Empowering AANHPI Voices in Higher Education - Higher Ed Careers

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Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students and professionals contribute a wide range of experiences and strengths to higher education, yet their needs are often underrecognized. In our latest conversation, Dr. Rowena M. Tomaneng — Deputy Chancellor for the California Community Colleges and longtime leader with the Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) Association — shares how institutions can take meaningful steps to support AANHPI communities. Drawing on themes from APAHE’s recent national conference, she discusses strategies for fostering belonging, disaggregating data, and building more inclusive pathways to leadership.

Lauren Lane (HigherEdJobs): Can you share more about the work and mission of the Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education Association (APAHE), and any highlights of your recent conference?

Rowena M. Tomaneng, Ed.D., Deputy Chancellor, California Community Colleges: Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) is dedicated to enhancing the educational opportunities for Asian and Pacific American students; promoting and supporting the hiring, retention, and advancement of qualified Asian and Pacific American faculty, staff, and administrators; and creating a better understanding of issues in the public affecting Asian and Pacific Americans in higher education.

We host an annual spring conference, bringing together over 1500 higher educational practitioners from two-year community colleges and four-year colleges and universities from across the United States and Territories. This year we highlighted the experiences of Pacific Islander Presidents from Hawaii and Northern Marianas, and featured the AAPI Data/Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey to elevate the perspective of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) populations on some of society’s most pressing issues.

Lane: The conference theme, “Choosing Humanity: Co-Creating Joy, Justice, and Leadership,” centers on values-based leadership. How do you see these themes translating into day-to-day work on college campuses?

Tomaneng: For Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE), the conference theme “Choosing Humanity: Co-Creating Joy, Justice, and Leadership” resonates deeply with our mission to advocate for equity and inclusion of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities in higher education. Translating these values into daily campus work means intentionally leading with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice that honors the diverse lived experiences of our communities.

Choosing Humanity: Choosing Humanity is about recognizing the full humanity of AANHPI students, staff, and faculty — not as a monolith, but as a rich mosaic of identities, histories, and experiences. APAHE believes that this shows up in everyday practices: ensuring AANHPI voices are heard in curriculum development, supporting mental health resources that reflect cultural needs, and addressing invisibility and racialization in policy discussions. Co-Creating Joy: Co-Creating Joy means creating space for celebration and belonging, not just survival. APAHE encourages that campuses support cultural student organizations, recognize AANHPI Heritage Month with authenticity, and foster mentorship networks that affirm identities and promote intergenerational connections. Justice: Justice is central to APAHE’s advocacy efforts — whether through pushing for disaggregated data to highlight disparities within AANHPI subgroups, or challenging anti-Asian racism and xenophobia on campus. Day-to-day, it involves holding institutions accountable to equity goals, and making systemic changes to hiring, retention, and leadership pipelines for AANHPI professionals. Leadership: Leadership, in APAHE’s context, is collective, community-rooted, and value-driven. It emerges in spaces where AANHPI professionals are empowered to lead authentically, grounded in cultural strengths and with a commitment to uplifting others.

Lane: As someone who has held multiple leadership roles, how have professional associations like APAHE influenced your approach to institutional leadership or community engagement?

Tomaneng: Being part of professional associations like APAHE have offered an institutional and system leader like me several critical benefits. I am committed to making institutional change for student equity and student success. Specifically, APAHE has offered me many opportunities for strategic networking & collaboration in the categories below:

Peer Exchange: Access to a national network of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) leaders working in higher education who share challenges, culturally responsive strategies, and best practices to advance student equity and student success Cross-Institutional Learning: Collaborate with other institutions and leaders to pilot or adopt innovative equity initiatives. This has been helpful in the implementation, for example, of AANAPISI and other Minority Serving Institution programs. Mentorship Opportunities: Both giving and receiving mentorship has supported my leadership growth, partnership development skills, and confidence to tackle challenges like the Covid pandemic, increase capacity and raise revenue for the college and academic/student services programs, and how to work with a variety of stakeholders for institutional transformation.

Lane: What kinds of conversations or ideas emerged during the conference that you think deserve more visibility or exploration across higher education institutions?

Tomaneng: A few conversations and ideas that emerged during the conference include:

The importance and need for higher education institutions to disaggregate AANHPI student data to deconstruct the model minority myth/stereotype that all Asians are successful because of their work ethic and determination. This masks socioeconomic barriers that impede access, support, and success. The need to increase sense of belonging and improve campus learning environments. The research tells us that when students feel welcomed and that they belong, they are most likely to be engaged in their academic program and campus life, that then leads to success. The need to provide opportunities for AANHPI women’s leadership development and peer support as they continue to face gender inequity in addition to the “bamboo ceiling.” The need to increase student engagement and leadership development within higher ed institutions. The need to collaborate across ethnic groups and higher ed associations to support student equity and student success.

Lane: For college professionals or early-career leaders who weren’t able to attend, what advice or inspiration from the conference would you share to support their growth?

Tomaneng: I would encourage them to reach out to associations like APAHE for other opportunities to engage in our educational programming to support AANHPI students and communities, and to participate in our annual leadership development institute, LEAP Advance in partnership with Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP). You can learn more about our current initiatives here.

Lane: What keeps you engaged working in academia?

Tomaneng: Supporting the success of the diversity of our students so they can realize their academic and professional dreams, and supporting the leadership development of early-career and mid-career higher ed professionals who seek to lead institutions.

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