To ensure that students felt the warmth of Tết, the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) volunteered at a celebration featuring traditional games, lion dances and authentic Vietnamese cuisine. On Saturday, February 1, students gathered at Bellaire’s Tết Festival to work at various booths and greet incoming attendants, spreading the Lunar New Year joy.
The Lunar New Year is a time of tradition and community, and this year, VSA brought that spirit to life through festive celebrations and dedicated volunteer efforts. Under the leadership of President Lillie Pham and Vice President Elle Nguyen, the club not only embraced Vietnamese traditions but also gave back to the local community.
“I saw a lot of people that looked really happy to be there and celebrate our culture, which I’m really thankful for because it’s really nice to see our cultural appreciation,” Pham said.
VSA members assisted with setup, coordinated activities, and helped with crowd management during performances. They also worked at greeting booths, welcoming people into the Vietnamese festivities.
“We usually come to help them set up the event. So, we assisted in setting up all the booths and sorting out the old prizes. I liked seeing more people take on greater leadership roles and learn how to take charge when things need to get done,” Pham said.
The event also included a modeling session where participants wore traditional Áo dài — a formal piece of clothing representing Vietnamese national pride. Finally, the evening wrapped up with a raffle and eating competitions among crowd volunteers.
“I think celebrating every year and doing such a big event for the community brings all of us Vietnamese Americans together. It helps us remind ourselves that there’s a real community here,” Pham said.
Further, presidents ensured that the Lunar New Year was celebrated on campus. This year, VSA hosted a potluck event where members enjoyed various cultural foods and participated in club activities.
“I brought Banh Bo Nuong, which is a pandan, egg based cake, and it’s kind of chewy and coconutty. We essentially just distributed it all; everybody got a plate, and everybody got some food,” Nguyen says.
In addition to bringing the club’s food, Nguyen also led efforts in writing red envelopes for teachers. Inside, they contained handwritten New Year’s wishes and messages of student appreciation.
“One of the events they had was making red envelopes, and they would put thank you letters into the envelope to give out to teachers. It’s something really simple, but also something they felt was meaningful,” Nguyen stated.
Pham and Nguyen hope to expand VSA’s efforts next year by organizing more cultural workshops and strengthening ties with local Vietnamese organizations. Nguyen also hopes to increase participation in festivals like Tết.
“I really want to volunteer at the crawfish festival in the Spring because I know a lot of people will want to go there. I really hope all of us gain more leadership roles when we volunteer and can all work closely with the other companies,” Nguyen expressed.
As the new year begins, VSA continues to serve as a bridge between tradition and the next generation, ensuring that the spirit of Tết lives on for years to come. The two Presidents aim to encourage more students to get involved, regardless of background.
“We want everyone to experience our Vietnamese culture,” Pham said. “Tết is about family and unity; I hope we can share that with our community.”
