FAPAC - FAPAC Scholarship

The FAPAC Distinguished Public Service Scholarship Endowment Fund, Inc. is a non-profit organization that promotes the recognition of students who have contributed to the AANHPI community and your desire to work in public service. Since 2013, FAPAC has awarded scholarships to students who exhibit academic excellence, demonstrate an interest in joining public service, and demonstrate a continuous effort advance the AANHPI communities. The scholarship is presented on a rotating basis in honor of three AANHPI leaders whose dedication and efforts in public service have opened doors for many others:

The late Congressman Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The late Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, the first Asian American to serve in two Cabinet positions as Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Transportation.
The former Secretary Elaine L. Chao, the first Asian American woman to hold a Cabinet position, first as Secretary of Labor and then as Secretary of Transportation.

The awardee will receive a stipend of $5,000 towards his or her education and be honored at the annual FAPAC Awards Gala in May 2026 in the Washington, DC area.

Applications will open in February 2026

Submission Deadline: TBA
Contact: scholarship@fapac.org

Want to support the scholarship? Make an online donation or email scholarship@fapac.org to contribute to the Endowment Fund!

Eligibility

Open to all college students with U. S. citizenship
Currently enrolled in an accredited college or university in the United States
Degree-seeking students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
Not open to previous scholarship winners, past or current FAPAC Officers or their children, current Federal or State employees.

Submission Process

Applications will open in February 2026. Complete application packages must include the items listed below and submitted online. Late or incomplete packages will not be considered.

Essay: Up to two pages describing the applicant's contributions to promote AANHPI communities, your desire to work in public service, and how leaders like Secretary Norman Y. Mineta serve as a role model;
A letter of recommendation affirming your qualifications for this award and your participation in advancing the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific American Islanders (AANHPI) communities;
Transcripts: Unofficial or official transcripts confirming your enrollment at an accredited academic institution;
Biography: One page max;
Head shot photo: Digital color or black and white, high resolution .jpg, .png, .tiff files

Evaluation Process

The Award Committee is comprised of the Awards Committee Chair and a Panel of Judges. The Awards Committee will review each application based on the criteria below. Each criterion will be rated on a 25-point scale for a maximum of 100 points.

Criterion 1: Demonstrates interest and commitment to public service
Criterion 2: Demonstrates a continuous effort to advance AANHPI communities
Criterion 3: Demonstrated leadership potential and desire for continued growth in leadership skills
Criterion 4: Excellence in academic achievement

The Awards Committee will select the scholarship winner with the highest average score and present the result to the FAPAC President for final review and approval. The awardee will be provided a formal notice of their selection in March 2024. The Scholarship recipient will be recognized at the FAPAC's 40th anniversary celebration at location and date to be announced.