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MISSION STATEMENT

The Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California's mission is to bring together Vietnamese American students and young professionals across Southern California to build unity, to serve the community, and to advocate for social justice issues that affect our community domestically and in Vietnam.

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The Union of Vietnamese Student Associations (UVSA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan, community-based and youth-oriented organization designed to provide a united voice for youth and professional leaders from across Southern California. UVSA was founded in 1982 as a means for the Vietnamese diaspora community to organize socially and politically. Committed to leadership development, cultural awareness, civic engagement, and community service, UVSA is comprised entirely of unpaid volunteers including students, alumni, professionals, educators, and community leaders.

Annual activities and programs that UVSA organize include:

  1. Organizing the Tet Festival to celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year
  2. Providing grants to other non-profit organizations servicing the Southern California region
  3. Coordinating the VAHSA and UVSA Leadership Camps to provide access to leadership development for high school and college students
  4. Participating in the Black April Commemoration in remembrance of the Fall of Saigon
  5. Hosting inter-collegiate events such as UVSA Gala, Winter Formal, College Fair, Beach Day and Bonfire, and Friendship Games
  6. UVSA also participates, co-hosts, or sponsors a number of charitable events such as humanitarian relief concerts, charity dinners, International Human Rights Night, candle light vigils for religious freedom in Vietnam, and more.
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BYLAWS

Founded in 1982, the Bylaws of UVSA have undergone major changes in the years 2000 and then again in 2016 as the result of significant event affecting the organization.

Pink flowerPrintable Version (Current - 2025)Original ByLaws (1982)Updated ByLaws (2000)

POLICIES

Policy Scope

UVSA requires all officers, directors, general staff, and ICC representatives, to abide by the bylaws and policies set forth below. Personnel are collectively referred to as volunteer staff as no individual in the organization receives compensation for their volunteer time. For the purposes of our bylaws and policies, the following terms are used interchangeably: staff, volunteer staff, volunteer, and members. Day-of volunteers, that is, individuals who volunteer for a few hours at a specific event, are subject to separate requirements.