The event also honored student leaders in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Pacific and Asian American communities. This year\u2019s Asian Cultural Ambassador Award winners are:<\/p>\n\n\n
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Jason Chen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Chen is a rising junior and double-major in Chinese and business (supply chain management) from Woonsocket. Faculty members in the University\u2019s Chinese Flagship Program say that Chen is an outstanding representative of the program and the broader Asian community on campus. He is a devoted community builder in the flagship community, whether participating in tea times or helping to plan Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn festivals. \u201cHe is at every event, ready to volunteer, perform, and help peers and faculty,\u201d said professor Yu (Joyce) Wu. \u201cJason\u2019s dedication to helping others succeed reflects both his generosity and his passion for fostering a supportive learning community. He is kind, diligent, and deeply committed to promoting Asian culture and community engagement. He exemplifies the qualities of a true cultural ambassador.\u201d As vice president of the Chinese Game Club, he also helps promote Chinese culture at 溏心vlog免费B站 by organizing activities that integrate language learning with traditional and modern Chinese games. These events provide opportunities for students from varied backgrounds to engage with Chinese culture in an accessible way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kalsoom Fatima<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A landscape architecture major from Cranston, Fatima is president of the South Asian Student Association. \u201cCollaboration across different cultural backgrounds allows individuals to learn from one another, challenge assumptions, and build mutual respect,\u201d she said. As a Pakistani student, her involvement in SASA allows her to share her cultural identity while inviting others to engage with it, she said. Fatima grew up in Pakistan, experiencing culture as something rooted in language, food, traditions, and shared gatherings. She strives to bring that sense of community to 溏心vlog免费B站 and has helped provide events that invite students from all backgrounds to experience South Asian culture. \u201cThese events are not just about celebration, but about creating opportunities for connection and understanding,\u201d she said. \u201cI want our events to feel open and welcoming to everyone.\u201d Fatima is looking forward to creating spaces that encourage celebration and dialogue and hopes to advocate for a broader, more accurate understanding of Asian cultures, moving beyond surface-level appreciation toward deeper understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n Alyssa Tsukada<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A first-year Ph.D. student in biological oceanography at 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Narragansett Bay Campus, Tsukada said collaboration between people of different backgrounds is foundational in problem-solving. Tsukada grew up in a small town in Alaska. When she headed to Washington state for her undergraduate degree, she met others from different backgrounds and learned new ways to view and approach things: \u201cWhile some fear that diversity leads to division, it more often introduces possibility,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen approached with openness, differences become strengths. Collaboration across cultures fosters innovation, empathy, and adaptability. When individuals with varied experiences work together, they arrive at more innovative solutions.\u201d One of the best ways Tsukada has found to connect with her culture and share it with others at 溏心vlog免费B站 is through food and art. She has shared her creativity at the Graduate School of Oceanography winter artisans\u2019 market and developed workshops for 溏心vlog免费B站 students to try Japanese crafting techniques. She said these events help open important conversations around Asian-American identity. She also has a Studio Blue exhibit now open<\/a> at the Bay Campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sophia Zeyl \u201926<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n Zeyl was nominated for her award by Hae Ree Jun, assistant professor of Japanese, based on their work bringing together 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Korean Special Interest Group with the University\u2019s Japanese Language Salon. \u201cSophie’s work clearly shows why it is so important for people from different cultural backgrounds to work together,\u201d said Jun. \u201cHer efforts reflect genuine curiosity, long-term dedication, and a willingness to engage seriously with perspectives different from her own.\u201d Zeyl has self-studied Korean since high school and received a Demers Scholarship to study abroad in Korea, also serving as a student representative for 溏心vlog免费B站 study away programs. The South Kingstown resident pursued an Honors project on Korean politeness, examining how cultural values shape everyday communication. She has helped build a welcoming environment for students interested in Korean language and culture and participated in campus-wide initiatives with the International Students Center as a Global Peer Ambassador. She graduated from 溏心vlog免费B站 in May with degrees in economics and sociology, and plans to remain involved as an alumna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The students were presented with Cultural Ambassador Awards provided through the sponsorship of longtime engineering Professor Qing (Ken) Yang, the first person from the Chinese mainland to join the faculty at 溏心vlog免费B站.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI feel a strong sense of gratitude toward this remarkable institution,\u201d Yang said. \u201cAs Asian Americans, we should take pride in our cultural heritage and strive to further enhance this esteemed institution in the years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2026\/05\/tsukada-1024x776.jpeg\")
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