NYU Taiwanese American Student Society

Eliot Wang by Sam Tu
Class of 2022
Major/School:International Relations/CAS
Position: Events Team Director

The Friday night in between midterm weeks sits at an awkward juncture between working and chilling out. It’s confusing; It’s Friday night, but there are exams next week. Eliot was gracious enough to spare this confusing time to meet with me after a day at his internship. We found a relatively quiet spot in WSQ and started talking.
My first impression of Eliot is the way he talks. His sincere manner and firm voice put the listener at ease. His mannerisms and smooth hand gestures exude a comfortable sense of confidence. Eliot is stringent and thorough in his thoughts. Given that we are both studying politics, we talk extensively about current affairs, from US foreign policy to NYU professor getting canceled. Each answer he gives is a multi-layered analysis of the problem. He tends not to give straightforward yes-or-no answers. Although some may say he is being overly ambiguous, the complexity in his answers reflects the depth and sophistication of his thoughts. You can literally see Eliot thinking seriously about each question: he breaks eye contact and looks into the distance, his hands making a turning gesture as if they’re grappling with his thoughts.
Keeping up with Eliot in a serious conversation proves to be a challenge for me. As ideas race through his mind, I struggle to keep up with the pace. At multiple points during the conversation, I had to pause and collect my thoughts. Sometimes, before I even finish my question, Eliot already knows what I’m going to ask and responds with the answer. Eliot is really sharp-witted and attentive.
His strong rhetorical skill and swift thinking can be attributed to his experience in debate. Having participated in debate clubs throughout high school and college, Eliot is a force to be reckoned with in a rigorous conversation.
But other than his sharp wits, Eliot is quite approachable and supportive. His interests are diverse: he plays ping-pong, go and the piano; his favorite character in smash bros is Samus; he enjoys hip-hop; “Lose Yourself”, an Eminem classic, is his fav song; Lebron James is his hero and whichever team Lebron is on is Eliot’s favorite NBA team; perhaps most interesting of all, he trades Pokemon cards. He is open about sharing his interests and kindly reciprocates my curiosity. Eliot gives me invaluable insights and encouragement on navigating college life.
As cliche as it sounds, it is a pleasure talking to Eliot and writing his bio. His benign personality, keen perspective and diverse interest makes conversations with him enlightening and intriguing. Whether you want a casual chat or some serious feedbacks, Eliot is the guy to talk to.

Vivian Hsia by Ethan Chiang
Class of 2022
Major/School: Media, Culture, and Communication/French/Steinhardt
Position: Senior Advisor

My first impression of Vivian was how outgoing and sociable she is. She immediately started the conversation when I met up with her. Although Vivian calls Shanghai her home, she still feels a connection to Taiwan. The most time she spent in Taiwan was this past year, when she quarantined four times going back and forth between Shanghai and Taiwan. She spent most of her time in Taichung when she was in Taiwan. Vivian likes to socialize and spend time with friends. For Vivian, it lightens her mood when she sees people around her having a good time. As such, through spending time with her friends, she got to know New York City well and got to know Taipei a bit in the time she was in Taiwan this past year.
Our conversation was enjoyable and helpful to me. As this is my first year living in New York City and my first time being on campus, Vivian did not hesitate when I asked for advice that she may have about living in New York City or being in TASS. As a former member of the social team, Vivian provided me with suggestions on how I could help the executive board members get to know each other, especially with most people being away from campus last year. She also provided helpful advice on living in New York City, like the places I should visit or the places I may consider living in. She also recommended many places I should go for food. Vivian is a huge foodie and we had lengthy conversations about some of the places I should visit.
Some of Vivian’s hobbies are dancing and walking around the city. Influenced by her interest in dance, her favorite music genre is RnB. If you see Vivian around, do not hesitate to reach out to her! She is very approachable and is very willing to help if you ask!

