Annual Report 2025
Welcome Message
As we reach the end of 2025, I’ve found myself in awe of how far Asian Student Achievement (ASA) has come since our inception in 2016. I want to personally thank every single person who contributed to ASA’s mission of helping AAPI through the pipeline to workplace leadership. Our growing team of staff, interns, and volunteers have been endlessly generous with their time and talents, and I owe much of ASA’s success to them. I also want to thank our gracious donors, who allow us to do more and dream bigger with every year that passes. In lieu of the current political climate, we are thankful to the donors who stepped up. Your gifts have been very important to our mission. I will always be grateful for each and every one of you.
This year, we planted many seeds for new ventures. We launched our free, 1-on-1 coaching program, implemented our anonymous demographic survey, and started planning our first fundraiser. I’m especially proud of our demographic survey, as it thoroughly deconstructs the model minority myth that prevents many AAPI from receiving the support they deserve. In addition to our new endeavors, ASA attended many speaking engagements across the United States as well as a handful across Asia, reaching more people than ever before. I want to extend a special thank you to the nationwide partnerships we had this year: Baisun Candle Co., Sugar Bliss, Pegasus Education, and Furever Young Co. Your support has been invaluable. To everyone that has given their time, gifts, or support this year: thank you very much, and I hope to see you again next year!
Shane Carlin
President and CEO
Asian Student Achievement
Vision
Asian Student Achievement is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that helps move AAPI through the pipeline to leadership.
Mission
We take immense pride in our commitment to nurturing the career and vocational aspirations of countless students and professionals. With a wealth of experience and expertise, we have successfully guided hundreds of individuals on their journey towards securing their dream jobs. Through our meticulously crafted, custom-tailored workshops, we offer a dynamic educational learning experience that equips our clients with the essential soft skills and knowledge required to excel in their chosen fields.
Board of Directors
Shane Carlin
President and CEO
Board of Directors
David Harbin
Board of Directors
Michelle Ji
Board of Directors
Alana Zhu
Board of Directors
Yearly Review Donors
Since becoming a non-profit, Asian Student Achievement has grown consistently, allowing us to continue expanding our team and our impact.
In 2025, we had 56 new donors, leading to a total of 137 donors and $171,329.75 in gifts. We would especially like to thank a generous family foundation that allowed our organization to hire part and full-time staff who are dedicated to driving ASA forward.
“Asian Student Achievement’s focus on building leaders, increasing diversity, and inspiring growth are facets that I truly believe in when it comes to encouraging Asian Americans into the professional pipeline. Professional excellence comes from understanding one’s cultural background and experiences, and ASA provides many different mechanisms to enhance one’s unique talents and abilities. I am so proud of how far ASA has come and what the organization stands for, but most importantly value the work they do to bridge professional gaps for our next generation of leaders.”
Dr. Jean So
Facilitator at Kendall & Kendrick Consulting Group
Higher Education / Student Affairs Administrator
Speaking Engagements
In 2025, Asian Student Achievement had the opportunity to speak to over 900 students and professionals worldwide! Through engagements at online and onsite conferences and events, ASA was able to reach and network with many clients.
Schneider Electric
February 21, 2025
Miami University
Asian American Association
March 1, 2025
MAASU
March 19, 2025
Loyola University
March 29, 2025
University of Kentucky
Asian American Association
April 25 & October 16, 2025
AFP ICON Conference Panel
April 28, 2025
National Asian Peace
Officers Association
July 24, 2025
“Shane’s session on public speaking skills was not only incredibly engaging but also ignited a renewed passion for public speaking among our team. His dynamic approach and deep expertise made the workshop both enlightening and inspirational, leaving our participants with a lasting sense of enthusiasm and improved communication skills. We are grateful for the impactful contribution Shane made to our professional development and highly recommend his workshop to anyone looking to elevate their public speaking abilities.”
