For the first time in history, President Joe Biden has formally designated a week to honor educational institutions that serve Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students — especially students from low-income, first-generation and underrepresented backgrounds.
Biden issued a proclamation of September 25 through October 1 as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week, with members of his administration visiting one of the institutions, Queens College and the City University of New York, on Tuesday to kick off to give. the festive week.
These colleges and universities make up nearly half of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) student enrollment, the proclamation said. Some of the schools include the University of California, Irvine; the University of San Francisco; and the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
“For so many, higher education is a ticket to a better life,” Biden wrote in the proclamation. “But while talent, creativity and determination can be found in people all over this country, not everyone has an equal chance at higher education.”
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Schools that receive the rating receive federal funding. And so far, more than five dozen institutions have received funding, according to New York University’s MSI Data Project. Although they comprise just over 5% of all colleges and universities, they award 40% of the bachelor’s degrees and half of the associate degrees earned by all AANHPI students.
Mike Hoa Nguyen, assistant professor of education at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, explained that the funds are generally used to increase enrollment; Expand Asian American studies, research, and other academic programs; and further diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Schools may be eligible to be part of the Asian American and…
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