Noël Harmon, PhD, president and executive director of Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars (APIA Scholars), believes that all Asian and Pacific Islander Americans should have access to higher education and resources regardless of their ethnicity, national origin, or financial means. This purpose, now upheld by Dr. Harmon’s leadership, led to the founding of APIA Scholars in 2003 and the beginning of a coordinated effort to provide Asian and Pacific Islander American student scholars with the opportunity to access, complete, and succeed after post-secondary education.

Created by a group of corporations, APIA Scholars, an Independent Sector member, is a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation partner and recipient of a multi-decade grant from the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, alongside partners at UNCF, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and the American Indian Graduate Center. In June, MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett announced they were contributing to APIA Scholars.

“One of our constant challenges has been to establish the fact that the Asian population has needs – expansive needs,” says Dr. Harmon. “People still think of the Asian community as being very homogeneous, and do not consider the huge disparities among the community. With more than 48 different ethnicities within the Asian community, 300 different languages spoken, and more than 16 different countries, the needs are extremely diverse.”

“At APIA Scholars, we are focused on helping students to navigate the college experience, including both the academic and socio-emotional aspects. Many of our students are first generation, from an underrepresented group, and living below the poverty line. In these cases, we find that students struggle to navigate the college experience. APIA Scholars steps in to help close some of those gaps.”

College is difficult to navigate in and of itself, but communities of color often experience stereotyping, isolation, and bias. Additionally, traditional college-aged students experience developmental milestones, including exploring their identities, which may include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, first-generation status, income levels, and other statuses. Atop of these development changes and experiences, students are also exploring their career paths. APIA Scholars partners with its students to support their journeys and ensure that they feel connected, prepared, and successful during their college years.

Read the full article about Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars (APIA Scholars) by Debra Rainey at Independent Sector.