Scholar Profile

Paul Park

Our first profile, Paul Park is a broadcast journalism major at Syracuse University who is spending his sophomore year abroad in France.

By Paul Park

In a short couple of years a few things have changed in terms of education: student loan interest rates have increased, and school tuition and board rates are at their highest. Unless you’re in the top one percent of the wealthiest Americans, I find it hard to believe students and their families feel comfortable paying tens and thousands of dollars on education alone. Moreover, families with multiple children in college have a more difficult time financing it. Various organizations realize this considerable burden, and they reach out to students to help provide a quality education. The Asian Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund, or APIASF, is one exceptional organization that reaches out to the Asian and Pacific Islander community, and furthermore embodies the ideals of quality and affordable education.

When I met staff members of the APIASF in Washington, D.C., every word that came out of their mouths was only words of support and encouragement. I truly have never met a group of individuals who were so excited and optimistic about our futures. That shows that APIASF really cares, and only wants the best for all of us. Also, I was comforted by the fact that everyone I met from APIASF was so relaxed, sincere and comforting — I never expected that from such a group of professionals.

It was really exciting for me to be a recipient of a national scholarship. Two thousand dollars goes a long way. For some, it covers a term’s tuition, and for others the scholarship covers books, supplies and other fees. For me, the scholarship helped me avoid taking out loans, and deepening my family’s financial burdens. In addition, this scholarship not only covered textbooks and supplies, but it also gave me hope to continue on the path of becoming a prominent Asian American news broadcaster.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to APIASF and its supporters. The fact that numerous companies and individuals support APIASF shows their confidence in the Asian and Pacific Islander community as well as my generation to continue on to succeed and make a difference. I will always be thankful to APIASF and its supporting corporations and individuals for believing in me. I am confident that APIASF will continue to fulfill dreams and aspirations for many years to come.

After receiving the scholarship in 2005, I went on to attend Syracuse University in New York to double major in broadcast journalism and political science, and minor in French. After completing my freshman year, I decided to study abroad in France. Currently, I am enrolled at the Syracuse Center and Université de Marc Bloch in Strasbourg.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” APIASF has already made that step to become the change for our world by providing for and supporting the Asian and Pacific Islander youth. The next step is to experience and see this great achievement in our community.