Founding ohanaThe idea of starting an Asian Pacific Islander club started to become a reality in Spring 2011. In May 2011, staff members wanted to plan campus events for Asian Pacific Islander Heritage month. A cultural showcase featuring music, dance, and poetry came to mind and through word of mouth, a small group of students came together to participate. Through this process, new friendships developed and the Asian Pacific Islander students were excited to participate in this type of programming; they saw the value of developing a campus club that brought others together from a shared ethnic/racial background. That student energy and excitement carried into Fall 2011 with the creation the Asian Pacific Islander Association (APIA).
As the campus population grows, so do the numbers of Asian Pacific Islander students on campus. APIA continues to make a positive impact on campus and from it's inception, APIA has been integral in recruiting Asian Pacific Islander students to our campus, hosting cultural events throughout the year, and celebrating the achievements of our Asian Pacific Islander graduates through the annual Asian Pacific Islander Graduation Celebration. As Asian Pacific Islander Association, we are here to represent everyone of API decent and showing/teaching everyone who we are and who we stand for. |
(From right to left)
Ieshia Basa Maggie Chou Nancy Her Jihan Ejan Pang Her Nicole Mina Jeff Park Purvi Shah SERAIA FAITALIA (NOT PICTURED) Chee Vang (not pictured) Golee Yang (not pictured) |