Spring Break
A Flavor For Everyone
Madeline Ward
Issue date: 8/31/07 Section: Focus
The ever popular Asian-American Mentoring Program (AMP) ice cream social kicked off last night what should be a year of excitement and discovery. At 7 p.m. a line that spanned the entire length of the cultural center formed, spilling out into the lobby with eager freshman and seniors awaiting the first scoop.
"I think' of course, this part of the Weekend of Welcome is about getting to know the first-years the campus," said Kenny Importante, grad student and assistant to the Asian-American Cultural Center. "You don't have to be Asian to sign up," he added. "We represent all of the cultures: Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Pakistani, Thai, Hmong, Cambodian and anyone that just wants to come."
"It's a way to educate. We're friendly and our minds and arms our open. So stop by and visit. There is no harm in trying. Sometimes we need to step outside our comfort zone."
Outside, each person in line had a black pastic bowl filled to the top from the all-you-can-eat sundae buffet.
The spotlight was on the student leaders, who take time out of their busy schedules to meet with their freshmen "littles" and show them the ropes of UConn life. There was the chatter as students were crammed into an adjacent banquet room, where a monitor was showing a video of last year's Homecoming celebration.
The purpose of the mentoring for freshmen and transfer students is to give them a person they can trust, so they don't feel embarrassed to asking strange questions. They can use someone to help them plan classes, to eat lunch with and in the end, hopefully, as a role model to look up to, perhaps even inspire them to achieve academic success.
Kim Loan Bui, a 7th-semester elementary education major and Mike Lin, 1st-semester pre-education major, explained the process. Both met a few days ago as big and little mentoring matches.
"A coordinator matched us," Kim said, to which Mike nodded.
"The kick-off party was a week ago; it's only the first week." "We might teach together," Mike joked, since they shared the same major and aspirations.
When asked how he felt about the college experience so far, Mike said, "It's great, it's more than I expected. Everyone at the school is really friendly. I can ask anyone for directions."
Most of the mentors have been through the process themselves and chose to come back for a second time to help out incoming students.
"I think' of course, this part of the Weekend of Welcome is about getting to know the first-years the campus," said Kenny Importante, grad student and assistant to the Asian-American Cultural Center. "You don't have to be Asian to sign up," he added. "We represent all of the cultures: Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Pakistani, Thai, Hmong, Cambodian and anyone that just wants to come."
"It's a way to educate. We're friendly and our minds and arms our open. So stop by and visit. There is no harm in trying. Sometimes we need to step outside our comfort zone."
Outside, each person in line had a black pastic bowl filled to the top from the all-you-can-eat sundae buffet.
The spotlight was on the student leaders, who take time out of their busy schedules to meet with their freshmen "littles" and show them the ropes of UConn life. There was the chatter as students were crammed into an adjacent banquet room, where a monitor was showing a video of last year's Homecoming celebration.
The purpose of the mentoring for freshmen and transfer students is to give them a person they can trust, so they don't feel embarrassed to asking strange questions. They can use someone to help them plan classes, to eat lunch with and in the end, hopefully, as a role model to look up to, perhaps even inspire them to achieve academic success.
Kim Loan Bui, a 7th-semester elementary education major and Mike Lin, 1st-semester pre-education major, explained the process. Both met a few days ago as big and little mentoring matches.
"A coordinator matched us," Kim said, to which Mike nodded.
"The kick-off party was a week ago; it's only the first week." "We might teach together," Mike joked, since they shared the same major and aspirations.
When asked how he felt about the college experience so far, Mike said, "It's great, it's more than I expected. Everyone at the school is really friendly. I can ask anyone for directions."
Most of the mentors have been through the process themselves and chose to come back for a second time to help out incoming students.
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