HELLO THERE!
Hi! Matt and Calais here. Welcome to the First Year Retreat website! Here you can sign up for the retreat, watch a video of last year's retreat (created by the talented Joseph Han), get some FAQ answers, and read up on your table leaders. Please do not hesitate to reach out for us with any comments, questions, or concerns. Welcome to Notre Dame, and we hope to see you at the retreAAAt!
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WHEN September 6-7, 4pm-4pm
WHERE Camp Epworth (transportation provided)
COST $10*
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Contact Matt at mcabrer1@nd.edu and Calais at cnobuhar@nd.edu with any questions.
* financial assistance is readily available!
FAQ
WHO CAN ATTEND?
All Notre Dame, Holy Cross, and Saint Mary's first years can come to the AAA First Year retreat. You do not have to be Asian, American, or Asian-American to participate!
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
It's an overnight event, so bring toiletries such as a toothbrush and face wash. Be sure to bring a pillow and especially a blanket, as the facility's air-conditioning may make it chilly. You may also want bring a change of clothes.
DO I NEED TO BE RELIGIOUS TO ATTEND / WILL THE RETREAT HAVE A RELIGIOUS FOCUS?
You do not have to be religious to come to the retreat. While there are some spiritual/religious themes, the majority of the AAA retreat is focused on identity and community-building.
IS FOOD PROVIDED?
Yes, very much so! We will provide dinner, breakfast, lunch, and so many snacks. If you have any dietary restrictions we should know about, please email aaa@nd.edu.
HOW CAN I GET FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE?
Email rebecca.ruvalcaba.4@nd.edu. We would love to have you, so please do not hesitate to reach out!
MEET YOUR TABLE LEADERS!
JEFFREY RUAN
Business Analytics and Psychology
Fisher Hall | Shanghai, China
Junior
We want all of our customers to experience the impressive level of professionalism when working with Asian American Association of Notre Dame. All of our services, especially this one, exist to make your life easier and stress free. You can trust us to supply you with the best products, as well as top quality customer service.
SHOPPING CONSULTATION
Here For You
This is one of our most popular services available. It’s made a big difference for many of our customers, and is provided with the highest level of excellence. With this service, we ensure all details are simple, seamless and handled in a timely manner. Whenever you work with Asian American Association of Notre Dame.
SCHEDULED DELIVERY
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Frequently utilized by most of our customers, this service has been essential to success on many occasions. When it comes to all of our services, you can count on us to take care of your every need. We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service, and guarantee you’ll love working with our team. Let us know how we can assist you today.
JEFFREY RUAN
Business Analytics and Psychology
Fisher Hall | Shanghai, China
Junior
We want all of our customers to experience the impressive level of professionalism when working with Asian American Association of Notre Dame. All of our services, especially this one, exist to make your life easier and stress free. You can trust us to supply you with the best products, as well as top quality customer service.
SHOPPING CONSULTATION
Here For You
This is one of our most popular services available. It’s made a big difference for many of our customers, and is provided with the highest level of excellence. With this service, we ensure all details are simple, seamless and handled in a timely manner. Whenever you work with Asian American Association of Notre Dame.
SCHEDULED DELIVERY
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Frequently utilized by most of our customers, this service has been essential to success on many occasions. When it comes to all of our services, you can count on us to take care of your every need. We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service, and guarantee you’ll love working with our team. Let us know how we can assist you today.
LINDA GAO
History
Badin | Beijing, China
Sophomore
A history major, a library inhabitant, an entire-weekend-immersed museum-maniac, an optimistic idealist, a master procrastinator, a Pho-lover, and overall a happy human being.
HELEN GU
Neuroscience and Behavior
Cavanaugh | Arcadia, California
Sophomore
Greetings! I’m Helen, a sophomore living in Cavanaugh Hall. Though I moved halfway across the country to Indiana, I’m a California Girl at heart. My ideal weather is 85º and sunny, but the cold weather at ND doesn’t stop me from wearing flip-flops everywhere. I love all foods, but am particularly fond of boba (hit me up for a recipe or boba shop recommendations) and In N Out. My hobbies include traveling the world, learning about new cultures, listening to EDM/kpop, and bullet journaling. On campus, you can find me studying in my favorite nook in Jordan Hall or taking naps in various buildings (I’m on a mission to nap in every building on campus). I attended the first year retreat on a whim, but I’m so glad I decided to go. I found some of my closest friends through AAA, and I hope you do to! I look forward to meeting you all!
