APIASF President and Executive Director Neil Horikoshi (far right) welcomes APIASF Scholar Mohammed Islam (center) and his family to the reception.

Enjoying the reception is Carol Jackson (APIASF Board Member, Macy's), Vijay Sharma (APIASF Advisory Council Member, Sodexo), Jacinta Titialii-Abbott (APIASF Board Chair), Sam Muscarella (Macy's) and Nita Song (APIASF Board Member, IW Group, Inc.).

Representative Joseph Cao met the scholars before speaking at the reception. Pictured from left to right are: Margaret Cho (Scholar), Mohammed Islam (Scholar), Representative Cao, Allison Au (Scholar) and Dang Nguyen (Representative Cao's Office).

Mary Ann Shurtz (Stratford University) and Feroze Khan (Stratford University) were two of the representatives from higher education in attendance.

DLA Piper generously hosted the reception in their downtown D.C. office. Pictured from left to right are Michael Fung (APIASF Board Member, Wal-Mart) and Marty Lorenzo (APIASF General Counsel, DLA Piper).

The reception brought together many advocates for higher education in the Asian and Pacific Islander community. Pictured here are Bouy Te from the National Education Association and Soumary Vongrassamy an Education Advocate at the Southeast Asia Resource Center.

Vijay Sharma, a long-time APIASF board member, represented one of the evening's generous sponsors, Sodexo, at the event.

Representative Joseph Cao shares a few remarks about the importance of scholarships during the reception.

Members of the Washington, D.C. community, Ajay Ojha and Jason Park, listen to Representative Cao's remarks.

Julie Koo (Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs) reads a greeting from Michelle Rhee, Chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools.

Frances Nam, APIASF Board Member and Vice President of Government Affairs for Sodexo, spoke about Sodexo's commitment fighting hunger and lack of education. The evening would not have been possible without Sodexo's generous support.

Margaret Cho (Scholar) shares how she has benefitted from her involvement with APIASF.

Mary Williams (Gates Millennium Scholars), Early Reese (United Negro College Fund) and Julie Park (Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership) enjoy the remarks of APIASF Scholar Margaret Cho.

The reception featured leaders in the Asian and Pacific Islander American community such as Julie Koo (Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs) and Frances Nam (APIASF Board Member, Sodexo) pictured with APIASF President and Executive Director Neil Horikoshi.

The reception provided the opportunity for APIASF scholars to meet with the leaders of many fields. Pictured here are APIASF Scholar Margaret Cho and Julie Park, Director of Operations for Gates Millennium Scholars.

Representative Madeleine Bordallo spoke about the importance of education and shared her commitment to higher education in Guam.

Representative Bordallo met with two of the attendees from Guam: Guam Community College President Mary Okada (left) and Scholar Ryan Edgar (center).

From left to right are: Wai-Ling Eng (APIASF Board Chair, McDonald's), Bill Imada (APIASF Advisory Board Member, IW Group, Inc.), Annie Cheung (APIASF Board Member, IBM), Julie Koo (Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs) and Matt Finucane (National Education Association).

Many leaders of the Asian and Pacific Islander American community attended the reception to show their support of APIASF. Pictured here are representatives of the Asian McDonald's Operators Association.

Representatives from Guam Community College meet with APIASF staff member Gale Awaya McCallum. Pictured from left to right are: Deborah Belanger (Guam Community College), Frank Arriola (Guam Community College), Mary Okada (Guam Community College), Gale Awaya McCallum (APIASF) and Ed Ilao (Guam Community College).

The reception provided an opportunity for leaders of community organizations, higher education, non-profits and corporations to network. Pictured here are Bill Imada (APIASF Advisory Board Member, IW Group, Inc.) and Glenn Kikuchi (McDonald's).

Enjoying the reception is Michelle Cooper (Institute for Higher Education Policy), Nitu Gupta (Sodexo) and Doua Thor (APIASF Board Member, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center).

Representative Madeleine Bordallo met individually with each scholar at the reception. Here she is pictured with Ryan Edgar (Scholar), Margaret Cho (Scholar), Allison Au (Scholar) and Mohammed Islam (Scholar).

Two members of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, Ruby Moy (APIASF Board Member) and Helen Ruggiero, met with Christina Wong from Gates Millennium Scholars during the reception.

APIASF staff member Bernadette Balagot from APIASF speaks with two of the representatives from DLA Piper, Marty Lorenzo and Eric Eisenberg.

During the reception, many of APAISF's board members met with leaders in higher education. Pictured here are Richard Yocum from Argosy International and APIASF Board Member Michael Fung (Wal-Mart).