Through our Scholarship Program, ATG proudly awards Artistic, Groundbreaker Leadership, #LiveLikeLyly, Lily Pabilona Emerging Entrepreneur and Thear Sy Suzuki R.I.S.E Scholarships to a select group of exemplary Asian American high school seniors, college undergraduates, and graduate school students who are shining examples of what it means to go Against The Grain. Our selection committee reviews a combination of criteria: GPA, extracurricular activities, portfolio, essay, letters of recommendation and even video submissions. Top finalists are given a phone interview. In 2023, ATG will award $9,500 in scholarships to seven outstanding students. Since the program’s beginning in 2011, ATG has awarded $122,500 in scholarships to nearly 80 exceptional AAPI students across the nation.
We received hundreds of applications and are thrilled to announce this year’s exceptional seven winners…
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- Phoebe Han – #LiveLikeLyly Artistic Scholarship
- Ryan Hwang – Artistic Scholarship
- Brady Jin-Smith – Thear Sy Suzuki R.I.S.E. Scholarship
- Chloe Park – McCrae Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
- Gabriella Rosario Torres – Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
- Tina Yao – Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
- Raine Yung – Thear Sy Suzuki R.I.S.E. Scholarship
Phoebe Han | #LiveLikeLyly Artistic Scholarship
Kingwood, TX | Texas A&M University | Environmental Design | Chinese
“By Going Against the Grain, I’m able to step out of my comfort zone and not be afraid of taking risks. I can pursue and follow my passion for design and embrace the non-traditional choices that align with my true desires and aspirations, even if they differ from what others expect of me. Whether it be presenting artwork at fairs, creating promotional graphics, or designing websites, the flame of desire I have for creating art that makes an impact on the community around me is inextinguishable.”
Ryan Hwang | Artistic Scholarship
Hopkinton, MA | University of Southern California | Music Production | Korean American
“Going Against The Grain represents being your true self unapologetically without the fear of being judged. I believe that this phrase represents the boldness to destroy the barriers put up by stereotypes and cultural expectations that may come with the identities one is given.”
Brady Jin-Smith | Thear Sy Suzuki R.I.S.E. Scholarship
Hillsboro, OR | Tulane University | Cell & Molecular Biology and Sociology | Chinese & Laotian
“Going Against The Grain means embracing adversity to redefine the world around you. Whether it is a personal, social, or historical challenge, those who go Against the Grain are relentless in overcoming and using growth from their journey to serve others.”
Chloe Park | McRae Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
Mountain View, CA | UC Berkeley | Business Administration & English | Korean American
“Going Against The Grain means advocating for change in environments that are prone to stagnancy— it means standing up for what you believe in, even when it’s hard, and especially when you must stand alone. As a teenager, I’ve often felt overlooked or unheard in important conversations—conversations that I’ve fought hard to become a part of. To combat this, I’ve made it my personal mission to uplift youth voices in the spheres that I am in. Together, I believe that we can show the world how impactful our generation will be when it comes to creating positive change for brighter tomorrows.”
Gabriella Rosario Torres | Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
Chino Hills, CA | UC Berkeley | Public Health – Pre-Med | Filipino
“Serving the Asian American community during the pandemic and to this day, I founded @unityforstudents, a Youth Organization Instagram page that houses resources for everyone to learn about societal issues facing marginalized communities such as AAPI. Our self-curated “Unity Packs” have educated followers on how to reprogram the tendency for racist thoughts and actions, while providing reliable links for external services. Taking pride in being an Asian American is to disrupt the norm, break ground, and embrace our authentic selves.”
Tina Yao | Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship
Sterling, VA | University of Virginia | Political Philosophy, Policy & Law | Chinese
“As a Chinese American woman, I’ve been raised with cultural values to be reserved, where I often navigate public spaces by being agreeable in order to avoid any conflict. However, as I witnessed prejudice unfolding in my school and on the news portraying harmful stereotypes and racism, a passion ignited within me. My passion to enter policy was at first heavily deterred because I rarely noticed any female, Chinese political candidates in the U.S. media running for office. However, because of this underrepresentation of Asian American women in the media, I am motivated towards a future in policy-making and law.”
Raine Yung | Thear Sy Suzuki R.I.S.E. Scholarship
Chicago, IL | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Studio Art | Chinese & Belgian
“As the Editor-in-Chief of my college literary arts magazine, I showcased the identities and movements suppressed and minoritized by the media. My team and I created a fiercely outspoken publication shedding light on current issues and underrepresented communities; the 2022 edition addressed police brutality, domestic violence, and addiction while telling intimate stories touching our shared humanity. Several artists and writers of color won prestigious awards through our nominations, and our release party featured an art gallery and performances showcasing everyone’s invaluable stories and refreshing visions.”