SHANTAE HARRIS
Political Science
McGlinn | Ocho Rios, Jamaica & Dover, NJ
Junior
Hello lovelies. I am your AAA Membership Outreach Director for 2019-2020 and I cannot wait to meet you all. I hail from one of the best islands in the Caribbean and love all things tropical, beach, relaxation. You can always find me in Lafun (probably napping, studying, or watching kdramas), cooking in McGlinn, or trying to catch up on sleep. Don't be a stranger :)
CHRISTINE CHUN
History
Flaherty | Los Angeles, CA
Sophomore
Hey, I'm from Christine and I'm a sophomore in Flaherty. I'm originally from LA. My only passion in life is solitaire and if you ever see me with my laptop, I'm probably playing it. Can't wait to play together!
OLIVIA CORTOPASSI
ACMS
Cavanaugh | Arlington Heights, IL
Sophomore
Hey everyone! My name is Olivia, and I'm excited to be a table leader! I'm one of the many people you'll meet from the suburbs of Chicago. Going on the freshman retreat last year was one of the best decisions I've ever made, so even if you're on the fence about it (like I was!), I hope you'll decide to come!
DANICA CROWLEY
IT Management
Pasquerilla East | Los Altos, CA
Senior
Hi all! My name is Danica, and I'm a senior ITM major and Sociology minor. I'm from Los Altos, California, and I cannot wait to meet you all! I lived in Pasquerilla East Hall and have found my community at ND through AAA, FASO, and the Japan Club. I like chocolate, Papa John's pizza, and vegetables (not together though...). Looking forward to retreat!
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SARAH HWANG
Computer Science
Pasquerilla East | Monument, CO
Junior
Hi! I'm Sarah, a rising junior and CompSci major living in PE. My passions include Pokemon, Brockhampton, and cheese despite being lactose intolerant. I also love to golf, so if you ever want to play at Burke/Warren, feel free to hit me up!
ISABEL JOSEPH
Accounting
Pasquerilla West | Pittsburg, PA
Sophomore
Hi guys! I'm a purple weasel at Pasquerilla West. I'm originally from London but I've lived all over and am currently in Pittsburgh. I love to read, eat chocolate, and chat with friends. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you and maybe even share my precious supply of chocolate!
RUBY LE
Marketing & Design
Ryan | Vietnam
Sophomore
Hi, everyone! Originally from Vietnam, I moved to Webster, MA 3 years ago. I'm a tea addict and flower lover. I'm super into traveling, doing calligraphy, and watching K-dramas. My favorite place on campus is Lafun where I can get a medicine ball!
ZION LEE
Program of Liberal Studies
off campus | Daegu, South Korea
Senior
Hey guys! My name is Zion Lee. I’m a senior from Daegu, South Korea. I love both playing and talking about soccer. I’ve also become a huge MCU fan in the last 6 months (but who hasn’t at this point), so I’d love to talk about that, too. Freshman Retreat is one of the most cherished memories of mine at Notre Dame to this day, and I hope I can do the same for you. Looking forward to see you all soon!
MICHAEL LEE
Biology
Keenan | Newton, MA
Sophomore
Hi, I’m Michael! I’m from Newton, MA, which is just outside of Boston (no, I don’t have a Boston accent). I’m the oldest of three children and was adopted from China. I’m studying Biology and currently planning on attending medical school. Outside of the classroom, I’m the secretary of the Taiwanese Student Association, a member of the running club, one of Keenan Hall’s diversity commissioners, a mentor for Uplift (a Biology peer mentoring club), and an admissions tour guide. I look forward to talking with you on the retreat and am excited for the year to come!
