Recent observances of Asian Heritage month, including the PBS documentary series Asian Americans, and this celebration of the class of 2020 from APIA Scholars offer us rich material for reflection. Queens College provides many ways to explore the contributions of Asians and Asian-Americans to our local and global community including a discussion moderated by our president-designate.
If this period of sheltering in place has allowed you to reflect on your sense of community, you might think about how your Asian heritage shapes your interests and future plans. Maybe you want to improve your language skills through a class here or, once travel restrictions are lifted, through a study abroad program. You could also get involved with a student organization, such as our Japanese Culture Club. We are very fortunate to have our Asian/American Center, which offers leadership programs and scholarships. In addition, Queens College is a partner institution with APIA Scholars, which has provided generous funding to many QC students. If the shut-down has allowed you to learn more about your family’s story of migration, your reflection on being a new American would be useful in a Soros Scholarship essay. The QC Fellowships Office is available to help you identify appropriate funding opportunities and to work with you throughout the application process, including on drafts of required essays. Please feel free to be in touch and check this blog for fellowship updates including announcements of information sessions like this one which we are happy to pass along from the QC library.
We invite you to join us on Wednesday, June 17 at 4 pm for “Model Minority vs. Covid-19,” an online discussion on Asians in America, racism, and higher education: https://qc-cuny.libcal.com/event/6768945. We will focus on the current higher educational experience for Asians in America, who are facing the continuously evolving challenge of racism. We will also discuss how Asians in America can provide ally-ship and solidarity to other groups that are experiencing racial oppression.
This event will be moderated by Queens College President-designate Frank Wu, and broadcast via Facebook Live on Queens Memory’s main Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/631852060751716/.
Sponsored by the Queens Memory COVID-19 Project of Queens College and Queens Public Library, the Asian/American Center at Queens College, and the Asian American/ Asian Research Institute – CUNY.
For more information, please contact Annie Tummino, Head of Special Collections and Archives, at annie.tummino@qc.cuny.edu.
