Asian Pacific Islander Affairs hosts event with new director

The Asian Pacific Islander Affairs office is welcoming its third director today.

From noon to 2 p.m. at the Reitz Union, Suite 2210, the department will host a meet-and-greet with Krystie Nguyen, who became the new director of APIA on Aug. 8. Students will have the chance to meet Nguyen and ask her questions along with Shalini Mirpuri, a newly hired graduate assistant for the department. This is the first time the director and graduate assistant of the department are both women.

“I am excited to see the love and support that UF has for our APIA community,” Nguyen said.

She said she plans on discussing her visions and goals during the event.

Nguyen worked as the Cross-Cultural Student Affairs coordinator at Louisiana State University before coming to UF. She declined to say what her salary is as director.

Mona Sayedul Huq, a former graduate assistant for the office who has worked for Multicultural and Diversity Affairs for eight years, has seen APIA go from having three student ambassadors to more than 20.

With the new space and Nguyen’s leadership, the 26-year-old said she saw student ambassadors becoming more enthusiastic about reaching out to students.

“I think everyone is excited to see what Krystie is going to do,” the UF health and human performance doctoral candidate said.