Greetings APIASF Scholars! Greetings APIASF Scholars! Greetings APIASF Scholars! Greetings APIASF Scholars!

On behalf of the Asian & Pacific Islander

American Scholarship Fund, I am excited to

introduce you to the first issue of the APIASF

Scholar newsletter.

Over the course of your college career, you

will receive a series of newsletters from

APIASF to provide tips on how to navigate

your way through college, a listing of

internship opportunities, and an inside look

on some of the new programs APIASF has in

store for you and future scholars.

In this issue, you will find:

• Tips on how to make the most of your

winter break

• Feature on Scholars and the APIASF

Gala in New York

• SPOTLIGHT on Paul Park, 2005 APIASF

Scholar

• Information regarding internships

• Scholarship opportunity from the

Sodexo Foundation

• Resources to share with students

applying to college

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Neil Horikoshi

President & Executive Director

We promise to not flood your inbox, but don’t be surprised to see emails from the

following staff members:

Who’s Flooding My Inbox?Who’s Flooding My Inbox?Who’s Flooding My Inbox?Who’s Flooding My Inbox?

We’ll be contacting you about events, new initiatives and programs, and soliciting

your ideas on how APIASF could better serve students, like you. Keep an eye out

for future correspondence in your inbox!

Neil HorikoshiNeil HorikoshiNeil HorikoshiNeil Horikoshi

President & Executive Director

Bernadette BalagotBernadette BalagotBernadette BalagotBernadette Balagot

Program Director, APIASF Scholarship Program

Jason ChanJason ChanJason ChanJason Chan

Program Director, Scholar & Alumni Programs

Nikki ModiNikki ModiNikki ModiNikki Modi

Program Coordinator for Outreach

December 2008December 2008December 2008December 2008 Volume 1, Issue 1Volume 1, Issue 1Volume 1, Issue 1Volume 1, Issue 1

APIASF Scholar Newsletter Brought to you by: Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship FundBrought to you by: Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship FundBrought to you by: Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship FundBrought to you by: Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund

Questions or comments? Email Bernadette Balagot, Program Director, at bbalagot@apiasf.org or call (202) 747-7235

Happy Holidays

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Make the most of your winter breakMake the most of your winter breakMake the most of your winter breakMake the most of your winter break

The school year is halfway over and you are probably ready for a break from school. While some of

you might travel or take classes over the break, a majority of you will be headed back home. If you

are wondering what to do over the break, here are some things current college students

recommend you do to make the most of your winter break:

Spend quality time with family and friends.Spend quality time with family and friends.Spend quality time with family and friends.Spend quality time with family and friends. You probably did not

have as much time to hang out or talk with your family and friends as

often as you would have liked.

Relax, Reflect and ReRelax, Reflect and ReRelax, Reflect and ReRelax, Reflect and Re----energize!energize!energize!energize! You deserve a break from all the hard

work you’ve done over the past few months, so take some time for

yourself so that you’re ready mentally, emotionally and physically once

the new year starts.

Do things you weren’t able to do.Do things you weren’t able to do.Do things you weren’t able to do.Do things you weren’t able to do. Now that you have more free time,

this is a great opportunity to do something that you did not have time to

do while in school. You can watch that movie you’ve wanted to see, read

that book you never finished, or update your blog.

Plan for the summer. Plan for the summer. Plan for the summer. Plan for the summer. Summer may be months away, but time can fly by real fast when you have a full load of

classes. You can work on your resume, apply for a summer program or internship or decide what classes you want

to take over the summer. For those who don’t know what to do, this is a great time to start exploring your options.

Take care of your health.Take care of your health.Take care of your health.Take care of your health. You may be long overdue for a visit to the doctor or the dentist. Pick the up phone and

make an appointment. Don’t neglect your health. Also, don’t forget to get your prescriptions filled.

Scholars attend the 3Scholars attend the 3Scholars attend the 3Scholars attend the 3rdrdrdrd Annual Today’s Minds Tomorrow’s Future Gala Annual Today’s Minds Tomorrow’s Future Gala Annual Today’s Minds Tomorrow’s Future Gala Annual Today’s Minds Tomorrow’s Future Gala

On October 30, 2008, fifteen recipients of the APIASF and

GMS scholarship awards attended the Today’s Mind

Tomorrow’s Future Gala at the Hilton New York. The

annual fundraiser gave scholars in the New York tri-state

area the opportunity to connect with each other and enjoy

an evening to celebrate the contributions of individuals

and organizations that have enabled Asian and Pacific

Islander American students, such as yourselves, to pursue

higher education.