LAUREN LLANTERO
Civil Engineering
Cavanaugh | Waikele, HI
Sophomore
Hey guys! My name is Lauren and I'm a sophomore majoring in civil engineering. I'm from Hawai'i, which means that I live in the best state-- change my mind. I'm super big into music (I'll honestly listen to anything), so hit me up if you have any recommendations. Feel free to talk to me about anything, I'm always down for a good conversation! I'm looking forward to meeting you all :)
LARA LONTOC
IT Management & Design
McGlinn | Tampa, FL
Junior
Hello! Hope your summer is going well. My boba order and philosophy in life is milk tea with less ice and 100% sugar. Other interests include pints of Ben & Jerry's The Tonight Dough, Panic! at the Disco, photography, and design. Along with AAA, I've been involved with the Filipino American Student Organization and the Vietnamese Student Organization. Please feel free to come up and talk anytime; I'd love to get to know you! Have a great summer, and see you in the fall!
CHRIS MOY
Business Analytics & Peace Studies
Alumni | New York City, NY
Senior
On campus, I'm in the University of Notre Dame Chorale, ND's official concert choir. I also have the honor of being this upcoming year's president of the Taiwanese Student Association (TSA). Come hang out with us! We usually have a lot of food events. Our signature event is Night Market, a cultural carnival that almost all cultural clubs at ND participate in to showcase our respective cultures through food, games, and performances. I love sports, puns, and meeting new people. I really hope you come to Freshman Retreat! I was hesitant about it when I was in your shoes, but I've made so many lasting friendships in AAA that have made ND even better than I could have ever imagined. I can't wait to meet you!!!
AYA NAGAI
Economics
off campus | Nagoya, Japan
Senior
Hi guys—welcome to ND! My name is Aya and I’m a senior from Nagoya, Japan (lmk if you like Japanese food and we can cook together!). I’m so excited for you to go on this freshman retreat because it made such a big impact on my years at ND. Looking forward to getting to know you all :)
JEFFREY RUAN
Business Analytics and Psychology
Fisher Hall | Shanghai, China
Junior
We want all of our customers to experience the impressive level of professionalism when working with Asian American Association of Notre Dame. All of our services, especially this one, exist to make your life easier and stress free. You can trust us to supply you with the best products, as well as top quality customer service.
SHOPPING CONSULTATION
Here For You
This is one of our most popular services available. It’s made a big difference for many of our customers, and is provided with the highest level of excellence. With this service, we ensure all details are simple, seamless and handled in a timely manner. Whenever you work with Asian American Association of Notre Dame.
SCHEDULED DELIVERY
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Frequently utilized by most of our customers, this service has been essential to success on many occasions. When it comes to all of our services, you can count on us to take care of your every need. We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service, and guarantee you’ll love working with our team. Let us know how we can assist you today.
BRADLEY NOBLE
Science Pre-Professional & Global Affairs
Keenan | Los Angeles, CA
Sophomore
Hey y’all! I live in Keenan Hall and am originally from LA. I like to cook (only Filipino food though), take film photos, go online shopping, and talk sports. I’m a self-proclaimed coffee addict, so you can probably find me at Starbucks when I’m not studying! Can’t wait to meet everyone!
JEFFREY RUAN
Business Analytics & Psychology
Fisher | Shanghai, China
Junior
Hey everyone! The AAA First-Year Retreat gave me both a community and a family here on campus. If you need to find me, I'm probably eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's (The Tonight Dough or Milk & Cookies), "studying" in the library with friends, or training with the table tennis club. I look forward to meeting you all in the fall!
DANIEL SUH
Computer Science
Keenan | Newburgh, NY
Junior
People tend to think that I’m mean when they first meet me but I promise I’m not that bad! I like coffee and taking naps when I probably should be doing work so I end up spending late nights in the library a lot. So find me there at 3 am and help me procrastinate and we can rant about classes or talk about life or really anything! Also the people at university hair salons cant cut asian hair for poop so if you're ever in need of a haircut hit me up!
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DANIEL SUN
ACMS & Economics
Zahm | Lutherville-Timonium, MD
Junior
Hey guys! I'm Daniel Sun, a rising junior living in Zahm House. On campus, you can catch me rock climbing at Duncan or playing basketball with friends. My favorite shows are probably Game of Thrones preseason 8 and Parks and Rec. Don't be afraid to reach out to me at any time or whenever you see me around campus!
CHRIS TOUDOUZE
Business Analytics & Economics
off campus | San Antonio, TX
Junior
Hey all, I’m excited to meet you this coming semester! I’m always happy to meet new friends and of course be a resource to you during your first year. Hobbies include playing smash bros, making memes, and I really love to ice skate. I’m bad at all three of those. :) Because in the Spring I’ll be in Japan, I have to make the most out of this semester, so please make sure to say hello if you see me around campus!
