SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 2026

AAGEN’s mission is to promote, expand and support Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) leadership in Government.  In accordance with AAGEN’s mission, the scholarship program has been designed for students in their continuing education to better prepare themselves for positions of leadership and trust in the Federal, State and Local governments.

Three (3) scholarships for $2,000.00 will be awarded in 2026.  The AAGEN scholarship is a one-time award; former AAGEN scholarship winners are not eligible.  

POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND RULES 

The Scholarship Program is administered under the general direction of the Board of Directors (BoD), but its day-to-day management is the responsibility of AAGEN’s Chairperson or the latter’s designee. 

The applications for the scholarship will be accepted until July 1, 2026.  The application form can be found here (2026 AAGEN Scholarship application).  Announcement and presentation of the awards will be made by the Scholarship Awards Committee in the fall. 

Scholarship checks will be made out to the college or university the recipient will be attending.  These checks will be directly deposited into the student’s account.

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS COMMITTEE 

The AAGEN Scholarship Awards Committee has the responsibility for receiving, reviewing and judging the applications. The Committee will have a period of four (4) weeks for its deliberations. It shall prepare and submit a written recommendation for scholarship awards to the Chair of AAGEN by May 15st of each year.  It shall be the latter’s responsibility to relay promptly the recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors concurrence of the Awards Committee’s recommendations shall be binding.  If there is a protest from any Board member on a particular proposed ‘awardee’, the full Board of Directors and the Scholarship Awards Committee must come to a resolution within 2 weeks, or the award will not be made.

ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARDS 

All persons submitting applications in the AAGEN Scholarship Program should be aware that the program is governed by the following requirements: 

(1) the application, supported by documentation (transcripts from an accredited post-secondary school for current students or from high school for students starting at a college or university), must show a record of academic excellence, service at the local, state and/or federal government, and a seriousness of purpose in pursuing post-secondary education/training;

(2) the applicant must provide information about courses which will be taken and how they will improve the applicant’s ability to serve at the local, state, and/or federal level; 

(3) the applicant must support the principles advanced by AAGEN; and

(4) the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or legal U.S. permanent resident.  

SCORING CRITERIA

Applications will be evaluated based on five (5) criteria listed below.  

1. Relationship of courses to be taken (or field of study) with service at the local/state and/or federal government levels.
2.  Demonstration of academic achievement and excellence with a copy of either standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, GRE) and/or a 3.3 or better grade point average.
3.  School, employment or volunteer activities that demonstrate a seriousness of purpose in serving at leadership positions in the schools/ organizations, local/state and/or federal government levels.
4.  Letters of nomination and recommendation from a school counselor, teacher, public official or an AAGEN member, who knows the applicant well and is qualified to recommend the applicant.  The letters should convey information about the applicant and his/her demonstrated leadership and contribution to his/her community. These letters should not be written by a family member of the applicant. 
5. Each applicant is required to respond to at least three of six questions listed below.  Each essay must be double-spaced, contain no more than 500 words, and be submitted with the application. 

SIX ESSAY TOPICS

Please respond to any three of the six questions listed here.  Each essay should contain no more than 500 words.  Please submit these with your application.

1. What motivates you to serve in a leadership position in public service?  Describe how you have used your leadership to serve others.
2. Please provide one or more examples of your commitment to, and/or your leadership in support of AAGEN’s mission. 
3. Many Americans lack trust in their public or civil service officials. Based upon your experience, how would you earn the public’s trust? 
4. Please provide one or more examples of how – through your leadership – you have taken a negative situation turned it into a positive one.
5. What are the two or three special attributes or capabilities that set you apart from other applicants in leadership situations?
6. Leadership is principled, ethical and compassionate. It is also courage to speak truth to power.  Please provide one or more examples of how you are living your values through your leadership of others. 

Please send the complete electronic application package to:

Scholarship Awards Committee

Chair: Dr. Glenda Nogami Streufert

Glenda.nogami@streufert.net

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you have any questions or require additional information, please text or leave a message at  808-755-5521.