White House to convene AANHPI education leaders for historic summit

WASHINGTON – The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) has announced that it will convene higher education leaders from across the nation on April 2, 2024, for a historic leadership development summit at the University of California, Berkeley.

The event, which will be co-hosted with the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), will bring together Biden-Harris Administration officials and higher education leaders, faculty, administrators and staff to share best practices and address urgent challenges facing Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AA and NHPI) in higher education.

The summit will also spotlight innovative institutions of higher education – including Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (NHSIs) – that have made strides to build inclusive campus communities, create culturally responsive academic support services and promote student success.

Over the past two years, WHIAANHPI has hosted numerous virtual and in-person events to engage with AA and NHPI communities across the nation.

This includes efforts to highlight federal internship and fellowship opportunities, demystify the federal jobs application process and raise awareness about critical federal resources available for minority-serving institutions.

Following the April 2 summit, the White House Initiative will continue to deepen its engagement with higher education leaders, students and faculty to empower AA and NHPI communities and bolster pathways to public service.

“Our White House Initiative is laser focused on building on President Biden’s commitment to strengthen the capacity of minority-serving institutions that have long served as engines of opportunity and empowerment for millions of Americans,” said WHIAANHPI Executive Director Krystal Ka‘ai.

“With our higher education leadership development summit, we look forward to continuing to strengthen our engagement with students and higher education leaders to advance educational equity for our diverse AA and NHPI communities.”

“Minority-serving institutions often serve as empowering and helpful resources for students and recent graduates interested in public service, including those from Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities,” said OPM Director Kiran Ahuja. “As the federal government’s chief human resources agency, OPM is deeply committed to developing policies and services that advance equity across federal agencies and remove barriers for underserved communities.”

The April 2 summit marks a major step in WHIAANHPI’s efforts to put the promise of higher education in reach for more Americans – and builds on several key actions taken by the Biden-Harris Administration, including:

• Celebrating AANAPISI Week: In September 2023, President Joe Biden issued the first-ever White House proclamation to recognize National Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Week.
• Launching a higher education listening tour: In late 2023, WHIAANHPI kicked off a national listening tour to deepen community collaborations and strengthen the infrastructure of both AANAPISIs and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions as they prepare students to thrive in the workforce. To date, WHIAANHPI has made initial stops at Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY) and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, with additional visits to AANAPISI and AANHSI campuses being planned later this year.
• Tackling barriers to educational attainment: With the release of the Administration’s first-ever national strategy to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities in January 2023, WHIAANHPI and the US Department of Education are working to create a higher education system that is more inclusive, equitable and affordable for all Americans.

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), established by President Joe Biden through Executive Order 14031, is charged with coordinating programs advancing equity, justice and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities.