Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Chloe Ma L&S Social Sciences

Undocumented Asian American Experiences in Higher Education

The term “model minority” became increasingly relevant as the number of Asian Americans rapidly grew in prestigious higher education institutions like UC Berkeley; Many people associate model minority stereotypes – hard working, STEM oriented, intelligent – with Asian American students, and this phenomenon further reinforces this bias.

Many scholars are dedicated to demystify and separate the model minority stereotypes with Asian American communities by demonstrating the diversity within the community and rejecting its hegemonic appearance, and one of the approaches is to examine their experiences in higher education institutions.

As scholars have studied socioeconomic factors such as income, class, and level of education, immigrant status has been overlooked both higher education and the larger context given stereotypes. What is it like to be perceived as a “model minority” and undocumented? How do undocumented Asian American students perceive and process the model minority stereotypes? What does it mean to be Asian American to them? By answering questions, scholars can obtain a deeper insight on the Asian American community and advocate for further social and policy changes.

Message To Sponsor

Thank you for the generous donation for funding my project. I really appreciate your help with my academic journey and giving me the opportunity to conduct rigorous research as an undergraduate. I deeply value this experience and thank you again for making it come true.
Profile image of Chloe Ma
Major: Ethnic Studies, Sociology
Mentor: John Dougherty
Sponsor: Shin Morgan
Back to Listings
Back to Donor Reports