UW-Lowell President Julie Chen addresses attendees during a listening tour of the White House on December 15, 2023. (Courtesy of University of Massachusetts Lowell)
LOWELL — Working to advance educational equity and opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, the White House and other federal officials will visit Lowell College in December and host a college tour. As part of this, we learned from students, faculty and staff about their experiences. and universities committed to these goals.
Since 2020, Lowell College has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an Asian American Indian Pacific Islander Serving Institution (ANAPISI), one of approximately 200 in the United States.
An estimated 15% of Massachusetts Lowell students identify as Asian American. Lowell boasts the second-largest Cambodian-American population in the country, and the university has admitted more in numbers over the past decade.
“Massachusetts Lowell is proud of our ANAPISI status and our commitment to supporting these students academically,” said Massachusetts Lowell President Julie Chen. “Over the past decade, we have made significant progress in improving outcomes for students from historically marginalized and excluded groups, but we recognize there is more work to do. With this White House effort, our Congressional delegation, and the help of our partners, I am confident that our success will continue.”
Event participants included students, faculty, and administrators from Lowell College, Boston University, the University of Connecticut, and Hunter College, as well as Bunker Hill Community College and Middlesex Community College. Participants in this session, held at the University of Massachusetts Lowell Crossing Student Center on Friday, Dec. 15, discussed their experiences and priorities, identifying ways to improve access to college and addressing mental health. and sought ways to overcome barriers to learning. All of this insight will be shared with federal policymakers for consideration and future action.
Speakers at the event included U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.); Lowell Mayor Sokary Chau; Representative from the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIANHPI), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. White House Office of Public Engagement. and the Ministry of Education. State Rep. Tacky Chan also attended.
The event was coordinated by Lowell's Asian American Center for Excellence and Engagement (AACEE) in collaboration with the college's AANAPISI partners. Funded by a nearly $1.5 million grant from the Department of Education, the center will provide the university's Asian American students with support for their development, celebration of their heritage, and community support on campus and throughout the Lowell community. We offer personalized services that deepen Lowell College's commitment to promoting diversity. The center is a project of the Center for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.