OCA-Asian Pacific Americans have been working to improve the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for 50 years (AAPIs).
OCA National Center collaborates with its organizational partners, members, chapters, and supporters to empower the next generation of leaders, reaching hundreds of thousands of AAPIs annually.
SCHOLARSHIP SPONSOR
ORGANIZATION FOR CHINESE AMERICANS
To give Chinese Americans a cohesive voice in the civil rights struggle, K.L. Wang and Alex Mark created the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) in 1973. An organization with more than 50 chapters and affiliates around the nation would develop from the first three chapters in Washington, D.C., Detroit, and St. Louis.
OCA recognized the need of reflecting the community’s demands as the AAPI population grew and became more diverse. The group changed its name to OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates in 2013, and it now represents all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
OCA is still in operation today under the name OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates. Please cite OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates in all references. After the initial mention, you may refer to the group as “OCA” and to its personnel and headquarters as “OCA National.”
ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
The phrase “mountain of golden prospects” refers to a time when many Asian immigrants saw America as a land of the limitless potential for themselves and their families. Scholarship recipients pursue their ambitions of attending college, which include not only those of the students but also those of their parents and other relatives.
15 first-generation AAPI high school students will get $2,000 apiece this year.
Scholarship Information
Award for Scholarship: $2,000
Sunday, April 17, 2023, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time (PT).
By May 31, 2023, all candidates will be informed of their results.
ELIGIBILITY
• Candidates must be of Asian American or Pacific Islander descent (AAPI).
• Candidates must be enrolled as high school seniors at the time of application and enrolled in college by fall 2023.
• Applicants must be first-generation, which means that neither of your parents earned a college or university degree.
• U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for applicants. To be eligible for this grant, DACA students or undocumented students must have a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
Apply also; THE JOSH RICHARDS SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP
• Should they receive a scholarship, candidates might have to file either a 2023 or 2022 tax return.
• Applicants cannot be a dependent or a child of:
- A member of the OCA National staff
- A member of the OCA Executive Council,
- A member of the OCA Business Advisory Council.
APPLICATION CONDITIONS
- Brief Bio (in PDF format, 300 words max).
- Include your background, identity, major and minor in school, employment history, relevant work experience, and interests. If you are selected to be an intern, this information will be posted on our website. Please visit our prior scholar’s page if you’d like examples of how this brief bio should be written.
- Academic Record (in PDF format; unofficial transcripts are also accepted)
- The first quarter/semester of your freshman year through at least the first quarter/semester of your senior year that corresponds with your application must be included on your transcript.
- Two (2) Responses to Essays (in PDF format, 500 words max each)
- The first essay prompt asks, “What do you care about and why?”
- The second essay prompt asks you to describe a difficulty you overcame. How did this change you as a person and a person of character?
- One (1) quick response (300 words max)
- How would this scholarship help you? – Short Answer
- References: two
- Give their name, job title, contact information (phone, email), and how they are related to you.
References may be provided by anyone who can speak favorably of you and your work both personally and professionally. If we feel the need to get their opinions on you and your application, we may get in touch with one or both of your references.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT WE DON’T NEED ANY RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
Prior to obtaining the scholarship, selected scholars will need to provide documentation of their acceptance into one or more colleges or universities.
WHO ARE CONSIDERED ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS?
East Asian Americans, Filipino Americans, Native Hawaiian Americans, Pacific Islander Americans, South Asian Americans, and Southeast Asian Americans are among individuals who self-identify in this way.
APPLICATION LINK
Interested persons can now apply here