Call for the 2023 Asian American Student Award

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The Asian-American population is one of the fastest-growing demographics in New Mexico, accounting for around 5% of the population. The Young Asian American Student Award Program is organized by the Chinese Institute of Engineers (CIE/USA) – New Mexico Chapter, also known as the Association of Chinese American Engineers and Scientists of New Mexico (ACES-NM). The program aims to recognize outstanding Asian American high school students residing in our local chapter area. These individuals demonstrate excellent academic achievements, leadership in community service, global awareness, and professional development. The program challenges and encourages applicants to reach the highest career development and lifetime achievement standards.

CIE/USA-NM is now soliciting nominations for the annual Young Asian American Student Award. Up to five awardees will be selected, and each recipient will be recognized and presented with a $250 award at the Annual CIE/USA-NM meeting in December 2023.

Eligibility: The application is open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents with Asian heritage currently enrolled in 10th to 12th grade in New Mexico high schools, excluding those who previously received this award.

Evaluation: The evaluation committee consists of current CIE/USA-NM Board members and local Asian American community leaders, excluding those with children who are applicants.

Submission Guidelines: The online application will be available from September 20, 2023, until November 1, 2023. Please submit your application on the CIE/USA-NM Website (www.cie-nm.org). Awardees will be notified by November 20, 2023.

Additionally, the following documents are required to complete the application and must be uploaded through the application website:

1. Official high school transcript

2. Personal Statement

3. Resume

4. A letter of support from either a teacher or a community leader familiar with the student’s achievements and activities

Documents 1 – 3 must be combined into one file and submitted online at https://www.cie-nm.org/studentAward/ApplicationFiles/ApplicationForm.html. Upon successful application submission, the referee will receive an email with instructions on uploading the letter of support.

For questions regarding the program and the application, please email kanghn@unm.edu.

Huining Kang, PhD

President, Student Award Committee Chair, CIE-USA NM Chapter (ACES-NM)

Pendchu Zhang’s speech at the Assembly of Ending Asian Hate Assembly, Albuquerque, NM, March 28 2021

Events

My name is Pengchu Zhang and the president of Association of America-Chinese Engineers and Scientists, New Mexico.

Firstly, I would like to thank all of you attending today’s event, here and online. Thanks to the Mayor, the city councilors and city officers to have this conference to raise the awareness of Asian Hate to our city citizens.

Most members in our organization have enjoyed the diverse culture of Albuquerque and New Mexico.

We are conducting research, education, production, medical services in every research facility, manufactures, universities and hospitals in the city. We appreciate the quality life the city provides and at the same time, we contribute to the city’s prosperous and growth. As the members of this community, we determine to do our best to make Albuquerque more diverse, open and more welcome to anyone who come here, working and raising family.

We wish Albuquerque is a race fear free community, but we need work more on this. Let me tell you my personal experience, I had a hire cut appointment just right after the Atlantic City mascara, my hairdresser came from the Korea many years ago. When I arrived at her barber shop, there was a sign said it is closed. I checked my calendar, the app was right but why it was
close. I stepped out my car and approached the barber shop. She came out behind the window carton and opened the door for me. She told me that she was afraid something may happen to her and her shop. The sign “walking in welcome’ has been removed.

Any citizen at Albuquerque should not have such a fear just because her/his race. We would call all people in the City to be aware of such things happen, happening close to us. Please join us to do everything possible to end the hate, discrimination and violence in our city.

Thanks.

Stop Asian Hate Assembly

Events

City of Albuquerque held an Assembly in the theme of Ending Asian Hate, Discrimination and Violence in the Civic Plaza on 1:00, March 28, 2021. City Councilor Lan Sena, a Vietnamese descendant, organized this event. City Mayor, Attorney in General, APD, APS and a number of elected officers made speeches in condemning the violence and hate against Asian Americans. Leaders of local Asian organizations, including Pengchu Zhang, current president of ACES-NM, were invited to give speeches on the assembly. This event was online at real time and reported by major medias in the evening news.

We estimate that 25-30 of ACSE-NM members attended the assembly. ACES-NM T-shirts wearied by members made our organization much visible over the assembly. Again, our members, signs and speaker showed in the news report. A good turn-out considering the pandemic and current State regulations. Albuquerque Police Department approached to us, invited us to join its outreach program – the APD Ambassadors to help make Albuquerque safer to all people including Asian.

The board members had only two days to prepare for participating: printing T-shirts, making sign, contacting with city councilors and other Asian groups, distributing information… Many thanks to the board members and ACES volunteers, their efforts made our participation successful.