COLLEGIATE ASPIRATIONS AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA APASA SPACE

Abstract

The University of Arizona's Asian Pacific American Student Affairs (APASA) is one of the university's Cultural Resource Centers (CRC), serving as a space that is dedicated to the promotion and support of the University of Arizona's Asian Pacific American (APA) community. During my time in APASA, I've observed that most of my peers seem to choose careers in sciences rather than the humanities, which is not uncommon at American Universities. Still, when linked to the broader, American narrative of the APA "Model Minority," I sought to ask the question of how, and why, this narrative of every APA "wanting to be a doctor" existed, and how did it specifically relate to the UofA, to the APASA space? I used two research methods to explore this question: five one-hour one-on-one interviews with voluntary and consenting interlocutors from across the APASA community, and participant observation through being an active member of the APASA community throughout the 2024-2025 school year. Through my research, I found the answer to my questions, primarily rooted in "diasporic anxiety," but also led me to more questions about stereotyping and self-segregation in the community. Ultimately the cultural heritage that members of the community found their pride in was inextricably linked with APASA itself, APASA as a place, APASA as a space, catalyzed its members' exploration of identity and their collegiate aspirations.