Asian American & Pacific Islander Toolkit

The University Career Center is committed to supporting your career and professional development, and helping you make the most of your time here at Michigan. We've created a list of resources to support you in your job and internship searches, networking efforts, and other next steps. We're here for you with guidance and support on your career exploration and preparation, every step of the way.

In addition to these identity focused resources, be sure to check out additional resources on our website or schedule an appointment online to meet with one of our career coaches. Schedule an appointment online to meet with a career coach, or look at our additional resources below for more information.

University of Michigan/UCC Resources

• Handshake: A pathway to career connections. Through this tool you can: Explore job and internship openings, engage in recruiting activities with employers, and develop and track your goals and next steps. You can also identify University Career Center events, workshops, and fairs and schedule an appointment with a UCC coach to discuss your ideas, and develop plans, and strategies related to graduate/professional schools, and employment.

Additional External Resources

• Asia Society: This is global non-profit organization is designed to forge closer ties between Asia and the West through arts, education, policy, and business outreach. Asia Society has offices in New York and Texas. This site includes an online job board and internship program designed to provide practical experience, training and opportunities to participate in events and programs.
• Diversity Employers | Job Search Engine: This site includes a job and internship postings from employers that indicate they support diversity. 
• Jobs for People of Color in Tech: This platform connects people of color with jobs in the tech industry.

• APIA Scholars: APIA Scholars offers a range of scholarships to support APIA students.
• Scholarships for Asian and Pacific Islander Students: This site provides a list of 25 scholarships for Asian and Pacific Islander students.
• Scholarships offered to Asian Americans: This site details information about the financial aid process and offers information about identity-based scholarships available to Asian Americans.

By tapping resources to meet people who can share advice, you learn and develop your personal networks.

University of Michigan/UCC Resources

• ​UCAN: UCAN is a U of M resource that allows students to connect with university alumni across any broad spectrum of fields, or majors, to gain insight or advice on resumes, interviewing tips, personal statement advice, and so much more that are part of the Asian/Pacific Islander American Community. When exploring Alumni in the search bar type in Asian/Pacific Islander American and you will see all the alumni that have self-identified. These Alumni are willingly donating their time on this platform to help students any way they can with guiding their future steps beyond college. 

Additional External Resources

• Asian American Architects/Engineers Association: The (AAa/e) platform is designed to empower professionals working in the building environment in their personal and professional growth, business development, networking, and leadership in their communities.
• Asian American Journalists Association: The goal of this nonprofit is to advance diversity in the newsroom and ensure fair and accurate coverage of communities of color.
• AAPI Women Lead: This organization aims to strengthen the progressive political and social platforms of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the US through the leadership of self-identified AAPI women and girls.  
• Asian American Womxn in Leadership Conference (coordinated by ASPIRE): Asian Sisters Participating in Reaching Excellence (ASPIRE), the Asian American Womxn in Leadership (AAWIL) Conference is an interactive event aimed at growing and developing personal and professional leadership. The conference is designed to provide a forum for a cross-generational community of Asian American girls and women to share experiences and learn from one another. 
• Asia Pacific American Leadership: The Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) is designed to build leadership and public policy knowledge within the Asian Pacific American community. Its mission is to promote APA interests and success in public service careers, to provide information and education on policy issues affecting the APA community, and to serve the APA community at large. It offers a public sector internship program in Washington, DC for undergraduate and graduate students.
• Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics: This national, non-profit organization is dedicated to creating and developing API leaders.
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association: (NAPABA) helps individuals to learn about leadership and apply to opportunities designed to develop leadership and professional skills. Th organization also provides information on ways to get involved with the AAPI legal community.
• National Association of Asian American Professionals: This non-profit organization cultivates, supports, and promotes Asian American leaders. NAAAP offers a Career Center section designed to connect Asian and minority professional talent with companies across the globe.
• Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers: This site brings together Asian heritage scientists and engineers to foster success in the global business world.
• South Asian Americans Leading Together: This nation­al, non­par­ti­san, non-prof­it orga­ni­za­tion fiights for racial jus­tice and advo­cates for the civ­il rights of all South Asians in the Unit­ed States. SAALT offers a Young Leaders Institute designed to cultivate skills, deepen knowledge and awareness, nurture relationships with diverse communities and empower young leaders to be change agents.
• South Asian American Policy & Research Institute: This non-profit, non-partisan organization aims to serve South Asian Americans in the Chicago area, by formulating equitable and socially responsible policy recommendations.
• South Asian Bar Association of North America: This student-led organization is the umbrella organization for regional South Asian Bar Associations and South Asian legal professionals throughout North America. NASALA aims to close the geographical and generational gaps faced by South Asian law students and attorneys for the benefit the community. It connects affiliated South Asian American law student organizations and law students across the country. 

• Asian and American Leadership Styles: How are they Unique? This article, written by a Harvard Business School faculty member, explores American and Asian leadership styles and illustrates that while they are different there are shared and important similarities.
• Diversity Inc. Career Center: This publication offers a section of job listings from the publishers of Diversity Inc., as well as articles and webinars. Included is also a list of “Top 50 for Diversity”.

Understand your rights in the employment process and as an employee

• US Equal Opportunity Commission Facts About Race/Color Discrimination
• US Equal Opportunity Commission's What You Should Know about the EEOC and Religious and National Origin Discrimination Involving the Muslim, Sikh, Arab, Middle Eastern and South Asian Communities

​KNOW ABOUT AN ORGANIZATION OR RESOURCE WE MISSED? Drop us a note.

Links to external resources are included due to their potential interest to students. Inclusion of a resource does not imply University Career Center or University endorsement of the particular organization, opportunity, or resource described. Descriptions of a resource are taken from the external site and the University is not responsible for the content.