As the Official Airline of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF), Southwest Airlines helped us connect more than 30 Scholars from across the country to the APIASF Higher Education Summit in Washington, D.C. earlier this summer. For many of the scholarship recipients this was a life-changing opportunity!
Now in its fourth year, the APIASF Higher Education Summit focuses on increasing college completion and student success among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students and strengthening the capacity for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). The most important aspect of the Summit is that it provides a forum for students to have an active voice in the national education dialogue and gives them the chance to share their experiences directly with college presidents, policymakers, and researchers who gather from across the country and the Pacific Islands. Throughout the event, Scholars played an active role in shaping recommendations and developing action plans to help further AAPI student success.
With support from Southwest Airlines, Scholars were also able to participate in a special Scholar Leadership Workshop and a reception prior to Higher Education Summit. Many Scholars shared their reflections of this experience on APIASF’s Blog re/present, including Kim Thuy Ho who wrote, “To be able to personally meet and network with these influential people and see that we all have a common goal and vision to serve our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students and help them get into higher education finally gave me the real sense of a community. Now, I realize that I am a part of something that is greater than myself.”
“As the nation's fastest growing community of color, it is critical for us to provide opportunities to inspire and empower our next generation of leaders," said APIASF President and Executive Director Neil Horikoshi. "Thanks to Southwest Airlines, we were able to provide these students with the tools needed to become change agents in their local communities and help them become positive role models for other students looking to make a difference."
To learn more about APIASF and the Higher Education Summit, visit http://www.apiasf.org/.
With support from Southwest Airlines, Scholars were also able to participate in a special Scholar Leadership Workshop and a reception prior to Higher Education Summit. Many Scholars shared their reflections of this experience on APIASF’s Blog re/present, including Kim Thuy Ho who wrote, “To be able to personally meet and network with these influential people and see that we all have a common goal and vision to serve our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students and help them get into higher education finally gave me the real sense of a community. Now, I realize that I am a part of something that is greater than myself.”
“As the nation's fastest growing community of color, it is critical for us to provide opportunities to inspire and empower our next generation of leaders," said APIASF President and Executive Director Neil Horikoshi. "Thanks to Southwest Airlines, we were able to provide these students with the tools needed to become change agents in their local communities and help them become positive role models for other students looking to make a difference."
To learn more about APIASF and the Higher Education Summit, visit http://www.apiasf.org/.