Photo courtesy of Kayla Ngo. VSO President Kayla Ngo (right) and Vice President Emily Son (left) pose at their first tabling event in February.
By Jacob Tomaneng
TAMPA, Fla. — The most recently founded Asian cultural student organization at The University of Tampa is not only strengthening an existing niche community, but it is also the first campus group to bring students together specifically through the Vietnamese American experience.
Vietnamese Student Association’s founding President, Kayla Ngo, is a UTampa sophomore who wants to share the culture she grew up around with her college community. As of Feb. 2026, VSO officially became a registered student organization. Ngo’s vision for the organization’s future includes workshops and social events that teach and share Vietnamese food, language, and traditions with those who join.
Ngo is also the current student government representative for the Asian and Pacific Islander Association. She plans to collaborate with other multicultural organizations at UTampa for events, utilizing her many connections on campus to her advantage. Vice President Emily Son, a sophomore design major, also serves on the executive board for APIA as the cultural chair.
“As for the creation, I truly believe it was me and my Vice President, Emily Son, who have been talking about creating a Vietnamese organization for four semesters,” said Ngo. “We are so passionate about our culture, and we want to make something super strong and impactful.”
Ngo says that a close-knit community is the direction in which she hopes to take VSO. However, according to the College Board, less than 2% of UTampa’s reported student body is of Asian Descent, which could pose challenges in student engagement.
“I’m leaning into the narrative that everybody is welcome, you don’t have to be Vietnamese,” said Ngo. “We can still incorporate food and cultural celebrations like [Vietnamese New Year], and if we make it fun and welcoming, people will come.”
The founding executive board of VSO is a reflection of Ngo’s vision, as it consists of students from non-Vietnamese backgrounds. Secretary and sophomore finance major Angelica Genetiano is Filipino, and sophomore philosophy, history, and Spanish major Historian Marisol Cortes is Mexican. The rest of the board is made up of Ngo, Son, Student Government Representative Sophia Nguyen, a freshman finance major, Treasurer Quyen Le, a sophomore international business and accounting major, and Events Coordinator Harvin Dam, a freshman political science major, who are all of Vietnamese descent.
Ngo grew up in Tampa, attending a Vietnamese Catholic Church, and she still stays involved in that same church as a youth group leader with the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement.
According to The Princeton Review, UTampa has a student body made up of 74% out of state students, and Ngo says that her connection to the local community is something that many on-campus organizations lack.
“There’s a really strong Tampa community in this club, and people can come to us for assistance; we’re always here with open arms,” said Ngo.
VSO is currently the only registered student organization that focuses on Vietnamese culture, but it could be a stepping stone for the future of cultural organizations under the Office of Access and Community Programs at UTampa.
UTampa students, faculty, and staff can look out for on and off-campus festivals and events organized by the newly founded VSO. Events through VSO will be announced on Instagram under the handle @utampavso and Involve UTampa.