Honoring Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the Gaels Shaping Saint Mary’s
During this nationwide celebration May 1–31, we would like to introduce you to some members of Saint Mary’s family and what they do—as scholars, students, athletes, and more—to write present and future chapters in our shared story.
Spring is always a busy and beautiful time on the Saint Mary’s campus. One of the things that makes it special for the Gael community is celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The nationwide celebration—from May 1 to May 31—is an opportunity to reflect on and recognize the important roles that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders play at Saint Mary’s. So we’d like to introduce you to some members of Saint Mary’s family and what they do—as scholars, students, athletes, and more—to write present and future chapters in our shared story.
This is also a good time to note that for years Saint Mary’s has earned from the US Department of Education the designation of an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institution. On campus, student groups celebrating AAPI heritage include the Asian Pacific American Student Association (APASA) and the Southern Asia Society. Read more about them below, along with news on recent and upcoming events.
Here’s What the Gaels Are Bringing to the Rugby National Championship
On May 4, when Saint Mary’s takes to the pitch in Houston to face Navy, keep your eyes out for a three-headed dragon on the field. Those would be the team leaders. Team Captain is Kaipono Kayoshi ’23, MA ’24, whose family is Hawaiian and who started playing rugby in high school in the Sacramento area. He’s quick to point to the important role that everyone on the team plays, whether they’re on the pitch or the sidelines. “They bring the juice every game day, and when stuff’s not going as good as we hope, they’ll just lift us up,” he says. One of his fellow team leaders is Inoke Waqavesi Jr. ’23, MA ’24. Inoke’s parents are Fijian, his mother half Tongan, and he also grew up in Sacramento—where, he notes, rugby is especially important with the Pacific Islander community. Rounding out the leadership trio is Erich Storti ’23, MBA ’24. As for the team’s winning equation, Inoke says, that’s “juice, joy, and accuracy.”
Jared Ralleta ’24 Built a Tool Astronauts Can Use on the Moon, Mars, and Beyond. So Where’s He Headed Next?
A first-gen college student whose father emigrated from the Philippines, Jared Ralleta was the sole undergrad researcher at RISE2, a NASA-funded expedition in the New Mexico desert that tests out tech for future space exploration. “I could only have had this opportunity at Saint Mary’s,” he says.
Energy Metabolism and Preventing Disease
One of the Fulbright scholars who helped Saint Mary’s earn recognition from the Department of State as a Top Producing Fulbright Institution, Chi-An Emhoff benefited from the prestigious fellowship to collaborate with colleagues in France to focus on the prevention of chronic disease. An associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology with a multidisciplinary background, Emhoff is interested in the role of physical activity and endurance training in the prevention of chronic diseases.
A Closer Look: Loan Thi Dao and the Project “At 50: Confluences and Changes in Little Saigon Since 1975”
As the 50th anniversary of the end of the U.S. War in Vietnam draws near, Loan Thi Dao’s project centers on oral history interviews documenting changes to the Little Saigon district in Orange County, California, considered to be the largest Vietnamese American enclave in the United States—and one of the largest such districts in the world. She is a professor of Ethnic Studies in the School of Liberal Arts. “This project lays the foundation to understand the evolving generational identities of refugees from the American war in Southeast Asia that created the largest refugee immigration to the U.S. since World War II,” she explains.
A Closer Look: Amy Chu on “Tuning the Reactivity of Metal Carbon Dioxide Complexes for Carbon Dioxide Recycling to Carbon Monoxide”
Recycling carbon dioxide has proven to be a promising strategy for efficiently managing carbon resources. With a Faculty Research Grant in hand, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Amy Chu and her undergraduate research students are designing metal-containing chemical compounds that facilitate this recycling strategy.
Lightning Raj Strikes Again
He goes by Lightning Raj... and he flashed his powers again this winter: Rajpaul Pannu ’13, a decorated ultra distance runner, won the 100 Mile USATF National Championship road race in February. He finished with a time of 11:58:01, the second fastest ever by a US runner. Yes, that's a 7:11 pace! Pannu ran cross country at Saint Mary's, where he was named one of the best runners in the region.
In Their Own Words: Gabrielle Ly '24 Sees Art History in Her Future
A recent transfer to Saint Mary’s, Gabrielle Ly wrapped up a summer last year that included a competitive art conservation program at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles. She wouldn’t have applied at all without art professor Costanza Dopfel’s encouragement, she says.
