$30K in scholarships awarded to NMC students

Twelve NMC students and staff pose with the $30,000 check awarded through Asian Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund AANAPISI Program in the college’s Board of Regents conference room. Left to right standing, Dean Leo Pangelinan, director of Financial Aid Daisy Manglona-Propst, Merly Ann Fernandez, Jennifer Dela Cruz, Clarice Arriola, Francine Nakazato, Jade Mangubat, Faith Rose Ansay, acting president David Attao, and Vaetootoo Failauga. Left to right seated, Isapen Bokuku, Kathleen Ann Laurio, Omor Khan, and Beda Mundo. On the TV, Melissa May, Program Assistant at Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF). Not pictured is Molena Barbara MacDuff. (Contributed Photo)

Northern Marianas College has announced that 12 deserving students have been awarded the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) Scholarship.

The Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) Scholarship program, sponsored by the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF), is a collaboration with AANAPISIs and the communities they serve to provide scholarships, expand institution capacity and mobilize local resources to help foster economic development, as explained in the organization’s website.

“The AANAPISI Scholarships will provide much-needed financial assistance for NMC’s students as they pursue their educational goals,” said NMC acting president David Attao. “We congratulate the recipients of this scholarship and all their hard work. We also express our deepest appreciation to the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund for all the opportunities they provide for our students to gain access to higher education.”

We would also like to invite the scholarship recipients, as well as other students to participate in Project Proa, which will be launched at the Northern Marianas College very soon,” Attao added.

The recipients for the scholarships are: Faith Rose Ansay, Clarice Arriola, Isapen Bokuku, Jennifer Dela Cruz, Vaetootoo Failauga, Merly Ann Fernandez, Omor Khan, Kathleen Ann Laurio, Molena Barbara Macduff, Jade Mangubat, Beda Mundo, and Francine Nakazato.

Each student will receive $2,500 that can be used for tuition, fees, housing, local transportation, books, and allowable expenses for the Spring 2016 semester.

According to APIASF’s website, applicants for the scholarship must be full time students in a degree-seeking program and be of Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity. Applicants must be citizens, nationals, or legal permanent residents of the United States.

The organization’s website also states that the Coca-Cola Foundation, Educational Testing Service, General Mills Foundation, Hilton Worldwide, Honda, USA Funds, Walmart Foundation, and Wells Fargo support the APIASF AANAPISI Scholarship Program.

“Our vision is to see that all Asian American and Pacific Islanders have access to higher education and resources that cultivate their academic, personal and professional success regardless of their ethnicity, national origin or financial means,” APIASF’s mission states. (PR)