Ask co-director Nhi Dao what she thinks the Vietnamese Student Association contributes to the University of Oregon, and she’ll have a very personal answer.

“There are times I feel I need a home, a place to be myself, and the VSA provides an environment where members can embrace their roots and develop their own cultural identity,” said Dao.

The welcoming spirit of home was palpable in the EMU Ballroom Sunday night at the VSA’s 2014 Culture Night.

“These events are meant to be social, cultural and educational,” Dao said. “We use this event to… make people aware of the existence of Vietnamese culture on campus.”

The club puts on such an event every term, but the spring one is by far the most sumptuous. The theme of Sunday’s social gathering was “Vietnam Oi!” or “Hey Vietnam!” which looked into the lives of Vietnamese-Americans. The event particularly focused on the joys and struggles of emigrant mothers from the Vietnam War era.

There were many performances executed by students not only from the VSA, but also from other ethnic associations including Lane Community College. This is the first time the spring event has resulted from collaborative effort, and Dao was eager to express her gratitude towards the students not from VSA. “We could not have done this show without their help,” Dao said.

There was play which ran in segments throughout the evening, and told the story of a Vietnamese-American student wrestling with his identity as well as with his relationship with his stoic and steadfast mother — whose sacrifices for her son are revealed through the testimonies of visiting family members.

There was great emphasis on the value of Dong Bao, or community, which binds together the old generation and the new — those who left Vietnam and those who chose to stay. Other performances included songs, a fashion show displaying dress from various areas of Vietnam and dances.

One particular dance, called “Welcome to Vietnam” mixed traditional costumes and folk songs with modern instruments. The purpose was to reflect the amalgam of the time-honored and the contemporary that Vietnamese culture incorporates today.

The benefits of the UO VSA are not limited to campus borders. The proceeds from the events go toward a Vietnamese-related charity, which is chosen every year. This year’s charity is a non-profit based in Texas called Sunflower Mission, which strives to empower the people of Vietnam through education.

“They provide scholarships and help teachers become certified to teach, among other things,” VSA Project Coordinator Kadyn Nguyen said. “We looked through charities and picked one that we felt was worthwhile.”

The Vietnamese Student Association meets Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. in the Mills International Center. The club also interacts with other cultural organizations for the purpose of awareness and celebration of the diversity of the Asian community.

“The UO campus is multicultural and diverse,” Dao said. “Each person has their own identity and we need a place to feel comfortable, to understand the language, our roots and the past … to better ourselves and better our community.”