In March, the Columbus chapter celebrated Lunar New Year alongside our one-year anniversary at local restaurant Ty Ginger. Attendees from about 10 different companies, as well as a few OSU students, joined us for networking and delicious food. Meets & Eats events are among our most successful, and we’re looking forward to planning the next one!
The Chicago Lunar New Year Celebration was also a true celebration of culture and community—close to 100 attendees, a fun and lively lion dance performance, and a delicious feast (Peking duck included) courtesy of Lao Sze Chuan.
Nhi recently joined the Programming Committee after attending Ascend Midwest events over the past two years. Her involvement grew from her leadership within Plante Moran’s AAPI Staff Resource Group (SRG), where she serves as Co-Program Lead.
As a first-generation college graduate with immigrant parents from Vietnam, Nhi has largely navigated her career through lived experience, guided along the way by her older sister.
Growing up, success was defined by grades. Nowadays, success feels much harder to define. On the last day of her senior year, a teacher shared a message that has stayed with her: “The purpose of life is to make the world a better place.” Nhi carries this perspective forward—believing that making even one person’s life better is a meaningful measure of success.
Nhi is excited to be part of a community that fosters inclusion, leadership, and professional growth.
Outside of auditing, she enjoys exploring local Asian bakeries, traveling in search of great food, and still being a tourist in Chicago.
Sargent & Lundy is one of the world’s longest-standing full-service architect engineering firms, guided by our core values of Quality, Accountability, Our People, Our Client, Innovation, and Meaningful Impact.
Connection
The Sargent & Lundy Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group (AANHPI ERG) embodies the "Our People" value by providing a space to grow, network, and experience various aspects of AANHPI culture. Through this ERG, individuals can learn and share about the AANHPI experience and help foster a stronger community.
Partnership
By adding Ascend’s programming to our AANHPI ERG, we expand the resources available to employees, including: mentorship, professional development, and education. Ascend creates opportunities for Sargent & Lundy employees to connect with industry professionals beyond the firm, strengthening both our culture and our collective knowledge while making a meaningful impact on a broader community.
For their Spring semester, UIUC’s student chapter had about 50 events planned with an impressive 97 active members. The chapter kicked off the term with professional development workshops on resume building and job search advice, giving members a foundation for a subsequent corporate networking event with Plante Moran. Beyond career prep, the chapter has focused on community and cultural engagement, launching a mentorship program, hosting a DEI Political Awareness workshop, and organizing "Ascend TCG" and Game Night fundraiser featuring custom made trading cards of the leadership team.
The momentum didn't slow down, in the second half of the semester the events included an alumni recent grads panel, working with local restaurant So Gong Dong on marketing efforts, and a community service project making dog toys with Illini Service Dogs. We’re so proud of all the work UIUC has done this year and look forward to hearing more about their events and successes in the future!
Are you attending Ascend Engage 2026? If so, join the "Ascend Midwest @ Engage" WhatsApp group. Connect with our community and share helpful conference information!
Have an idea for future editions or want to be featured in a spotlight? We’d love to hear from you. Until next time, thank you for your continued support and participation in building a stronger Ascend community.
Want to Help Our Chapter Grow?
Ascend Midwest thrives because of passionate members like you! Whether you’re interested in joining a committee, helping organize events, or supporting our leadership team, we’d love to have you involved.
Volunteer for an Event – Assist with event logistics, check-ins, and more
Join a Committee – Help shape our programming, outreach, or operations
Take on a Leadership Role – Get involved in shaping the future of Ascend Midwest
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