Join us in celebrating AANAPISI Week!
What is AANAPISI Week?
We are excited to spread the word about AANAPISI Week (September 23–September 29, 2024). This week celebrates the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) designation, which was established by Congress on September 27, 2007, to improve the availability and quality of postsecondary education programs to support low-income, first-generation Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students.
AANAPISI Week commemorates the significance and achievements of AANAPISIs and allows organizations and institutions to celebrate the educational support of underserved AANHPI students. Our goal this year is to:
- Raise awareness and highlight the impact of AANAPISIs on AANHPI student success
- Expand our network of advocates and supporters
- Develop federal policy champions in support of AANAPISIs and our students
Based upon analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Education/IPEDS and the MSI Data Project, as of the 2023-24 academic year, AANAPISIs comprise only 6.9% of all institutions of higher education, yet enroll 46% of all AANAPI undergraduate students and award 52 percent of the associate’s degrees and 45 percent of the bachelor’s degrees attained by all AANAPI college students across the country.
As we seek to build visibility around the impact of these important institutions, we invite our partners to learn more about AANAPISIs, and circulate information about AANAPISI Week to those in their networks who are interested in learning more and supporting AANHPI student success.
“AANAPISI programs build institutional capacity to serve our diverse population of AANHPI students. AANAPISI grant funding opens opportunities to build innovative programs that center the lived experiences of low-income, first-generation AANHPIs. Students in our program (Hunter College AANAPISI Project) have often shared that AANAPISI programs allow them to feel seen and understood. They feel like they belong to a bigger community.”
— Caitlin Ho, Program Director, Hunter College AANAPISI Project (HCAP), Hunter College, City University of New York
Here’s how to engage:
Use our toolkit to take action and spread the word! The toolkit includes:
- Advocacy tools and resources
- Social media graphics and captions
Get the toolkit tinyurl.com/aanapisiweek24-toolkit
Congressmember Judy Chu (D-28 Congressional District CA) speaks on the power of AANAPISIs and AANHPI Student Success in Higher Education
ATTEND Virtual events
Join one of our two virtual events and invite others! Event flyers and social media images are available in our Social Media Toolkit.
“What ended up was me making more friends than I expected. There wasn’t really a spot for me to go, I would just hang with the people I know […] its really easy to talk to people [at AACEE]. The idea of having people kinda similar to you makes it easier for people to talk to you. We kinda share the same experiences and it’s a place where people are going to be welcoming for the most part […] it’s a lot more comfortable. “Usually, [workshops] are accessible. Events are usually when I’m here.”
— John – Asian American Center for Excellence & Engagement (UMass Lowell AANAPISI Program), on participating in the program
AANAPISIs: Empowering Generations of AANHPI Students
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
5p-6p EDT/2p-3p PDT/11a–12p HST
(Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 7a-8a ChST)
Join APAHE during AANAPISI Week 2024 for a virtual panel where you will hear from higher education leaders on how AANAPISIs serve, educate, and prepare the next generation of AA & NHPIs to be changemakers in their communities. Panelists will also share perspectives on the challenges AANAPISI programs face and offer policy recommendations.
Registration: https://bit.ly/4dMn130
Supporting the Next Generation of AANHPI Leaders
Friday, September 27, 2024
6pm–7pm (EDT)/3pm–4pm (PDT)/12pm–1pm (HST)
(Saturday, September 28, 2024, 8a-9a ChST)
Join APAHE during AANAPISI Week 2024 for a virtual panel of AANAPISI program student participants from across the country. Panelists will discuss how their AANAPISI program has impacted their college experience and future career path as well as their hopes for the future of AANAPISIs.
Registration: bit.ly/3Z9PD1T

“My role at AACEE helped provide real life situations as well as experience that I could apply to my resume which I felt helped me reach my goals of getting my foot in the door and claiming my first real job in the business field. I felt I have grown as a person who is more willing to come into the space and greet everyone. I would advise that [newcomers] take advantage of the connection that you could make with students, student workers, staff and even guests that come for events. AACEE is an amazing place to make friends but also connections that will provide you assistance in the future.”
— Monica – Sophomore, May 2024, on working at Asian American Center for Excellence & Engagement (UMass Lowell AANAPISI Program)
Follow us on social media and use #AANAPISI #AANAPISIWeek
Questions? Email us at apainhighered@gmail.com
Additional Resources
Interested in learning more about AANAPISIs? We invite you to check out the resources below, and share them with your networks:
AANAPISI Program Basics:
AANAPISI Overview:
- APAHE AANAPISI Webpage
- The Minority Serving Institutions Data Project – https://www.msidata.org/
- Ensuring College Access and Success for AANHPI Students (2024). https://collegecampaign.org/publication/ensuring-college-access-and-success-for-asian-american-native-hawaiian-and-pacific-islander-students
Academic Literature:
- Espinoza, K. J. C., Rincón, B. E., Drake, B. M., Harbin, J. J., & Ethelbah, K. (2024). Oceania in the desert: A QuantCrit analysis of the (under)counting of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Students at an AANAPISI-HSI. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2024.234967
- Fong, T., Maramba, D., Nguyen, M.H. (Eds.). (2022). Models of Change: Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions in Action. AAPI Nexus Journal, 19(1/2). http://www.aapinexus.org/2022/03/28/models-of-change-aanapisis-in-action-spring-2022/
- Gogue, D. T.-.L., Venturanza, R. J., Cuenza-Uvas, A., & Nguyen, M. H. (2021). The role of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions in reframing leadership education. New Directions for Student Leadership, 171, 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20460
- Nguyen, M.H., Ramirez, J., & Laderman, S. (2023). What counts as a Minority-Serving Institution?: Toward the utilization of a standardized and uniform definition and typology. Educational Researcher, 52(3), 174-179. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X221105861
- Nguyen, M.H. (2023). Expanding the capacity of student affairs professionals and faculty: A case study of two Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 60(4), 447-462. https://doi.org/10.1080/19496591.2022.2144740
- Nguyen, M.H. (2024). Serving Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students: Examining how Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander- Serving Institutions build students’ capacities. The Review of Higher Education.. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.0.a925900
- Nguyen, M.H. (2022). Building capacity for student success at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI): Transforming the educational experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander Students. The Journal of Higher Education, 93(4), 503-531. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2021.1996170
- Nguyen, M. H., Espinoza, K. J., Gogue, D. T.-L., & Dinh, D. M. (2021). AANAPISIs in context and practice: Strategies for serving Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Students. About Campus, 26(1), 5–9. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086482221994121