Maya Alcantra ’22 Representing the Philippines at 2023 Women’s World Cup
She was a defensive rock in the Saint Mary's lineup during her career with the Gaels. And last summer, she became part of the first team from the Philippines—women or men—to qualify for the World Cup.
Amidst the “Techlash,” Saint Mary’s College Is Creating a New Kind of Computer Science Program
In an era where tech optimism has given way to concerns about privacy, data collection, cyber attacks, and misinformation, Udayan Das is building a Computer Science program to meet our moment. An associate professor and the program director, Das says, “We’re going to have an explicit focus on social justice, ethics, the intersection of technology with society, and the ways that technology impacts society and the future.” One of his primary goals, too, is addressing what he and other leaders in the field see as the “very urgent need” for more women and people of color in Silicon Valley and beyond.
Through 1 a.m. Zooms and 17-Hour Flights, the “Guamies” Cross the Finish Line
Class of 2023 grads Kobe Onedera, Isabellaskye Bargfrede, Angelica Cabot, and Brandon Soriano had a college experience like no other. When COVID-19 struck in March 2020, they flew home to Guam—and continued their studies online, amidst a 17-hour time difference. What kept them going? “We wanted to make people back home proud,” Onedera says.
A Closer Look: Jia Wu’s Work on “A short Dance Film: 美國母女 MEI GUO MU NV (Mothers and Daughters)”
For this dance piece, Associate Professor of Dance Jia Wu sets out to explore the theoretical foundations of gender studies and Richard Dawkins' concept of “self-genes” in order to define the role of the “Asian Mother” in contemporary Asian American social structures. The narrative storyline is shaped through a series of interviews with immigrant Asian mothers and daughters in the Bay Area.
What’s the Value of International Education? Answers from Scholars at Saint Mary’s.
Jyoti Bachani, a professor in the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, teaches graduate and undergraduate students in the School of Economics and Business Administration, with a focus on strategy-making in business and nonprofit organizations. As a Fulbright Senior Research Scholar, she conducted research at the Management Development Institute Gurgaon in the state of Haryana, India.
Through the Belmont Forum, a partnership of funding organizations, international science councils, and regional consortia committed to the advancement of transdisciplinary science, Saint Mary’s is also participating in a project spanning three continents. Manisha Anantharaman, who has taught in the Department of Justice, Community and Leadership, is serving as principal investigator for a collaborative research project focused on sustainable consumption. And Professor of Anthropology Jennifer Heung serves as co-principal investigator on the project, working alongside researchers in Norway, Sweden, Turkey, and Japan.
“Be the Aloha”: A Celebration Honoring Asian and Pacific Islander Graduates
For two decades, Saint Mary’s Intercultural Center has hosted the Asian and Pacific Islander Graduate Celebration. Many of those graduating are the children of immigrants; others are international students from places like China or Guam. Some are carrying on a long family tradition of higher education, while others are the first to earn their college degree. This year the celebration takes place on Saturday, May 18, at 9 a.m.
In her opening remarks last year, Lindsay Nakashima ’11 encouraged students to continue embracing their heritage. “Be rooted in your values and identity,” she said. “Continue to bloom and grow into the person you want to be, and know you are loved and valued and appreciated…And lastly, be the Aloha you wish to see in this world.”
Students Building Community
Asian Pacific American Student Association (APASA)
APASA fosters a strong sense of community among Asian Pacific American students and their allies, and provides an opportunity to learn about various Asian cultures through weekly meeting, community service opportunities, and other special events. In April APASA hosted the fifth annual Night Market, featuring food, entertainment, a cultural showcase, and more. On May 14 at 6 p.m. they host a general meeting for AAPI Heritage Month. Email for more info, or follow them on Instagram at @apasa_smc to stay up to date on upcoming events.
Southern Asian Society
This student organization represents all of the Southern Asian diaspora and everyone who identifies as South Asian. Their aim is to promote awareness about South Asia, as well as celebrate diversity, traditions, and cultural awareness through meetings and social events. In April they hosted a Holi celebration, always an exuberant display of colors—for which old clothes are recommended! On May 7 they host Sangeet Night, featuring henna and karaoke, at 7 p.m. in SMC’s Soda Center. Email for more info or find them on Instagram at @sas_smc.