On Friday, applications will open for scholarships from Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars (APIA Scholars).
APIA Scholars is a Washington, DC-based non-profit dedicated to reducing the financial hardships of pursuing higher education for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. It provides funds from $2,500 for a single year, $20,000 for a multi-year period, and emergency funds of up to $2,500.
The organization hopes its newly revamped application process will make the scholarships more accessible to Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.
The scholarship has helped students like Tammalivis Salanoa. Born in American Samoa, Salanoa and her family faced financial challenges. After experiencing rising living costs, they sought opportunities in California, chasing the American Dream.
Despite the financial obstacles, Salanoa set her sights on college.
“I was determined to rise above the statistics that said I’d never earn a degree,” Salanoa said in an interview with AsAmNews.
Data from the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and AAPI Data found that Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have stark differences in educational attainment compared to their Asian American counterparts.
After numerous failed attempts to receive local scholarships, she wasn’t too optimistic about the chance of being awarded a national scholarship.
Nonetheless, Salanoa was awarded the APIA Scholars scholarship in her freshman year of college. For Salanoa, the scholarship was formative.
“It changed everything. The scholarship gave me the freedom to fully focus on my education. It felt like I’d been handed a key to doors I never knew could open,” she said.
Scholarship applications open on November 15, and the deadline to apply is January 15.
To apply go to apiascholars.org.
