Rise of Self-Identifying Clubs from the 1990s-2000s
In 1993, the Polywog featured the first Indian Student Association (ISA) which was the first cultural club in relation to South Asia at the institution. South Asian student organizations have become an apparatus for cultural and religious belonging (Samuel, 2019). Although the research of specifically South Asian student college experiences is parse, a 2019 dissertation on cultural and spiritual identities in South Asian students at University of Texas at Austin references research on how Latinx, Black, and Korean cultural groups in higher education institutions contributed to a positive sense of belonging, as well as showing the institutional commitments to diversity.
Wells and Horn (2015) discovered that this positive sense of belonging also stems from student’s perception of cultural congruity, meaning the alignment between their own culture and the campus culture (Wells & Horn, 2015). This linked familiarity to the student’s cultural identity helps students become more involved in their campus community (Gloria & Kurpius, 1996).
Cultural clubs not only foster a sense of belonging, but also a way of completing their college education when they are simultaneously experiencing sanctioned or passive discrimination (Simpson & Bitska, 2023). In fact, a 2010 Museus and Harris study found that minority students that cultural clubs were a way of subverting the belief that their “presence and perspectives are not welcomed or valued in mainstream student activities” (Museus & Harris, 2010). In essence, these clubs provided students with an opportunity to explore alternative paths to success in their chosen field by fostering a sense of community and facilitating access to school resources. This is supported by the networking events organized by NYU Tandon's Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) (New York University Tandon School of Engineering, 2024).
From the years 1993-2001, references to the Indian Student Association (ISA) do not exist. It was not until 2001 that the South Asian Students Association (SASA) was mentioned. This evolution of name is most likely accredited to the second wave of South Asian immigration in the 1990s. The Immigration Act of 1990 amended the 1965 Immigration Act mentioned before by implementing the H-1B visa program, or more commonly known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Started in 1995, the program encouraged diversity from countries with lower immigration rates to the U.S. It was open to Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, and Indo-Caribbeans but not Asian Indians (Bhatia & Ram, 2018). Applicants need either 12 years of education or a high school diploma and recent work experience (Shafi, 2023).
This program not only expanded national diversity, but also socioeconomic diversity meaning that the number of South Asian immigrants from working and middle classes proliferated. The expansion of the name also fosters coalition-building and inclusivity. Sunil Bagaria states in the school newspaper The Reporter that he came to Poly because “[The researchers] here are pioneers in the field of polymers” (Vorvolakos, 1992).
At this point of time, the club’s main events were Hindi film night, their annual dinner event, and the Sa Re Ga Ma cultural event that is not featured in the 2001 edition but shown in later Polywog editions. However, it is worth mentioning that the SASA description does not include Indo-Caribbean diasporas in their club description.
The Reporter on Poly's Diversity (1992)
The Poly Archives did not have an edition from the 2002 Polywog. However, had there been one, it would have covered the academic year from September 2001 to May 2002. Yearbooks are snapshots of time that traditionally immortalize the positive experiences of extracurriculars and clubs (Heng, 2024). This silence might stem from the profound impact of 9/11 on New Yorkers, during a period when South Asian identity could have faced challenges due to potential targeting and stigmatization. It was a time when ensuring the safety of South Asian students might have taken precedence over amplifying their voices. As someone born in the aftermath of 9/11, I was always compelled by how my cultural identity was either magnified or subdued on college campuses during this period–Poly in the years following helped me fill this gap.
The 2003 edition of the Polywog showcased SASA with a larger student participation, reflecting a notable shift in focus. In contrast to the 2001 objective of creating an atmosphere of comfort for those away from their homeland, the club’s new mission aimed to “expose South Asian and South Asian American culture to the Polytechnic community” (Polywog, 2003). This shift suggests that following the events of 9/11, the club evolved to unify South Asian and South Asian American students. Identity now encompassed not only nationality but also ancestry, as students banded together to combat post-9/11 racial stereotypes and share the vibrancy of their culture (Kumar, 2016). Together the students are featured standing together in front the Wunsch Building as a collective emblem of South Asians at Poly.