OUTSTANDING NEW CHAPTERS

Founded in Spring 2023, SASE at the University of South Alabama (USA) quickly grew into a standout chapter by prioritizing technical skill-building and inclusive programming. 

By its second semester, USA SASE sent 26 members to the 2023 National Convention. In its second active year, USA SASE hosted 19 events and established itself as the university’s premier STEM organization for Asian heritage students.

One of the chapter’s signature accomplishments is its annual hackathon, the only event of its kind on campus. Despite having no prior experience, the board planned and executed a successful, inclusive hackathon that welcomed both beginners and advanced programmers. The event drew wide campus participation, earned external sponsorships and grants, and became a talking point among recruiters at the SASE National Conventions. In 2025, attendance doubled and the prize budget nearly quadrupled.

Across campus, USA SASE partnered with the Vietnamese Student Association’s Cultural Night Market and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for a workshop in research internships. Regionally, USA SASE co-hosted collaborative events with chapters at The University of Alabama and Louisiana State University. Members have gone on to pursue competitive job offers and earn prestigious accolades such as Goldwater Scholarships and Fulbright fellowships, reflecting the chapter’s commitment to academic and professional excellence.

In recognition of its efforts, USA SASE received the 2025 Membership Experience Award, one of the university’s highest honors among 250+ organizations.

Success Tips:

• Apply for external funding, whether through grants, sponsorships, or personal donations

• Design inclusive events that grow with your members

• Document everything; strong infrastructure enables long-term success.

From hosting the university’s only hackathon to building a replicable system of leadership, USA SASE is proud to serve as a model for new chapters on how to grow with purpose and impact.

This year, SASE at the University of Virginia grew from no active members to approximately 30 active members, 50+ paid members and 300+ general members. 

We increased our Instagram following by over 400 people and established a strong infrastructure for future boards by creating a shared Google Drive from scratch with detailed documentation and resources.

We strengthened connections with UVA’s Center for Diversity in Engineering, collaborating with SHPE, NSBE, AND oSTEM throughout the year. Additionally, we revived relationships with UVA SASE alumni from when the organization prospered before 2020. Using $18,000 of our funding, we fully paid for 12 members to attend the 2024 National Conference and 16 members to attend the Regional Conference. Financially, we increased our bank account balance by 980% (~$5500) in just one semester through strategic fundraising efforts.

There are several lessons we learned throughout the revival of our chapter. One crucial thing that helped was building documentation early. We created all of our documents from scratch, and taking detailed notes helped lay a strong foundation for the future. Planning in advance also proved essential, as it boosted event turnout and helped maintain member engagement. Since member retention tends to follow predictable cycles, planning events around these patterns made a significant difference.

Additionally, we introduced a point system where members earned points by attending events, weighted based on the event type, which helped determine who would be selected for conference attendance. 

Finally, investing in conferences had a major impact, as we used fully funded trips to energize our membership and show the tangible value of joining SASE.