Asia’s Rich Traditions and Flavors Showcased at Bentley Gala
From the beat of barrel drums to the swirl of traditional fan dances — and plenty of pad thai, egg tarts and mochi donuts in between — the Asian Culture Gala brought a vibrant slice of Asia to campus. Hosted by the Bentley Asian Students Association (BASA), what began as a small festival in the early 2000s has blossomed into a lively annual tradition, drawing nearly 350 attendees to the April 18 event this year.
“Our goal is to celebrate and promote Asian culture and heritage and create a space for cultural expression and community building,” says BASA co-president Harry Chow ’26, who is a Marketing and Finance and Technology double major. “Showcasing student and professional performances is an impactful way to reflect the diversity of Asian identities.”
Among the performances:
- Taiwanese American singer-songwriter EJEAN
- Korean American K-RnB artist HOHYUN
- Imperial Lion Dance Team — performing a traditional Chinese dance wearing elaborate lion costumes and mimicking lion movements to bring good luck and fortune — AS2A fan and hat dancing group and the Lost Culture Dance Crew
Bentley student organizations such as BEAD (Bentley East Asian Dance), KOSMOS K-pop dance group, MOMENTUM all-inclusive dance group, Off-the-Clock a capella group and the BASA E-Board
Here, Chow and BASA Co-president Jordan Tandjung ’26, MSBA ’27, a Data Analytics and Experience Design double major, share behind-the-scenes gala planning and more about the BASA community.
Why did you join the Bentley Asian Students Association and how does it tie into your heritage?
Harry Chow: I joined Bentley Asian Students Association hoping to find a community where I could connect with others who share similar cultural backgrounds and values. As someone who grew up navigating both Asian and American identities, I was looking for a space that not only celebrated our heritage but also fostered meaningful dialogue and support among students. BASA offered that and more. It became more than just a community, but a place where I could build friendships, grow and develop leadership skills, and create real impact at Bentley.
BASA has given me a meaningful space to celebrate and share Asian traditions. As a Chinese American, I’ve been able to express my culture through food, language and the arts. These experiences have helped me stay connected to my heritage while also creating opportunities to bridge cultural understanding with others in the Bentley community.
Jordan Tandjung: I think the answer is more complicated for me. Most of the Asian cultural student organizations on campus tend to identify very heavily with the Asian American experience. Being an international student from Indonesia, there was initially a disconnect between that experience and my own experience; it felt like I was out of place when compared to everyone else. However, despite this difference, I was able to see similarities between the way we were raised and just small little details from our childhoods, allowing me to connect my culture to theirs.
If it weren’t for BASA, I don’t think I would have found a place to share my own culture and traditions while also learning about cultures different from mine. BASA has been that bridge that has helped me relate to the American experience while also keeping in touch with my Southeast Asian culture by being surrounded by people who have similar passions, stories and upbringings.
What was your role in planning the gala?
HC: As co-president, my role in planning the Asian Culture Gala involves both high-level oversight and hands-on coordination. I help manage the overall planning timeline and ensure that each team — events, marketing and treasury — is aligned and progressing on schedule. Jordan and I lead communications with external vendors and artists, including negotiations, and secured sponsorships from brands like Poppi and Red Bull, as well as other lifestyle and beauty brands, to enhance the guest experience and offset event costs.
On the day of the event, we help ensure everything runs smoothly — from sound checks to guest flow — acting as a point of contact for both internal teams and external partners.
JT: This semester, we’ve also tried to focus more on delegation and giving our E-board more opportunities to take initiative and grow into their roles. This means a lot of coordination between different teams and making sure everything is on track from a big-picture perspective. What’s interesting is that BASA was partly the reason why I took on my second major in Experience Design. As president I try to focus on the event experience from two perspectives: the E-board in their planning role and the people who attend and enjoy the festivities.
A big part of our role is to lead by example and show younger members why the work we do matters. This means putting extra care into the experience of our events and caring about small details that most other people would usually gloss over. By thinking specifically about the experience of the students coming to the Asian Culture Gala, we were able to really tailor it to the Bentley population and what we know they would resonate with.
Event MVPs: The BASA E-Board
“The Asian Culture Gala would not be possible without the BASA E-board, and they are quite literally the reason why BASA has meant so much to me these past few years,” Tandjung says. “There are no other people I'd trust more to plan an event of this size with.”
Chow adds, “Our executive board was the backbone of the event. Each member took on specific responsibilities across marketing, events, treasury and logistics.”
- Marketing Team: Designed and distributed promotional materials (flyers, social media content, t-shirts), managed our online presence and helped drive attendance through outreach and tabling. Flyers and marketing materials were shared with other organizations and distributed across campus.
- Events Team: Handled venue logistics, coordinated rehearsals, managed a three-day setup and run-of-show. They were also in charge of planning, decor, food and money allocation.
- Treasury Team: Managed the budget and legal contracting with vendors and performers, and processed reimbursements.
- Day-of Volunteers: Rotated through roles including check-in, food and drink stations, event decor and photographers.
- Sound and Lighting Crew: Managed audio and lighting transitions throughout the night, with a designated stage crew managing stage breakdown and organizing equipment throughout the event.
- MCs and Performers: Several E-Board members also took on roles as performers or MCs — a juggle that required quick outfit changes and coordinating logistics while preparing for their own performances.
What were some gala highlights?
JT: Some personal highlights for me included working with so many talented performers and just seeing them enjoy the event after they finished their own performances. Seeing them at rehearsal really brought it home for me that everything was finally coming to fruition.
I also always enjoy sending off the seniors at the end of our event. It’s something that I appreciate more every year as I take on more responsibilities within BASA. It’s a bittersweet moment for us to see our seniors leave and an even more bittersweet moment being reminded that we’ll be standing where they are next year. As the event came to a close, I think seeing the relief and satisfaction of our E-board is what really made my night, knowing that all our hard work and effort paid off and created something amazing.
