Nathan Tran
Year: Freshman; Class of 2012
Major: Business Administration
Hometown: San Diego, CA
High School: Cathedral Catholic High School
Favorite Boba Flavor: Passion Fruit with Strawberry Boba and Peach Bits
In high school, students were forced to complete a set number of service hours, a task that most students thought was a grueling chore, Nathan included. He thought volunteering was a waste of his time, but after participating in various Asian and Pacific Islander communities – Pan Asian Cultural Awareness Club, Vietnamese Youth Association, Highlander Adult Day Care Center, and UCSD’s Vietnamese Student Association – Nathan gained an appreciation for his culture and heritage, and these volunteer requirements became opportunities to serve others rather than burdens. Things he did in these organizations include sponsoring a Chinese girl and her family, tutoring children at the Vietnamese Youth Association center, caring for Asian and Pacific Islander elderly, and attended UCSD’s Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) events such as Metamorphosis which addressed human trafficking in Asia.
In high school, Nathan studied and learned about human rights issues in developing countries in a morality class. He researched wars in Uganda and Darfur and the collateral damage it caused; he witnessed economic and social inequality among the poor working-class in the United States. Throughout high school, Nathan felt unable to make an organized effort to ameliorate the numerous problems in today’s society until he learned about APSS and its long list of cultural, political, and humanitarian awareness advocacy. Despite his many efforts in high school, he could never amass peers who were as dedicated and passionate about taking an active stand against injustice and for racial awareness. After speaking to APSS members, Nathan knew that he wanted to participate in a tight-knit team comprised of socially responsible, ardent individuals.
On campus, Nathan is a member of Christian Life Community, Han Tao, and Vietnamese Student Association. He is also planning to join a service organization in the spring.
Nathan at a glance
Hobbies: playing Cranium and Scattergories, photographing, designing t-shirts and sweaters, interior decorating, reading magazines and the Wall Street Journal, spending too much money at H&M, cleaning and organizing
Favorite place to order food: Extraordinary Desserts
Favorite APSS event: APA Overnight
Favorite LMU memory: Rice Nights and NERF wars
API issue about which I am most passionate: Making the intercultural community aware of issues regarding racism, whether it be verbal, physical, or emotional.