Her Campus at uOttawa is pleased to partner with ACAO (Asian Canadians’ Association of Ottawa) for a Deco Night! On January 26, let your creativity run free as you make phone charms and decorate top loaders in any way you wish. Of course, there will be prizes for the top two creations. As an added bonus, bring collectable cards to trade or connect with others—nothing starts a conversation faster than spotting someone with a photocard of your K-band bias!
To commemorate our first collaboration event, Her Campus at uOttawa interviewed some executives from ACAO to get to know them better.
Her Campus at uOttawa: Describe what ACAO means to you.
Justin, ACAO: ACAO is a club where I can forget about school/work for a while to just relax and have fun with a community of amazing people. I’ve met some of my best friends, and have gained amazing opportunities as well as connections (such as working at Asian Fest) through being a part of this club.
Mae, ACAO: I joined last year as a first year intern. I saw the recruitment post on Instagram and decided to apply as I was looking to join a fun, inclusive community at uOttawa.
HC: What’s something you learned during your time in ACAO?
J: ACAO isn’t bound to just one club. We’re a community alongside a ton of other cultural clubs throughout uOttawa and Carleton. It’s important to not only connect with other execs, but to make an effort to reach out and develop strong friendships as well. It’s important to remember that the goal of these clubs are to socialize, meet new people, have fun, and not to take it too seriously.
M: ACAO really highlights the importance of communication and teamwork. There are a lot of people on the exec team and it is important to work together towards a common goal.
HC: What’s your favourite event/memory?
J: Our annual gala is our most popular event—we collaborate with all the preeminent Asian organizations across both [uOttawa and Carelton] to host an Asian-themed gala night filled with performances, food, and more. I’m very optimistic about this year’s gala, especially with Her Campus at uOttawa on board with us.
M: There are too many good events to choose from, but one of my favourites is Trivia night!
HC: What goes on behind the scenes to organize an event?
J: Our events team plans the event and we approve the budget. The social media team puts out content to get people to sign up. We all get to the room about an hour early to hang out and set up. We have a lot of fun and it’s a chill environment to just forget about academics and have fun with amazing people.
M: As an Event Director at ACAO, there is a lot that goes behind the scenes to run an event. It all starts with planning out a rough calendar of the year to highlight any important dates we want to plan events for. Then we start thinking of creative activities to run at each event. Closer to the date, we have to book the room, buy any snacks or materials needed for the event, and plan how the event will run smoothly.
HC: Who should join ACAO?
J: What we’re really looking for are fun, sociable, trustworthy people who are willing to connect and dedicate their time and effort to our club. I got to hire the first year execs for this year and I couldn’t be happier with our decision because the three of them are superstars (shoutout to Julia, Simon, and Maya). All in all, we are an extremely inclusive club, so it’s also important to note that you do not need to be Asian to become an exec or come to our events! We want everyone to learn more about Asian culture and what we do. Of course, the majority of applicants and members are of Asian descent, but we are open for everyone.
M: Recruitment is posted on Instagram and through Discord at the start of a new school year. You just need to fill out the google form and you will hear back if you get an interview.
You can follow ACAO on Instagram at @uottawaacao to stay up to date on all their events and news. We are very excited to work with an incredible club on campus, and can’t wait for more events in the future!
Note: Responses are edited for clarity and grammar.