Chris Lin by Brian Yang
Class of 2022
Major/School: Film & TV/Tisch
Position: Senior Advisor

Can’t decide which picture to post on Instagram? Want to know what the best movie in theaters is? Chris is your man.
Chris is from Taipei, and is a senior studying Film at Tisch. He lives and breathes photography and film, which is obvious from the moment you meet him. From his effortless vintage-inspired fashion to his Instagram feed, you can tell he has a knack for the visual arts. It seems as if he has seen every movie you can think of, making him a great person to talk to about your favorite movie. When he’s not working on his next film, Chris has a wide variety of interests. He is always staying active, as he loves physical activities. One of Chris’ favorite hobbies is deep water diving. He swam competitively in high school, but currently enjoys lifting and recently picked up golf. Chris also loves cars, his favorite being a 1969 Mustang (the one John Wick drives), which matches perfectly with his vintage fashion.
Chris is the type of guy who is always down to try new things. Whether it’s going to a new restaurant or even ice skating (maybe not skateboarding, since he had an accident as a kid), don’t expect him to turn down the opportunity for an adventure. He is very chill and easy to talk to, so if you ever see Chris at a TASS event, don’t be afraid to approach him!

Jamie Dewing by Willa Lin
Class of 2025
Major/School: Business & Political Economy/Stern
Position: Freshman Representative

“I got lost again…” were the first few words coming out of Jamie’s mouth whenever we had a chance to meet. He will get lost taking the downtown train to Brooklyn even when he knew that he had to go to Central Park. Spending most of his time in Orange County, California, Jamie is new to the city but would never hesitate to try out new things if you ask him out. He also has a lot of meal swipes if anyone ever misses dining at NYU, but be sure to treat him with good food afterwards!
Overall, Jamie is a very easy going guy that simply enjoys a good time with the people around him. During his free time, you could catch him reading one of his favorite books OR playing intramural volleyball with his friends. On top of that, he is undoubtedly a true athletic legend with 10 years of experience in taekwondo and 4 years in wrestling and track and field.
With his strong sense of humor and down-to-earth personality, Jamie is definitely one of the many you would want to talk to. Even though he has only been here for a few months, you can talk to him about anything and the conversation will last for hours. Whether you see him in his turtle neck, coat, and a black mask on the streets or at one of the TASS events, be sure to say hi to him and he won’t disappoint you! 😊

Yun Tzu Niu by Parker Liaw
Class of 2025
Major/School: Hotel and Tourism Management/SPS
Position: Freshman Representative

Your first impression of Yun Tzu might be that she is reserved and quiet. That is far from the truth, she is one of the most outgoing people I have ever met! Coming from Irvine, coming to New York was a breath of fresh air for Yun Tzu. She loves exploring new places and finding new places to eat. When she’s not studying, you might catch her binging Netflix shows or her listening to some of her favorite artists like Taylor Swift or Dan + Shay.
Enough about what she likes to do, a better question is what can’t she do! Yun Tzu is extremely talented. She enjoys singing, dancing, and has played the clarinet for many years! She’s also a great student with amazing aspirations. She is studying Hotel and Tourism Management at SPS and hopes to maybe open up her own hotel someday! If you catch her at the next TASS event, don’t hesitate to talk with her, because behind that initial shyness is a genuine and friendly personality.

Stephany Sun by Vivian Hsia
Class of 2025
Major/School: Early Childhood and Special Education/Steinhardt
Position: Freshmen Representative

Stephany is our freshman rep studying early childhood education. Very much like a child herself, she adores balloons and pretty much loves everything a kid would like. (Take her to Disney and she would buy a Disney themed balloon there WHAT but okay). Her childish preference doesn’t hold back her not so childish interest in international relations though! Leaving Virginia and coming to New York City, she is hopeful to one day step foot in the UN building. Stephany’s also a dancer AND musician! If you follow Knesis, you may find Stephany in one of the K-Pop dance covers! Not a typical Asian, who only plays the piano, she can also play violin and clarinet! Anyways, don’t hesitate to say hi to her at events, she’s a sweet girl!

