When sophomore Nicole Chmilnitzky first decided to run for president of Asian Culture Club, she knew that the position would mean more than just an addition to her college applications. 

“I’m half Asian, and I always felt a connection to Asian culture and thought that Asian Culture Club was a good outlet for that,” she said. “I joined the club freshman year, and during my sophomore year I felt that this was a club that I really wanted to help out.” 

On Monday, April 25, Asian Culture Club held elections for president, vice president, secretary, historian and treasurer. Each candidate was required to complete an application prior to Monday’s meeting, disclosing their grade, reason for running and potential contributions as an officer. During the election meeting, each candidate summarized their application in a speech before members voted.

“When I found out I won I was happy and a bit nervous yet excited for future responsibilities,” newly elected treasurer Helen Zou said. “I had been stressing quite a bit over the speech and was glad it was over.” 

Besides Zou and Chmilnitzky, junior Janell Lim was elected vice president, freshman Laura Chen historian and sophomore Amira Patel secretary. Though they were only recently elected, each new officer is confident in their ability to lead Asian Culture Club. 

“I think I’m capable in terms of organization and responsibility, and I want to use these skills to help build the Asian community and representation at this school,” Zou said. 

Meeting every other Monday, Asian Culture Club has most notably hosted a Lunar New Year celebration and a spicy ramen contest, during which members cooked and ate spicy ramen to test who could “handle the heat” the longest. Newly elected officers plan to ease into their roles and discuss potential club activities in the near future, but Chmilnitzky already has a clear picture of what she wants to bring to the table. 

“I would love Asian Culture Club to be more diverse. When people think of Asia they just think of East Asian countries, but I want to make sure that all Asian countries are included,” Chmilnitzky said. “I’ll keep track of different holidays from different cultures and make sure we celebrate them. If we’re talking about Asian music or Asian fashion, we’ll include fashion and music from every region too.”