TORRANCE, Calif., May 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The rising cost of
higher education is a growing concern among high school students as
they prepare for college entry in the fall. In order to
alleviate some of the worry, Toyota awarded tuition support to 21
college-bound Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) students from southern California, whose studies focus heavily on the
science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
disciplines.
Toyota, in partnership with the Asian & Pacific Islander
American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) presented recipients with a
$2,500 scholarship toward a degree in
a STEM field. The scholarships were presented to students on
May 5, 2014 at Toyota's third annual
awards dinner and reception at the Toyota Automotive Museum in
Torrance, Calif.
APIASF is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing
college scholarships to APIAs, The selected students'
heritages trace to eight countries in the API region, including
China, Vietnam, the
Philippines, Taiwan,
Thailand, Korea, India and Bangladesh.
Selected students have intended majors ranging from biomedical
sciences to mechanical engineering, and have been accepted to
universities including University of
California, Berkeley and Stanford
University.
"By awarding me the APIASF/Toyota Scholarship, I am able to
concentrate on what is important for my education," says
scholarship recipient Julliane Bacerdo from Community Charter Early
College High School. "Your generosity has allowed me to be one step
closer to my goal."
Julliane plans to study biology at San
Diego State University and pursue a career in the medical
field.
"Toyota is proud to celebrate the outstanding academic
achievements and community service of the 21 APIASF scholars," said
Tracey Doi, Toyota group vice
president and chief financial officer. "These recipients were
selected from a pool of nearly 7,000 applicants, and we are
thrilled to support our next generation of leaders."
Doi, also in attendance at the ceremony, is an advocate of
Toyota Asian American Society in Alliance (TAASiA), an employee
resource group that leverages the strength of a growing
APIA population within Toyota in
order to foster an environment and corporate culture of diversity
and inclusion.
Toyota also hosted its executives Karen
Ideno, Ron Chu, Elaine S. Matsuda and Nihar Patel, who participated in a panel
discussion on the topic, "What has inspired you in your personal
and professional development?" All active TAASiA members, the
panel participants provided the audience a deeper insight on life
and career experiences to the young scholars as they embark on
their college journey.
In addition to Toyota's corporate contribution, the Toyota
Giving Circle, an organization that allows associates to donate to
their chosen charity, partnered with Asian Americans/Pacific
Islanders in Philanthropy to contribute to the APIASF scholarships
this year.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently
operates 10 manufacturing plants. Toyota directly employs
over 31,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued
at more than $23 billion, including
sales and manufacturing operations, research and development,
financial services and design.
Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the
communities where it does business and believes in supporting
programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports
numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education,
the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed
nearly 700 million dollars to
philanthropic programs in the U.S.
For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving
communities nationwide, visit
http://www.toyota.com/philanthropy.
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SOURCE Toyota