JOSEPH TRAN
Aerospace Engineering
Baumer | Portland, OR
Senior
I've been an active member of AAA and VSA since my freshman retreat. For my second to last semester at ND, I want to put my best into making our community a welcoming place, and that involves being VSA family leader as well as AAA Table Leader!
MATTHEW TRINH
Economics & AMCS
Keough | Houston, TX
Junior
Hewwo guys >w<! My nyame is Matthew Twinh, and I'm excited to be one of y'aww's tabwe weader uwu. I'm a hella steweotypicaw asian - wikes math, pways pianyo and viowin, etc. I'm cuwwently working at the Kwusty Kwab while training to become Hokage. Bewieve it! But I still find twime to binge watch kdwamas and jam out to kpop. I'm a big food guy, especiawwy tacos. But my twue passion is making incoming first years cwinge while reading a bio.
My boba order fow future wefewence: Black milk tea or Mango/Passion fwuit gween tea >w<
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KRISSY VALLURU
Business Analytics
Lewis | Alpharetta, Georgia
Sophomore
Hii! I'm Krissy and I'm so excited to be a table leader at this year's first-year retreat! I'm from a suburb of Atlanta (so tbh, just Atlanta) and I'm really intro traveling and photography. At ND you can probably find me being a mess at budgeting and spending all of my limited flex points on extremely mediocre Duncan bubble tea. Can't wait to meet you all!!
IRENA WAN
Finance & Film, Television, and Theatre
Farley | Houston, TX
Junior
Hi friend! My name is Irena, and I'm a junior studying Finance and Film, Television, and Theatre (FTT), which basically means I'm running around all the time between business and creative events. It's a fun time. My passions lie in the performing arts and story-telling, and I'd love to get to know you better. If you see me, please introduce yourself to me! I'm always down to grab a meal or coffee or just hang out. I'm excited to meet you and hope you will have a great time at Notre Dame!
BRENDEN WONG
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International Economics
Keenan | Laguna Beach, CA
Sophomore
Hello! I’m from Laguna Beach California and currently live in Keenan Hall. I really enjoy playing soccer and listening to music. I look forward to meeting you all!
BRIAN XIE
Finance
Keough | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Junior
Hey guys! My name is Brian Xie, and I will be one of your table leaders for the upcoming AAA freshman (first year?) retreat! I love reading and drawing, and am way too addicted to video games. The fun fact I like to tell these days is that I can bike without hands. As I grew up in California, I lived my life perpetually in great weather and familiar food, but somehow at Notre Dame, which has none of either, I still found a home in the Asian community. I hope I can help you guys find your own home here at Notre Dame!
CHRISTINA YOUN
Computer Science
Welsh Fam | Omaha, NE
Junior
AAA has played such an important role in my time at Notre Dame so far, and I'm so excited to be part of this retreat as a table leader. In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, type-racing people, and eating ramen at 2 AM. I love meeting new people, so feel free to reach out to me when you see me on campus!
JEFFREY RUAN
Business Analytics and Psychology
Fisher Hall | Shanghai, China
Junior
We want all of our customers to experience the impressive level of professionalism when working with Asian American Association of Notre Dame. All of our services, especially this one, exist to make your life easier and stress free. You can trust us to supply you with the best products, as well as top quality customer service.
SOPHIE YUE
Science Pre-Professional
Flaherty | Voorhees, NJ
Sophomore
Hi everyone! My name is Sophie Yue, and I'm a second year in the College of Science. My major is Science Pre-Professional, and I plan on taking a Business Economics minor. I'm from New Jersey, but I also lived in LA for 8 years. I've traveled to over 20 places both in and out of the US, but I still stand by NJ being the best place on earth! My ethnicity is full Chinese, and we can have a very broken conversation in Mandarin if that is of ~interest~ to you. Please don't hesitate to stop by and talk to me anytime, I'm looking forward to meeting you all!! :)
SCHEDULED DELIVERY
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Frequently utilized by most of our customers, this service has been essential to success on many occasions. When it comes to all of our services, you can count on us to take care of your every need. We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service, and guarantee you’ll love working with our team. Let us know how we can assist you today.
