APASA Spotlight: Leon Zha

Why did you apply to APASA?

I was playing ping pong with Patrick Fang and his friend after they snuck into my dorm the first week of school. He encouraged me to apply and after learning more about the goals of APASA through their information session and website, I decided to apply.

Favorite APASA memory so far:

The entire Disney trip was super fun! I really felt closer to everyone afterwards.

A significant cultural milestone for you:

It's probably going to have to be the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. I was old enough that the memories of their opening ceremonies could stick, and was struck by the amount of resources and money that went into everything.

What does being APA mean to you?

APA means a lot of different things, but when I think about it my mind conjures up a warm feeling. I think it's because a lot of my experiences are derived from familial bonding, such as sitting down with family to eat hotpot in February because the Chinese New Year festivities are still going on.

If you could plan any event at USC, what would it be?

If I had an unlimited budget I would have an event in which students are matched with a team to help them with everything school related (covering everything from tutoring to mental health to personalized meals to workouts).

What is your long-term goal for APASA? 

I hope to address a lot of the mental health issues in the APA community surrounding Asian academic culture, which can be extremely toxic at times.

Thank you Leon!