“For a researcher, one of the higher expectations or goals is to get your research to impact and maybe change some policies or cultural norms,” Rey-Guerra said. “It challenges you as a researcher to make your research more approachable, way more understandable for other people that are outside of academia.” 

“An Asian American leader is able to use their previously lived experiences and turn that into tangible action,” Yun said. “And I think that all these initiatives and organizations that I’ve been a part of, they’re all ‘feel good’ moments where like, you actually feel you’re making an impact on campus. … I’m doing something for the community, but I’m also learning something while doing it.”