Christina Liao by Tommy Wu
Class of 2025
Major/School: Mechanical Engineering/Tandon
Position: Freshman Representative

Originally from LA, Christina is a freshman studying mechanical engineering in Tandon. Christina is the type of outdoorsy girl that you will expect to bump into when you are on a hiking trip. She is also a person with multiple interests, though primarily related to sports; not only is she an active skier, but she is also comfortable with a few basketball pickups and a few football runs. Be careful though, on the topic of basketball, as she is a massive warrior fan, she will not accept any warriors related banter. However, on quieter nights, Christina may be caught cuddling in bed with a boba watching a movie, and basically, just chilling. Christina is the type of person that you will get what you expect from her, as her personality matches with her appearance, nice to talk to and easily approachable.
If you happen to be seated next to Chirstina during TASS events, don't be shy and say what’s up, because I’m sure Christina won’t hesitate on her hospitality!

Sylvia Chang by Li-Chun Pan
Class of 2024
Major/School: Global Public Health & Food Studies/Steinhardt
Position: Night Market Team

If you’re ever in the mood to watch Taiwanese soap dramas and eat delicious Japanese food, Sylvia is the person to go to. Her favorite city to travel to is Japan as she loves the aesthetic of the city and how convenient everything is. She enjoys watching sunsets along the skyline, biking by the river and drawing. Sylvia has a creative side to her as well, when she was younger her favorite hobby was drawing and still continues to draw till this day but now on procreate. When asked to describe herself in three words she replied with introvert,curious and indecisive especially when it comes to finding what to eat.
Sylvia studies global public health and food studies at Steinhardt and plans to study abroad in Paris and learn french. Due to her small class size she is able to meet and interact with people on a deeper level which she enjoys, so don’t be afraid to approach Sylvia when you see her as she’ll definitely leave you with a warm smile on your face.

Mathew So by Ashley Ho
Class of 2022
Major/School: Business Marketing at NYU Shanghai
Position: Night Market Team

Mat So is from NYU Shanghai, but for his semester in NYC, he's chosen to spend it with TASS!! He was born in the US and raised in Shanghai. He joined TASS to make some new friends and also learn about Taiwanese culture. As a Business Marketing major, he’s currently taking classes on topics like real estate entrepreneurship and private equity/venture capital. While he initially planned on pursuing a career in fashion (he was president of the NYU Shanghai Beauty Club) he’s planning to work in cryptocurrency after graduation!
When he’s not chasing his bag, he enjoys cooking, playing/following sports, and working out. Mat is a huge foodie: his favorite cuisines are Japanese and Cantonese, his current favorite NYC restaurant is Contra in Downtown Manhattan, and his favorite drink is red wine. He also loves to cook—follow his joint Instagram cooking account with fellow TASS member Ethan Huang to see his yummy creations! You can also catch him watching the NBA or playing basketball—he was team captain of the NYU Shanghai basketball team. Lastly, he loves working out. He works out every day and eats ten egg whites a day (sometimes raw). If you want to see the results of his gains in person, come out to TASS events to meet him!

Dorina Chen by Spencer Tsao
Class of 2023
Major/School: Music Business/BEMT/Steinhardt
Position: Night Market Team

Dorina is a wonderful member of the Night Market Team, and she has an incredibly diverse set of interests! She enjoys the finer things in life with interests in dancing, makeup, cafes, and artistic photography, but she also appreciates working out and even boxing! Dorina’s also an incredibly great friend and person: when asked to describe herself in three words, she would say that she’s attentive, courageous, and caring: a great combination of characteristics that anyone would want!
Dorina appreciates the best of both worlds: in Taiwan, she appreciates the delicious food, cheap prices, and amazingly friendly people. While in the US, she appreciates the diversity of perspectives, fast delivery of food (thank you DoorDash!), and the tons of supermarkets available. Dorina also loves Raku, Cho Dang Gol, and Oh K Dog in NYC! Check out these amazing food places for some yummy bites :)
Within TASS, Dorina loves that she can share food and cultural perspectives with tons of Taiwanese people from different backgrounds. Additionally, she wants to pursue a career in the music and entertainment industry, potentially as a concert tour manager or artist developer. Expect the next biggest stars to be involved with Dorina in some way, shape or form!