APIC’s Student-Teacher Luncheon

On the afternoon of Mar. 7, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Price Room from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for the Asian and Pacific Islander Club’s (APIC) Student Teacher Luncheon.

Vanguard University’s population is made of about 4% Asian students and less than 1% of Pacific Islander students. This event served as an opportunity for these students, professors, and other staff members to meet and facilitate a sense of community among people of similar cultural backgrounds.

Debbie Tran, senior majoring in history & political science, attended the event to meet professors and students with similar backgrounds. She noted the importance of professors that can relate to you, saying, “They understand you more in a culture sense and your cultural identity.”

Amanda Young (right) and Debbie Tran (left).

Having professors and staff that understand you not only adds a sense of belonging, but also serves as an inspiration for students of color.

On the staff’s side, Amanda Young, admissions and recruitment counselor for Vanguard’s graduate and professional education department, joined the Vanguard community this year and attended the luncheon to meet other AAPI colleagues and students.

“It’s definitely a different space to be in based off of where I was coming from before. I worked at a multicultural marketing agency before, so literally everybody I knew was Asian American,” stated Young.

She expressed gratitude towards having a space to join with others in the Vanguard AAPI community, stating, “It’s really helpful for there to be that space where you feel seen and known in a different way. When there’s that cultural understanding and background, it brings out more transparency and makes you feel like you can be more comfortable.”

Learn more about APIC on Instagram @apicvu.