Students in the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers can be found at movie nights with ramen in hand. Other times, they’re teaching others how to make rice balls, dumplings and popping boba.
From kimchi-making events to mock case studies, the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) combines culture with professional development — providing students with a space to embrace their culture and grow.
Anin Mae Truchan, ‘28, serves as SASE’s external relations chair. She said that with the influx of first years coming to Lehigh, she wants the club to be a safe space.
“We want to make sure that they (the first years) know that there’s a support network here that can support them culturally, academically and even emotionally,” Truchan said.
Established in the early 2010s, SASE has a strong community within Lehigh and nationwide.
Vicki Ma, ‘28, serves as co-president of SASE. She said the club mixes career enrichment, community involvement and culture, which sets it apart from other clubs on campus.
The club annually attends the national SASE conference where members have the opportunity to meet students with similar passions and network with entrepreneurs in the STEM field.
However, SASE’s impact remains even after students graduate from Lehigh.
Mikaela Villajoaquin, ‘29, SASE’s media chair, said students are sometimes offered jobs or internships on the spot because of SASE alumni presence across the country and connections made at the national conference.
SASE’s alumni network brings businesses directly to campus, exposing members to their career paths and opportunities.
In October, the club is hosting an event with Lincoln Financial — a major American financial services and insurance holding company — for students to build their network and learn from professionals.
“Being able to see Asian business leaders and the industries they’re working in, and (first-years) being able to see them and think, ‘Oh, that’s where I could be,’ is a big thing that we harp on,” Truchan said.
For Truchan, joining SASE helped her find her identity, something she struggled with as a first-year. Truchan said she hopes to recreate this environment — supporting others who are beginning college with uncertainty.
SASE has a mentor-mentee program that provides students with mentors both in the professional world and Lehigh. Students are matched based on their majors and interests, allowing them to form friendships across grades and learn from each other.
“I really wanna be able to give back to Lehigh SASE because they’ve done so much for me,” Truchan said.
SASE has a network of alumni who come back to Lehigh to support students through their career journeys.
Their mentorship coordinator Pious Le, ‘28, joined SASE because of his interest in creating an inclusive environment, bridging the gap between upper and lower classmen.
SASE provides opportunities for members to get involved early on and creates a mock workplace environment for underclassmen through their internship program.
In this program, club members form a team to take on roles such as secretary, project coordinator and marketing director.
Working together they practice facilitation skills by hosting two events each semester. In the past, one such event SASE interns commissioned was singing Christmas carols throughout Lehigh’s campus.
SASE functions on three pillars: professional development, community service and culture. According to Ma this year SASE is working to push their community pillar by offering volunteer opportunities for students in the Bethlehem community.
In September, club members are encouraged to volunteer for Spacefest, hosted on Mountaintop Campus, with activities aimed at helping Lehigh Valley kids explore science and space.
According to Ma, the current executive board of SASE hopes to expand the club and further curate a community that allows students to embrace Asian culture and grow professionally.
“I would want people to look at this space and know that it’s a great place for opportunity and a great place to discover yourself,” Ma said. “College is all about that really, like what do you want to do in the future? Who do you want to be? Where do you want to go?”
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