A Letter From Your 2018 Retreat Leaders
Christina Youn
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Dorm: Welsh Fam
Year: Sophomore
Position: AAA member
Christopher Ye
Major: Finance
Hometown: Queens, New York
Dorm: Zahm House
Year: Sophomore
Position: AAA Membership Outreach &
VSA Public Relations
We are Chris and Christina and we will be your retreat leaders for the 2018 AAA First Year Retreat! This retreat really kicked off first year experience at ND so we are so excited to be able to share this experience with you. This 24-hour retreat will give you the opportunity to make friends, explore your identity, and develop spirituality. Starting your year with this overnight retreat is the perfect way to begin the year. With this year's theme being ANCHORS, we hope you will discover the anchors in your life that keep you steady and the anchors that only seem to hold you back. We are looking forward to meeting you at this event!
Love,
Christopher & Christina
Check out some photos from last year's retreat!
RETREAT INFORMATION
DATE: August 24 – 25 2018
TIME: 4:00PM – 4:00PM
LOCATION: Michiana Christian Service Camp
COST: $0
DESCRIPTION: The AAA First Year Retreat is one of the three multicultural retreats available to first years to start their year at Notre Dame. It is a collaborative effort between Campus Ministry and AAA and designed to help you explore your identity, faith, and culture alongside other first-years.
Go check out the FAQ section below for more information!
RETREAT LEADERS
Meet some of your retreat leaders!
Michael Wang
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Granger, Indiana
Dorm: Off-Campus (Formerly Zahm House)
Year: Senior
Position: Table Leader/Former Chinese Culture Society Social Media Coordinator
Hi everyone, I'm Michael. I'm a senior CS major looking to get into software development. I play tennis. Glad to answer any questions or give advice. Really looking forward to meeting everyone!
Sid Magdaong
Major: Science Preprofessional, Chinese
Hometown: Murfreesboro, TN
Dorm: Dunne Hall
Year: Senior
Position: President
Hi everyone! Living in Dunne Hall, I'm from Murfreesboro, TN (near Nashville), and though I don't like country music, I'll gladly be your friend if you do! I like to sing, run, talk about turtles, and do all three at the same time, so let's hang! I like turtles.
Emily Luong
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Dorm: Ryan Hall
Year: Junior
Positions: VSA
Hey guys, my name’s Emily! I’m a junior psychology major and live in Ryan Hall. I’m from New York, which means that I’m able to walk fast and that Chicago pizza is inferior. I love hanging out with friends, laying in bed, and procrastinating my studies. I go to many of AAA and their umbrella clubs’ events, but I’m mainly involved in the Vietnamese Student Association. If you see me, please introduce yourself to me! I love getting to know new people and am always down to hang out. I’m super excited to meet you all!
Lara Lontoc
Major: IT Management
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Dorm: Farley
Year: Sophomore
Position: AAA Director of Design and Digital Technologies, FASO Director of Design and Media
Hello frens! A little about myself: There is no "u" missing from my name; it is indeed Lara (pronounced Lahr-uh). I have an unhealthy obsession with The Tonight Dough ice cream and chocolate in general. My music taste has been aptly described as that of a 12-year-old boy; Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy fill my soul. I failed the telling left from right test in preschool and still have trouble figuring that out. Lastly, I remember deciding the day of to go to the retreat on a whim, and it is still one of the best decisions I've ever made. Some of my best mems from last year were with the AAA fam, and I am sure that will continue this year, hopefully with you all :)
Gian Rafael
Major: Economics and Philosophy
Hometown: Corona, CA
Dorm: Off-Campus (Formerly O'Neill Family Hall)
Year: Senior
Positions: Former FASO Vice President 2017-2018
Hi! My name is Gian and I'll be one of the table leaders for the 2018 AAA First Year Retreat! As a senior, I hope to pass on valuable information and lessons that I've learned during my time so far at Notre Dame and hopefully be someone you guys can come to for advice or guidance. I'm looking forward to seeing all of you at the retreat!
Alyssa Ngo
Major: Program of Liberal Studies, English
Hometown: Marion, Indiana
Dorm: Ryan; off-campus this year
Year: Senior
Positions: Diversity Council Chair; Asian Allure Director
Hello all! My name is Alyssa, and this will be my fourth year attending the first year retreat. Attending the retreat as a first year honestly changed the whole course of my Notre Dame experience, and I've made so many friends and memories that I am hoping to include you in! I am looking forward to staying up talking all night, playing silly games, and simply listening to and getting to know you all. Hope to meet you soon!
Zachary Yim
Major: Financial Economics & Econometrics and Political Science
Hometown: Davis, California
Dorm: Stanford Hall
Year: Junior
Position: Table Leader
I am a junior majoring in economics and political science, with a concentration in financial economics and econometrics. I'm a resident of the 3 E/W quad in Stanford Hall. In my free time, I like to make ramen and take pictures. I hope to go to law school in the future.
Sherry Zheng
Major: Business (most likely finance) and economics
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Dorm: PE
Year: Sophomore
Position: Table Leader
Hey guys! My name is Sherry and I’m from Melbourne, Australia. I am a business and econ double major with a minor in Chinese. I am very involved in clubs such as sibc.
Ashlee Fu
Major: ACMS / Music Performance
Hometown: Beijing
Dorm: Flaherty (was Farley)
Year: Sophomore
Position: Table Leader
Talk to me about arts-- I am a huge fan of modern arts. I major in the "old" piano music, but I am also crazy about jazz, r&b, edm, soundtrack. I set foot in Notre Dame wanting to fight brain disorders, but as I discover a broader field of healthcare that I am passionate about, I switched to applied maths major to secure a quantitative skill. I am ethically Korean Chinese from Beijing, but I love German and other cultures. International relations is also something I care about. At Notre Dame, find me at O'Neill hall of Music (I would love to give you a tour of our new grand recital halls), club Hes, north quad on a sunny day, lining up for starbucks, or among my dear friends. Hit me up for a trip to eddy street for chill food or boba at UP Mall (yes yes allegedly I drink 3L of boba daily to survive).
Find more information on AAA and its umbrella clubs below!
AAA is diverse student organization, and underneath it are eight additional culture clubs. Everyone, 0-100% Asian, will be able to find a group to join!
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Wait, so how free is "free" for this event?
Who can attend?
What should I bring?
I have other commitments that weekend - is it required to attend the entire 24 hours?
Do I need to be religious to attend / will the retreat have a religious focus?
Where will the retreat be held?
It's free as in: you pay absolutely nothing in order to attend the retreat!
All Notre Dame, Holy Cross, and Saint Mary's First Years can come to the AAA First Year retreat. You do not have to be Asian, or American, to participate!
It's an overnight event, so bring toiletries such as shampoo, soap, and toothpaste. Also, bring a pillow and especially a blanket, as the facility's air-conditioning may make it chilly. There will be showers as well, so you may want to consider bringing extra clothes.
We'd love to have you for the entire time, but it is not required to be in attendance for the entire 24 hours. That being said, please contact one of the retreat leaders in order to find out the best accommodations for you.
You do not have to be religious to come to the retreat. While there are some spiritual/religious themes, the majority of the AAA retreat is focused on identity and community-building.
The retreat will be held at the Michiana Christian Service Camp.
Have even more questions? You can send an e-mail to either your retreat leaders Chris (cye@nd.edu) or Christina (cyoun@nd.edu), or send an e-mail to AAA at: aaa@nd.edu
