Asian American Student Academic Program director highlights strategies for student success
Viraj Patel, MEd, director of the UIC Asian American Student Academic Program (AASAP), was interviewed as part of Inside Higher Ed’s “New on the Job” series, which profiles staff in inaugural roles focused on student success. In the interview, Patel talked about the history of community demands for AASAP, the work the team is already doing and short term and long term goals for the unit to continue serving UIC’s Asian American student community.
In addition to this interview, Patel also served on a panel for the Illinois Department of Central Management Services for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The panel, entitled “Defining the Asian American Experience in Illinois”, featured panelists who spoke to representatives from state agencies and partners about mindful and culturally relevant practices for recruiting, hiring and retaining Asian American staff. In particular, Patel highlighted the needs of Asian American youth and young professionals.
“Fellow panelists and I discussed the importance of, and strategy for, strategic hiring and retention of Asian Americans in public service careers and issues faced by Asian Americans in the workplace that managers should be mindful of,” Patel shared. “I spoke about the need to reintroduce compassion and center accessibility in our hiring processes, especially when hiring young people who continue to be disproportionately impacted by the long term effects of social isolation, interruptions to academic schedules, electronics overstimulation and more.”
Patel’s interview with Inside Higher Ed can be found here: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/college-experience/2024/05/30/qa-uic-director-asian-american-student-support