age of thirty, such as traveling and exploring the world, learning new ways to help empower young leaders to improve the Asian American community, and find a job that can combine everything I’m passionate about in one. That would be my goal.
ASIANCE: Any significant accomplishments you would like to add during your time in college?
Melissa: Since it is my senior year, I would like to do a few things to end my undergrad experience with a BANG! Number 1 on this list would be put UAASO on the map! This is our ten-year anniversary and I am working with my board to do really big things by revamping our old events, creating new events, and getting more involved with the Asian American community on a bigger scale. I would also like to meet other student leaders, help to improve their organizations and inspire them to become more active within our community. I would also like to apply to a couple of grad schools programs in NYC and figure things out from there.
ASIANCE: Looking back would you do anything differently?
Melissa: I don’t think I would, to be honest. Of course I could have applied to a different school, hang out with a different group of people or join a different organization but I didn’t. Every decision I made took me to where I am today and I’m a strong believer that this is where I’m suppose to be.
ASIANCE: Was there anything hard about being Asian at your school?
Melissa: Fortunately, for me, Montclair has a very diverse student and faculty population. I did not face too much difficulty, aggressive acts of racism or hate crimes. Of course we do not live in a perfect world. In my four years I’ve encountered many ignorant individuals and microaggressive behavior, however I am lucky enough to be a part of strong Asian American community. Although I would liked to have met more Vietnamese Americans (and show off my Vietnamese skills, haha just kidding!), I think Asian American student organizations at school, such as my organization, UAASO, the Indian Culture Club, and Japan Club, as well as non-Asian student orgs, such as the Latin American Student Organization has done a great job with welcoming everyone and making them feel a part of a bigger community.
ASIANCE: What advice would you give to girls who are looking at colleges right now?
Melissa: I would say the same thing I’ve told my board and members and that is to enjoy yourself but always play it smart! Yes, you’re young and in an amazing stage in your life where you will meet so many people and have some life changing experiences BUT always, ALWAYS remember what you’re here for. You’re in college to learn and establish yourself as an individual. Go out and have fun but remember that these years will fly by and before you know, you’ll be a senior looking back at every decision you made and wishing you could go back… Make sure you so it right the first time 🙂
Facebook.com/melissathile
Twitter and Instagram: melloves2smile