Nishant Batsha, 2006 Scholar, and Annie He, 2008 Scholar,

shared the impact the scholarship has had on their lives

and their college experiences to date in front of an audi-

ence of 500. Joanna Tenta, 2006 Scholar, also performed

the national anthem.

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SPOLTLIGHTSPOLTLIGHTSPOLTLIGHTSPOLTLIGHT Your success is very important to APIASF. In each issue, we will put the SPOTLIGHT on you to celebrate and recognize your

accomplishments and to give you the opportunity to see what other scholars are doing.

In this issue, the spotlight is on Paul Park, one of the first recipients of the APIASF Scholarship. Paul, along with the 165 students that

received the scholarship in 2005, will be among the first APIASF recipient to graduate from college in spring 2009. We are very proud

of all he has done and wish him well as he finishes his last semester of collage at Syracuse University.

After receiving the scholarship in 2005, I went on to attend

Syracuse University in New York. During my sophomore year, I

studied abroad in France and enrolled at the Syracuse Center

and Université de Marc Bloch in Strasbourg.

For the spring 2008 semester, I decided to go abroad again, but

this time I chose Beijing, China. A lot of students choose to go

to Europe, or “familiar” place when studying abroad. But, I

wanted to go somewhere different, and experience something

new. I had never been to China, and I had always heard

unpleasant things about the communist country. I wanted an

adventure; I wanted to get away from my comfort zone – China

was the place to go.

I am currently on the path towards becoming a prominent

Asian American news broadcaster. I interned for NBC Bay Area

(San Jose, CA) over the summer; I just ended an internship with

News 10 Now in Syracuse; Next semester, I will be a producing

intern at WSYR Channel 9 in Syracuse (ABC-affiliate).

I graduate May 2009 with a bachelors of science in broadcast

journalism and triple minor in political science, French, and

Chinese.

Paul ParkPaul ParkPaul ParkPaul Park 2005 Scholar2005 Scholar2005 Scholar2005 Scholar

Paul Park spent his sophomore year studying in

France as part of a program through Syracuse

University. Here he is posing in front of the Old

Habsburg Empire Castle.

Do you want the SPOTLIGHT on you?Do you want the SPOTLIGHT on you?Do you want the SPOTLIGHT on you?Do you want the SPOTLIGHT on you?

We at APIASF are eager to hear what you have been

up to since you receive the APIASF scholarship.

Please do let us know the great things you have been

doing throughout your educational journey.

Want to attend an APIASF event?Want to attend an APIASF event?Want to attend an APIASF event?Want to attend an APIASF event?

In addition to the gala, APIASF holds community receptions in various cities around the country. If we visit your city, we would

like to extend an invitation to attend a reception. Not only will this be a great opportunity for you to meet other scholars, the

APIASF staff, board members, and members of the community, but for you to share about your experiences as a scholarship

recipient and your accomplishments to date. Please make sure to provide us your most to date information so that we can send

you an invitation.

4

What is an internship?What is an internship?What is an internship?What is an internship?

It is never too early to start thinking about an internship. An internship provides you with the

opportunity to gain hands-on experience and explore the career field you are interested in. It

also gives you the chance to put your classroom learning into practice. Internships may or may

not be paid and sometimes can be worth school credit.

An internship will not fall in your lap and requires you to do some work and research. Visit your

career center, talk to your professors, or anybody you know about places that are offering

internships. A proactive approach is to contact the company or organization you are interested

in working for and ask them if they have any job opportunities for students.

Wells FargoWells FargoWells FargoWells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company is a

diversified financial services company

providing banking, insurance,

investments, mortgage and consumer finance through

almost 6,000 stores, the internet and other distribution

channels across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo offers a wide range of internship

opportunities for undergraduate students through our

professional development programs. We look for candidates who show demonstrated

leadership in their academic and professional careers.

Our culture is team-oriented, collegial, and based on

mutual respect. We strongly value diversity,

community, and integrity. As a professional development program participant,

you’ll work within a specific Wells Fargo business group.

Over the course of your program, you’ll develop a deep

understanding of our products and services and the

strategies that support them.

