What is ASPIRE+PLLUS?
ASPIRE+PLLUS is a student support program which helps minimize the barriers in marginalized communities within the AAPI community in order to promote academic and personal success within students. The acronym stands for Asian Pacific Islander Resources for Excellence plus Powerful Leadership and Learning for Unified Success.
If you are a student that is interested or may benefit from this program, please contact brandon.yanari@evc.edu to learn about participating in ASPIRE+PLLUS.
ASPIRE+PLLUS is federally funded by DOE PR# P031L220022
The Purpose of ASPIRE+PLLUS
Throughout the duration and aftermath of COVID-19, there has been a spark of further marginalization of the AAPI community as many sociopolitical factors catalyzed an anti-Asian culture climate especially through students living and working in Silicon Valley.
ASPIRE+PLLUS was an addition upon the ASPIRE Program created in 2000, which was to support the growth of EVC's Asian student population by providing scholarships, tutoring, and academic counseling. But as more complicated and unforeseen challenges started to dawn on the AAPI community, then the effectiveness of ASPIRE began to wane as it did not have the resources to support the growing population of AAPI students along with challenges exacerbated by COVID-19 and remote learning.
Because of this, ASPIRE+PLLUS strives to scale up the program's activities to not only mitigate the sociopolitical effects from COVID-19, but to also provide mental health and wellness access, technology access, and relieving the costs of education. This will allow for students from the AAPI community from all backgrounds to be successful.
Resources from ASPIRE+PLLUS
Tutoring
Tutoring from ASPIRE+PLLUS helps students succeed in college level courses. We are aware that students may need additional help in light of all of any personal circumstances, so providing tutoring will help students attain academic achievement to be successful.
Scholarships
We understand that the cost of education are high along with other personal circumstances such as the cost of living. Because of this, ASPIRE+PLLUS offers scholarships to students within the program to help them and their families to cover the cost of their education.
Apply for scholarships here: EVC Scholarships
Counseling
ASPIRE+PLLUS counselors seek to provide students with the best quality of academic, career, and personal counseling by working collectively with program faculty and staff towards students' success.
Mental Health
Because of the marginalization of certain AAPI communities, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community, and the mental health crisis caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, ASPIRE+PLLUS seeks to provide mental health and wellness services by hosting workshops and sessions, and employing culturally competent mental health services to help any student who is in need of any mental health care and services.
Career Opportunities
ASPIRE+PLLUS seeks to provide students with career-oriented learning experiences, internships, apprenticeships, career placements, and many other opportunities for AAPI students to succeed. Along with that, mentors' sessions and employability skills workshops will be hosted to supplement students to be successful.
Sign-Ups and Upcoming Events!
Sign Up for ASPIRE+PLLUS here!
Keep in touch for upcoming ASPIRE+PLLUS events here!
August 21-23: Summer Math Boot Camp