All Day Sessions:

AANAPISIs Are At A Crossroad: Where Do We Go From Here?

Dr. Patricia Nielsen, former Director AANAPISI at UMASS Boston

Caitlin Ho, Hunter College

Edwin Tiongson, Irvine Valley College

Honoring Our Past, Exploring Our Present, and Shaping Our Future as Indigenous Pacific Islander Leaders In Higher Education

Participants will have an opportunity to honor their Indigenous Pacific roots through cultural artifacts and storytelling which will lay a foundation for visibility and awareness of personal leadership strengths. Through the exploration of indigenous leadership perspectives, participants will map their future journeys through the reflection of expansion (enhancing their professional experience through outreach and education) or ascension (moving towards the next level of leadership positions). The power and importance of elder mentoring relationships will be discussed and action planning to support the continued visibility and advancement will provide inspiration for future Indigenous Pacific Islanders in Higher Education Professional Development experiences.

Pasifika Community

Dr. Andrea (Andi) Fejeran Sims, Mt. San Antonio College, Director Student Life (Chamorro)
Dr. Aida Cuenza- Uvas, Mt. San Antonio College, Director ARISE (Filipino Chamorro)
Dr. Kyle Reyes, Utah Valley University, Vice President of Student Affairs (Hawaiian Filipino)
Dr. Michael Perez, CSU Fullerton, Faculty Sociology (Chamorro)
Dr. Ashley Cheri, University of California – Irvine, Director Early Academic Outreach Program (Fijian)
Kare’l Lokeni, Mt. San Antonio College, Educational Advisor ARISE (Samoan)
Tutasi Asuega, Mt. San Antonio College, Student Services Specialist, ARISE (Samoan)
Melenaite Fifita, University of California – Irvine, Undergrad student and NHPI Community Activist (Tongan)
‘Asena Taione-Filihia, Pomona College, Assistant Director, Asian American Resource Center (Tongan)
Tyler Pau, University of California – San Diego, Assistant Director, Residential Life (Hawaiian)

Morning Sessions:

Student Session – 20/20 Vision: Weaving Our Narratives For Our Flourishing Future

It’s time for a vision test. How clearly are we seeing ourselves and how clearly are we seeing others? Do we have the right lenses on? Through this experience, students will first reflect on their own narrative and how their story is important to build and tell as they journey through college. Next, they will work and weave their narratives together to build resilience. Lastly, students will participate in a symbolic gesture representing their promise to a flourishing future. In order to participate in this pre-conference session, students must bring a travel approved size bottle of water (1 oz.) from their home place.

Dr. Katrina Abes, University of Hawai‘i, West O‘ahu

Rouel Velasco, University of Hawai‘i, West O‘ahu

Masters vs. Doctorate: Which and When?

Are you considering graduate school but not sure where to start? Your education is one of the best investments you can make in yourself. Whether it’s a professional, master’s, or doctoral degree, a graduate degree will open the door to more opportunities. This pre-conference workshop has three components:

   (1) Nuts & Bolts of Applying to Graduate School
   (2) Funding Your Graduate Studies, and
   (3) Writing a Statement of Purpose.

As a result of attending this workshop, participants will:

• Understand better their graduate school options and shape their personal priorities;
• Learn about funding and resources, including ways to be competitive for diversity-related fellowships; and
• Hone their skills in crafting a strong graduate application

University of California, Los Angeles Graduate Division

Dr. Samuel H. Bersola, Assistant Vice Provost for Graduate Education

Sherman Chew, Director of Fellowships and Financial Services

Beverly V. Yanuaria, Diversity, Inclusion & Admissions Officer

Shannon Yu, Fellowships Analyst

Daring Greatly: From Hurt to Healing – Owning Our Own Stories

Onar Primitivo, University of California, Merced

Dr. Hyon Chu Yi Baker, De Anza College

Michelle Tagorda, University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa

Afternoon Sessions:

APIDA’s, Do We Self-Care?

Join us for a creative, courageous, and compassionate discussion on tips and strategies for self-care as we navigate personal obligations with professional aspirations.

Dr. Suman Mudunuri, Long Beach City College

Katie Sundara, El Camino College

Jennifer Pagala Barnett,  University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa

Persistence + Grit: Surviving and Thriving Graduate Programs

This preconference session will focus on graduate students, both masters and doctoral, and their navigation of graduate programs and life itself.  APIDA graduate students have a variety of intersecting identities that require us to simultaneously negotiate personal, professional, and academic life. Participants will be encouraged to think introspectively about their identities and how their identities inform their research and academics. There will be a panel of former graduate students where they will discuss their journey navigating the ivory tower and will share the real work that goes into obtaining a masters or doctoral degree. More importantly, this session is geared toward encouraging participants to think critically about what they need as graduate students in order to be successful and the environments they are forced to endure.

Dr. Lori Ideta, University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa

Dr. Sabrina Fallejo Uganiza, , University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa

The ABC’s of Student Activism: Advocate! Believe! Collaborate!

Students are powerful change agents! In this session, we will share strategies and tools that you can use to ignite your L.I.T.E. (L.I.T.E. refers to your abilities to Lead, Inspire, Trailblaze, and Empower!)

Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan, San Diego State University

SDSU APIDA Student Leaders

Speed Networking for College Students and Early to Mid-level Higher Education Professionals

This workshop will allow participants (both college students and early- to mid-level higher education professionals) to network with APAHE leaders who have a great deal to share about their professional journeys. A quick panel session will introduce the leaders and the process, which will be followed by a series of structured, timed networking rounds. Table topics will be provided to help guide conversation. A debrief session will allow participants to reflect on and share their conversations.

Confirmed Leaders (more to come):

• Frank Chong, President, Santa Rosa Jr. College
• Nancy Wada-McKee, VP for Campus Life, Cal State LA
• Mary Ann Takemoto, Interim VP for Student Affairs
• Samuel H. Bersola, Assistant Vice Provost for Graduate Education, UCLA

Nancy Yap, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics

Dr. Jeanette Soon-Ludes, Themis Insight

Dr. Mary Ann Triest, UCLA