In May 2011, the Department of Education took the step of formally

In May 2011, the Department of Education took the step of formally recognizing universities that serve large populations of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students.

Alongside institutions serving students of color and low-income populations, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions are now eligible to receive federal resources for institutional capacity building and to ensure postsecondary access and degree attainment for a diverse student population.

The AAPI population is one of the nation’s fastest growing, and an increasing number of AAPI students have strong inclinations toward pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

According to a recent report by the National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education, more than 15 percent of the Chinese, Sri Lankan, Malaysian, Filipino and Asian Indian populations are employed in health and STEM occupations.

Despite the desire to work in critical fields, many of the nation’s fastest growing AAPI ethnic groups have some of the nation’s lowest educational attainment rates, live in poor urban areas, and attend schools with high dropout and low achievement rates. With federal resources now available, policy makers hope that Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions will engage their new-found designation and work to address the unique support needed by the most underrepresented AAPI students.

Learn more about the Department of Education’s recent development in an article in Diverse Issues in Higher Education.