Photo credit: Mark Stehle
Back in college, June Chu was an introvert who always had her nose buried in a book. To her, campus was a place to excel academically, and not a place to become involved and active. It wasn’t until she was pursuing her Ph.D. in social psychology at the University of California-Davis that she was able to share her experiences as an Asian-American. For the first time, she was around other Asian-Americans in the field who were passionate in exploring the same cultural issues.
As the director of Penn’s Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH), Chu shows students how being involved can add to one’s personal growth. “Coming full circle, being here at PAACH, makes me realize that students are looking for the entire university experience, balancing academics along with their extracurricular activities,” she says. Located in the Arch building, PAACH is a “home away from home” that builds leaders from the Asian-American community and provides culturally sensitive advising.
Chu, a mental health specialist, also steps into the classroom with the spring course, “Asian-American Psychology.” The class speaks to issues specific to the Asian-American experience such as biculturalism and cultural variability, and incorporates some of Chu’s research on Chinese-American students and obligations to family.
Whether it’s heading a community hub, teaching a course in the classroom or leading a class at Pottruck (she’s a spinning and group exercise instructor), Chu makes up for the fun she didn’t experience in college. “I get to play the big sister-counselor-teacher role.”
Q. What are some concerns for Asian-American students?
A. On a broad and general level, Asians tend to be more collective whereas white, European, capitalist cultures tend to be more individualistic. So, for Asian-Americans it’s about reconciling these two very disparate views on life. Additionally, I think for Asian-Americans, there’s always this notion that you are a perpetual foreigner in this country. When someone asks where you’re from, it’s not a question of ‘June must be from Connecticut.’ The follow-up question is, ‘Where are you really from?’
Also, the model minority myth is so incredibly pervasive here that there are struggles for Asian-Americans to either live up to that standard or shed that standard. How do I balance myself relative to my family and their traditional beliefs versus American culture, which is the complete opposite? And that is challenging because in addition to non-Asians believing the model minority myth, parents of Asian-Americans potentially buy into it and see a career-trajectory that is in medicine, law or business with no other diversions from that route. I see students who wrestle with the idea of possibly majoring in something that’s not Wharton-related or pre-med. Sometimes I struggle because the ‘solution’ is to advise students to double-major because then they get the best of both worlds. I hate to have to do that because it means much more work.
Q. What are some of the programs that PAACH offers?
A. We have a signature leadership program, Asian Pacific American Leadership Initiative, designed to empower Asian-American students to inform them, to educate them about issues. The idea is to train future leaders on our campus. [Graduates] have gone on to become leaders in all sorts of organizations across the board.
We also have a mentoring program, Promoting Enriching Experiences and Relationships, designed to match upperclassmen with incoming freshman. We also support Asian Pacific American Heritage Week (APAHW), this year scheduled for Oct. 22. There’s a student board [that] helps to put on the events (from a candlelight vigil to a charity gala). We’re also partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Asian American Network to bring a mentoring discussion. What I love about it is the passion and enthusiasm that the students have for educating, informing and sharing their culture with others. APAHW requires a year of planning, a lot of organization on the part of some amazing students.
Q. What has been your vision and where do you see PAACH going?
A. It’s a tough question because we get new students every single year. We try to align our vision with what our students want. In terms of programming, I would like to reach that 23 percent Asian, 13 percent Asian-American student body. I’d also like to see more collaboration between groups that fall under the Pan-Asian umbrella. In terms of where we would like to go, in the time that I’ve been here, I’m more familiar with my colleagues across campus. In that way, students are being referred over to us for more culturally sensitive advising if they feel a student needs it. That’s good because I think it’s important for us to be more integrated across campus.
Q. What has your job done for you?
A. When I talk to my friends, I’m one of the few people who talks about my job with a smile on my face. I enjoy what I do and I love my students. I love the relationships I have formed. It’s nice to know that you have made a slight difference in someone’s life. For me, having been an older sister, I’ve always enjoyed the mentoring-nurturing role and this position has been perfect for me at this point of my life. At Penn and at PAACH, I’ve seen myself more extroverted. The students have taught me the importance of being comfortable in my own skin.
Originally published Oct. 18, 2007.