AT&TAT&TAT&TAT&T

Connect with the world’s largest

communications company where

opportunities are huge and getting bigger

every day as we continue to grow. With

exciting jobs ranging from sales and IT to

technicians and management, we have a potential career

for everyone.

Our internships will provide you with hands-on experience

and valuable knowledge that will last you a lifetime no

matter what career path you pursue. You'll make valuable

contacts and get the inside view of telecommunications

from the industry leader.

Through our student internships, you'll benefit from the

combination of classroom theory and real world experience.

No matter what the focus of your passion, chances are we

have the perfect program to get you started on your

journey.

Apply today at Apply today at Apply today at Apply today at att.jobs/campusconnectatt.jobs/campusconnectatt.jobs/campusconnectatt.jobs/campusconnect or text ATT or text ATT or text ATT or text ATT

Are you Fighting Hunger in your community?Are you Fighting Hunger in your community?Are you Fighting Hunger in your community?Are you Fighting Hunger in your community?

Sodexo Foundation accepting applications for 2009 STOP Hunger Scholarships Sodexo Foundation accepting applications for 2009 STOP Hunger Scholarships Sodexo Foundation accepting applications for 2009 STOP Hunger Scholarships Sodexo Foundation accepting applications for 2009 STOP Hunger Scholarships

startingstartingstartingstarting January 1, 2009January 1, 2009January 1, 2009January 1, 2009 Up to five students will each receive a $5,000 scholarship award and a matching $5,000 grant in their

name, for the hunger-related charity of their choice. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in an accredited education institution (kindergarten through graduate school) in the United

States and be able to demonstrate an on going commitment to hunger-relief activities in their community. The deadline for submitting an application is February 27, 2009. For a complete description of the program or an online application

visit www.SodexoFoundation.org.

5

Do you know someone that is applying to college?Do you know someone that is applying to college?Do you know someone that is applying to college?Do you know someone that is applying to college?

Do you remember when you were a senior in high school and thinking about

applying for college? Do you remember pondering about which schools to apply to

or how to even pay for college? As most of you will recall, the whole process can be

very daunting. As someone that has been through it, you are, now, a great resource

to a sibling, cousin, friend or someone in your neighborhood that is applying to

college next fall. Below are several opportunities that you can share:

Scholarships Offered Through APIASF Scholarships Offered Through APIASF Scholarships Offered Through APIASF Scholarships Offered Through APIASF

Gates Millennium Scholarship Award. Gates Millennium Scholarship Award. Gates Millennium Scholarship Award. Gates Millennium Scholarship Award.

Renewable scholarship award that covers students’

unmet financial need and self-help throughout

undergraduate education and fellowships for graduate

programs in 7 select fields. Deadline to apply is January

12, 2009. For more information, please visit

www.gmsp.org.

College Workshops Sponsored by McDonald’sCollege Workshops Sponsored by McDonald’sCollege Workshops Sponsored by McDonald’sCollege Workshops Sponsored by McDonald’s

We want to hear from you!We want to hear from you!We want to hear from you!We want to hear from you!

Now that you’ve read the first issue of the APIASF newsletter, we welcome you to share your thoughts, comments, and ideas for

future issues. If you are interested in contributing to the newsletter, please e-mail Bernadette Balagot, Program Director, at

bbalagot@apiasf.org.

The APIASF Scholarship Program.The APIASF Scholarship Program.The APIASF Scholarship Program.The APIASF Scholarship Program.

Three different scholarship awards, ranging from

$2,500-$5,000 for incoming college freshman.

Deadline to submit an application is January 19, 2009.

For more information regarding the eligibility criteria

or to apply, please visit www.apiasf.org.

As part of McDonald's ongoing commitment to enabling opportunities for achievement in

the Asian and Pacific Islander American community, McDonald's is proud to be a title

sponsor of the college workshop program in San Francisco and New York.

The college workshop program was a collaborative partnership between McDonald's and

World Journal to provide important information about the college admission process, financial aid and scholarship

programs to parents and students. The college workshops were held on September 27th and 28th in San Francisco

and October 26th, November 2nd and November 9th in New York. The workshops featured influential panelists

and speakers from major universities and college prep schools to provide tips and advice to help students be

admitted to a university of their choice.

Visit myinspirasian.com for more information about upcoming college workshops sponsored by McDonald's in 2009.