APIA Scholars Meet with Members of Congress
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Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholars (APIA Scholars) Meet with Congressman Kilili Sablan, Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, and Congressman James Moylan
APIA Scholars Discuss the Unique Needs of Pacific Islander Students on Capitol Hill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–Washington, DC (March 15, 2023) APIA Scholars (Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars) thanks Congressman Kilili Sablan, Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, and Congressman James Moylan for meeting our Board Member Former Congressman Robert Underwood, President Noel Harmon, Senior Vice President Julie Ajinkya, and Senior Director of Research & Pacific Island Partnerships Florie Mendiola to discuss the needs of Pacific Islander students throughout the US and in the Pacific region in higher education earlier this month on March 8.
“APIA Scholars is committed to serving the under-represented within our community. Within the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, the proportion of adults who have not enrolled in any postsecondary education is particularly high. Often these students are first generation college students and from low-income families with limited opportunities for English language access, financial aid, and other academic support. We are committed to reducing the financial barriers for AANHPI students not only through scholarships, but also through partnerships and applied research. We are grateful for this opportunity to discuss the issues that affect our NHPI students.” said Noel Harmon, President of APIA Scholars.
“One of the most significant barriers to including NHPI students in broader discussions about equity and inclusion in higher education is a lack of research that can provide insight into their educational trajectory and their unique needs and challenges. This exclusionary practice is a significant disservice and injustice for NHPI students and APIA Scholars has been addressing this problem with our own research with Dr. Rob Teranishi and a research team from the Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education (IGE) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). We are excited that we had this opportunity to present early findings in our meeting. We look forward to having more productive discussions like the one we had with Congressman Sablan, Congresswoman Amata and Congressman Moylan.” Said Julie Ajinkya, SVP of APIA Scholars.
About APIA Scholars
Based in Washington, D.C. and founded in 2003, APIA Scholars (Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars) is the nation’s leading non-profit organization devoted to the academic, personal, and professional success of Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students. We celebrate our community of students whose unique stories, rich cultures, and diverse perspectives equip them to be the leaders of tomorrow. Through holistic college-to-career programs, scholarships, higher education research and policy, and institutional partnerships, APIA Scholars carries out its mission to educate, elevate, and empower a diverse community of 25 million strong and growing.
For more information about APIA Scholars, please visit us at www.apiascholars.org.
CONTACT
Wendy Wong
VP of Marketing and Communications
APIA Scholars (Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars)
wwong@apiascholars.org
