APIASF Jump Start College Tour Kicks Off 2018 at University of California, Irvine
Washington, D.C. – February 9, 2018 – The Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF), the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted to providing college scholarships for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIAs), will kick off the 2018 Jump Start College Tour (JSCT) at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) on February 10, 2018 from 9:00 am to 3:15 pm. The event, sponsored by AT&T, FedEx, and founding sponsor, Wells Fargo, will provide local high school students and their families with critical scholarship, college preparation, and financial management resources.
The Jump Start College Tour collaborates with the nation’s Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), such as UCI. UCI is rooted in a community densely populated by APIAs – a commonality among many AANAPISIs. APIAs comprise nearly 36% of UCI’s total undergraduate student population and 45% of their student population received Pell Grants in the 2015-2016 school year, demonstrating both a diverse student body and high financial need. Because of these statistics, APIASF believes it is essential for organizations and universities to partner with each other to provide the best resources possible for college attainment. “Partnering with APIASF enables great public universities to serve as a launching pad for high achieving young people,” said Douglas M. Haynes, UCI Vice Provost for Academic Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
“Irvine, California reflects many places across the United States, where stories of affluence and comfort cause the difficulties of APIAs to be overshadowed. It is currently the largest city in the continental United States with an APIA plurality and this community is characterized by risk factors when it comes to college attainment. Not only are APIAs the fastest growing population overall, but they are also fast increasing in their financial vulnerability. In recent years, Asian Americans have held the top spot for the most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Irvine. The impact is clear; the Hmong population with educational attainment below 9th grade is nearly four times that of the total population in California,” notes Neil Horikoshi, President and Executive Director of APIASF. “This is why it is critical for us to host Jump Start College Tour in Irvine – to provide APIA families the tools and resources to successfully navigate the college-going process.”
“Wells Fargo is proud to collaborate with APIASF to bring the Jump Start College Tour to Irvine to ease the transition between high school and college for APIA students,” said Georgette “Gigi” Dixon, Senior Vice President and Director of Strategic Partnerships at Wells Fargo. “We know students that have the opportunities and resources are more likely to stay in school and obtain a degree, and we are committed to seeing that each and every community can make higher education a reality, including APIAs.”
In addition to Jump Start College Tour at UCI, APIASF is also stopping at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities on April 21, 2018. For details about APIASF’s events and to learn more about our scholarship programs and our work to strengthen communities, visit us at www.apiasf.org. Also, follow APIASF on Facebook and Twitter.
Based in Washington, D.C., the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) is the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted to providing college scholarships for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (APIA). APIASF works to create opportunities for students to access, complete, and succeed after post-secondary education; thereby developing future leaders who will excel in their career, serve as role models in their communities, and will ultimately contribute to a vibrant America. Since 2003, APIASF has distributed more than $110 million in scholarships to deserving APIA students. APIASF manages three scholarship programs: APIASF’s general scholarship, APIASF’s AANAPISI scholarship, and the Gates Millennium Scholars/Asian Pacific Islander Americans funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
