The Vietnamese Student Association is not a club for only Vietnamese students, but a social gathering for anyone who wants to understand the Vietnamese culture and peer support.

The club adviser has been there for 13 years. She’s done more for the members then being an adviser. “I don’t just like to be their consoler or adviser but their mentor, friend or older sister,” said KD Le, 39.

VSA is a social group that’s part of a larger organization, known as the United North America Vietnamese Student Association. The De Anza College VSA is among the most diverse of them all, and has become an attractive club for students from every culture.

The De Anza College branch has been around for 30 years and has consistently met in the Student Council Chambers every Friday from 1:30 until 4 p.m.

Students who have joined the club say they have received support that has motivated them to do more and achieve greatness.

“I went from being a guy who was not interested in clubs to club president,” said Cong Nguyen, 23-year-old VSA President. “It comes to show how inspirational it was.”

The club enjoys staying busy and planning new events. Currently, plans are in the works for a charity show dinner called “Cupertino by Night,” scheduled for May 17. Plans are to present a comedy drama, produced in English and Vietnamese. It is currently untitled and is meant to be about Vietnamese-American students.

VSA influences are not limited to De Anza; it has spread through the community with support from the high schools, churches and temples. Van Lang, a Vietnamese school held on Sundays at Gunderson High, receives support from the club as well.

Soheil Rezaee is a staff reporter for La Voz.