AANAPISI Grant Impacts Among Asian American Students at the University ofIllinois Chicago (UIC) from 2010 to 2021

Introduction

Author: Angelynn Jimenez

Department: UIC Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement (IPCE)

Advisor: Dr. Joseph K. Hoereth, IPCE

Abstract: Despite the persistent stereotype that Asian Americans college students are all high achieving, independent of academic success of resources and support, the reality is Asian American college students are not homogeneous. They encompass over 22 ethnic groups, various home languages and levels of fluency of English at home, upbringings, financial backgrounds, immigration backgrounds, and academic interests that require acknowledgement and support through UIC programs in order to ensure academic success. UIC is a unique institution that provides numerous culturally-relevant academic, career, and sense-of-belonging support and services catered towards Asian American students. UIC is the only 4-year institution in Illinois that received the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Grant and for the last 15 years. The AANAPISI Grant is a Department of Education grant for which UIC met eligibility due to an Asian student body of over 20% and its designation as a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI), which has been discontinued since September 10, 2025. This study aims to highlight the benefits of AANAPISI-funded programs at UIC and their impact on Asian American students’ sense of belonging, academic readiness, and career advancement. This study examines the impact of AANAPISI limited to Asian American students at UIC. Asian American students navigate their educational paths in the backdrop of the Model Minority Myth where they are depicted as capable of achieving success in the U.S. through hard work and education. This stereotype argues that Asian Americans are homogeneous and naturally academically successful minorities do not deserve affinity-based cultural, academic, and career support unlike other minority students. These findings are significant because AANAPISI at UIC spanned over 15 years with research recommendations that investigate the needs of Asian Americans students at UIC and prove students require support leading to implemented programs students use today. This research suggests that continuing AANAPISI grants or ensuring equal financial support at UIC post-MSI and AANAPISI would benefit Asian American students and allies in their sense of belonging, academic success, and career success during and after UIC.

Keywords: AANAPISI, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, Asian American, Affinity programs, UIC, Model Minority Myth, MSI, Minority-Serving Institutions, Academic Advising, Mentorship, Cultural Center