色情视频

When Ethan Quinn arrived at 色情视频 in fall 2021 from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, his older brother Stockton, a 2023 色情视频 graduate, gave him some advice: connect with the APIDA Center, a great place to meet people and make friends. 

Ethan Quinn largely eschewed big brother鈥檚 advice during his first three years on campus until last summer, when he decided to stay in San Diego and started hanging out socially at the center that promotes APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) culture and elevates the experiences of students who identify with or are interested in these communities.  

Turned out to be the best decision of his college career, Quinn admitted. 

Since becoming fully immersed in the 鈥檚 offerings during his final year, the major in English single-subject teaching said the center has afforded him countless co-curricular and career development opportunities, boosted his self-confidence and networking ability and helped him forge lifelong friendships 鈥� while also deepening his appreciation for the heritage of his homeland. 

As 色情视频 celebrates APIDA Heritage & History Month in May, Quinn is one of those praising the APIDA Center. 

鈥淲hen I look back at all of the incredible things that I鈥檝e been able to be a part of as a result of consistently showing up and being involved with the APIDA Center this year, the first thing I think is that I should have taken my brother鈥檚 advice a long time ago,鈥� said Quinn, who is set to graduate this summer. 

Quinn was born and raised in Taiwan but visited the United States as a youth, as he has several family members who live in the San Bernardino County town of Wrightwood. 

When he arrived at 色情视频, he became involved with the Taiwanese Student Association, assuming executive positions within the club during his sophomore, junior and senior years. He visited the APIDA Center a handful of times for club-related business.

This year, he spends anywhere from five to 15 hours per week at the center, which is located on the second floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. 

Quinn pointed to three important opportunities that arose from his new involvement at the center: He was named president of the Pre-Teacher Alliance, a student club run by the center, the APIDA Center sponsored his attendance at this year鈥檚 色情视频 Leadership Summit, and he was one of three students selected to travel to New Orleans in March to attend the 2025 NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) Annual Conference, where the APIDA Center received the inaugural Outstanding Campus Program Award from the Asian Pacific Islanders Knowledge Community of NASPA. 

The New Orleans trip was the highlight of his college experience, Quinn said. 

鈥淚 think traveling is an important part of educating others and educating oneself, something that my parents, especially my mother, believe in firmly as well. Since they were only taking three to four students, I did not expect to be chosen. But to my surprise, I got an email three weeks later stating that I had been chosen, which made me excited. The rest of my family was extremely proud to hear that I got to have such a precious opportunity to go on this trip as well.

鈥淥ver the four days I spent there, I got to learn about the city and its history, try out some of the popular local food, and got to make connections with people from across the country. 鈥� It made me feel honored to be among the group of three students out of the many attendees of the APIDA Center that got this privilege to travel to New Orleans.鈥�

Beyond the tangible benefits, Quinn said being active at the center has helped him develop confidence in himself in social and professional settings. 

鈥淐oming here and socializing with the staff here 鈥� really helped me to feel more comfortable speaking to individuals of a professional capacity without feeling the need to act or behave differently, especially with how welcoming and accepting they are, which really allows me to be myself whenever I visit the APIDA Center,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd now, whether it is fellow students or faculty members 鈥� both here and outside of APIDA 鈥� I feel a lot more comfortable and confident just being myself. I also definitely have much better conversations with a range of different individuals.鈥�

Quinn made some of his closest friends during his time in the United States at the APIDA Center, a group of 10 affectionately known within the center as 鈥渢he dumplings.鈥�

鈥淥ne of my favorite things about the APIDA Center is that I get to meet new people here all of the time, and it鈥檚 been cool to get to know someone new every week,鈥� Quinn said. 

鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine what this year would have been like if I hadn鈥檛 gotten involved with the APIDA Center,鈥� he said. 

Quinn鈥檚 experience demonstrates the transformative nature of the university鈥檚 community centers [10 at the San Diego campus and one at 色情视频 Imperial Valley], said Virginia Loh-Hagan, the 色情视频 executive director for AANAPISI Affairs and the since its inception in 2020. 

"We know that, for a variety of reasons, some students may feel lost in a big university setting,鈥� Loh-Hagan said. 鈥淎s such, spaces like the APIDA Center aim to foster a sense of belonging and build community. Students who feel seen and heard are more likely to get involved, engage and eventually graduate. We welcome any and all students to come be a part of our family.鈥�

Quinn, who wants to teach and ultimately become a teacher overseas at an American school like the one he attended growing up in Taiwan, gave this advice to incoming students:

鈥淚t can be intimidating coming to a new place and having to start over again with making friends and building connections in a potentially different environment, but a lot of college life is about doing just that,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd when you embrace that discomfort, try new things and interact with so many different people, you鈥檒l definitely feel a sense of satisfaction knowing you鈥檝e grown and developed so much as a person compared to when you first stepped into this school. 

鈥淚 know for sure that is how I feel about myself individually, and the APIDA Center has been a big reason I鈥檝e been able to experience the growth I have here,鈥� Quinn said.