Dear Friends of PAACH,
We hope that you and yours had a restful holiday season, and the PAACH staff
extends its best wishes to you for a wonderful 2008! In the spirit of joy
for the season, we have some happy news we would like to share with you!
For those of you who are familiar with our signature program, APALI (the Asian
Pacific American Leadership Initiative), you are certain to know of its
importance in PAACH's programming to educate, empower and create Asian American
student leaders on Penn's campus (and beyond). For those of you
unfamiliar with APALI, please take a look at our website (http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/paach/index.htm
)
to learn more about the program, and read what students have to say about this
experience. The mission of the Asian Pacific American Leadership
Initiative (APALI) is to empower students through identity exploration and
leadership training in order to provide a foundation to support future
endeavors. APALI graduates go on to contribute in leadership roles across
campus--both within the greater Penn community and within the Penn student of
color community. APALI is funded through the Provost's Office Diversity
Funds and its funding status varies from year to year (thus the variation in
number of classes, as well as number of students we can accept into each
class).
It is with great pleasure that we are able to share this new piece of news with you: Eric T. Lee, W'98, recently contributed funds to the APALI program to sustain it for one academic year! Mr. Lee has been actively involved in the APA community both during his time at Penn and as an alum. He was a founding member and later chair of the Asian Pacific Student Coalition (APSC), an umbrella organization for Asian interest constituent groups which serve to present a "voice" to Penn administration. (Before become chair in fall of his senior year in 1997, Mr. Lee had also served as vice-chair and the first treasurer). He also was a member of the Asian American Studies Undergraduate Advisory Board and a member of Sphinx Senior Honor Society.
Post-graduation, Mr. Lee co-founded the University of Pennsylvania Asian Alumni Network (UPAAN http://www.upaan.org/) and is also the sponsor of the first endowed scholarship fund for Asian Americans at Penn.
Mr. Lee's contribution as an active alumnus to the APA community at Penn is a long-standing one and the staff at PAACH are thrilled with his generosity, as it guarantees the APALI program will be a part of our programming thru Spring 2009. If you would like to join Mr. Lee in sponsoring any of the valuable programs at PAACH and Penn, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at 215.746.6046.
Have a wonderful New Year, and please keep us posted on your
whereabouts!
All the best to you and yours,
PAACH--Kusum, Shiella and June