Although the Asian Pacific American student population at MSU has leveled off at about 5 percent in recent years, member participation and the number of registered student organizations has jumped.
"It's a good sign that they're wanting to identify as (Asian Pacific American) students," said Maggie Chen Hernandez, director of the Multicultural Center in the basement of the Union. "Instead of joining a group, maybe they're finding their places and faces aren't there, and they want to address parts of their identity not already served."
Chen Hernandez said smaller groups, such as the Hapa Asian Pacific Alliance, haven't had much continuity in the past. However, they have been evolving during the past few years.
"A lot of them are being exposed more," said Bhavisha Bhalsod, a member of HAPA and the Asian Pacific American Student Organization, or APASO.
Several of the new, smaller groups are affiliates of APASO.
Attendance at larger general meetings has grown as well. APASO general meetings are too big to be held in the 3,000-square-foot Multicultural Center, so the 100 or so members spill into the cafeteria.
The APASO fall conference last weekend had 80 registered students at the Kellogg Center.
The largest growth has been in Asian-American interest sororities. The first sorority, alpha Kappa Delta Phi, was founded in 1998, and three more have been added since.
"Once one group got started, people realized it's an opportunity anyone can take," Bhalsod said.
APASO Co-President Laura Mercer, who also is a member of alpha Kappa Delta Phi, said MSU is following a national trend.
"Chapters are sprouting up across the country within the past few years," Mercer said.
Sushma Lohitsa, a member of the Coalition for Indian Undergraduate Students, said a lot of the greek organizations are coming from California, where there is a higher concentration of Asian Pacific American students.
"People are joining, because they can relate to more people, they have a common theme among themselves," said Lohitsa, an education junior. "At the same time, their goal is promoting diversity through sisterhood."
The only group that has declining membership has been the Association of Japanese American College Students because it's a slow-growing population, APASO Co-President RJ Quiambo said. Japanese Americans are one of the only shrinking minority groups in the United States.