Simi Ambika, Michelle Chhong
Schneider Electric
Speaking Engagements
Colorado Asian Culture
and Education Network
November 6, 2025
Chinese University
of Hong Kong
November 20, 2025
Chinese Mutual Aid
Association
November 12, 2025
National Chung Hsing University
November 25, 2025
Oakton College
November 13, 2025
Education University
of Hong Kong
November 27, 2025
Job Board Postings
In partnership with the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), Asian Student Achievement had 11 new jobs posted to our AAPI job board. Below is a snapshot of some of the organizations that have posted with us:
Social Media Analytics
Web Analytics
Free 1-on-1 Coaching
This year, ASA launched our free 1-on-1 coaching program. Students and young professionals from all over the world are able to sign up for virtual sessions with working professionals from manufacturing, healthcare, law, and nonprofit fields.
Our Coaches
Shane Carlin
President and CEO
Asian Student Achievement
David Harbin
Board of Directors
Asian Student Achievement
Jack Hu
Process Automation Director
Dow Chemical
Michelle Ji
Technical Team Lead
3M
Juha Jung
Professor of Administration, Attourney
University of Kentucky, Yuha Jung PLLC
Tyng Kam
Business Coach
American Apprenticeships Work
Shan Pin Koh
Senior Architect
Dow Chemical
Pei-Hsiu Tan
User Experience Manager
Wolfram Research
Aimin Xu
Senior Process Automation Manager
Dow Chemical
Alana Zhu
Healthcare Informaticist
Intermountain Health
Coaching Testimonials
“Ms. Alana Zhu gave me the knowledge I need to help me take my career professionalism, networking potential, and soft skills to the next level. Her advice was direct, concrete, and tailored to my needs. Above all, I appreciate how down-to-earth and enthusiastic Alana is when it comes to helping younger people, especially since the transition to being a young adult just starting out in the professional world can be a huge challenge. Knowing that I have a lifeline no matter where I’m at in my career development boosts my confidence in pursuing my career goals.”
Zach Anota
Content Writing Intern
“Mr. Aimin Xu provided valuable guidance on approaching the job market as an international student, the importance of community support, and how to build strong networks and mentorships. He also offered practical resume advice, his own journey as an international student, and insights about his company and industry.”
Vaishnavi Nair
Data Analytics & Business Development Intern
Partnerships
In 2025, Asian Student Achievement had the privilege of partnering with various organizations to further promote our mission and values. Below is a snapshot of a few of our partners:
Demographic Survey
Asian Student Achievement works to dispel the model minority myth that all Asians and Asian Americans are wealthy and well-educated. In reality, the Asian populations we serve face significant financial and education barriers along their career paths. This data is collected from attendees of ASA’s speaking engagements, workshops, and events.
Demographic Survey
Based on the data we have collected, networking, experience, and finances are the greatest challenges for AAPI students and young professionals. ASA seeks to bridge the gap on these issues by providing soft skills coaching, free professional growth resources, and internships.
ASA Gives Back
ASA Interns
Asian Student Achievement’s internships are focused on helping interns gain tangible experiences they can use for future careers. This year, we had the privilege to work with 18 interns from all over the United States:
Ryan Kartiko
Lehigh University (Alum)
Special Operations Lead Intern
Sydney Cazier
Utah Valley University (Alumna)
Content Writing Intern
Ava Anota
High school student
Operations Intern
Abhaya Ladalla
University of North Texas
Graphic/Web Design Intern
Xiangyi Fei
Vanderbilt University (Alumna)
Data Analytics Intern
Zach Anota
Purdue University
Content Writing Intern
Kaylin Lebo
University of California-Irvine (Alumna)
Content Writing Intern
Anna Luu
University of Kentucky (Alumna)
Marketing Team Lead & Data Analyst Intern
Ella Moon
High school student
Web Design Intern
ASA Interns
Gabrielle Morrison
Smith College (Alumna)
UX/Web Design & Technology Intern
Sarah Mun
University of Washington (Alumna)
UX/Web Design Intern
Vaishnavi Nair
University of Maryland-Baltimore County (Alumna)
Data Analytics & Business Development Intern
Parker Ninesling
High school student
Graphic Design & Online Engagement Intern
Christian So
High school student
Business Development Intern
Christy Sun
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Web/UX Design Intern
Julianne Sun
Northwestern University (Alumna)
Content Writing & Event Planning Intern
Avery Tortora
Pennsylvania State University
Videography Intern
Jessie Zhou
University of Michigan (Alumna)
Graphic Design & Videography Intern
Intern Testimonials
Parker Ninesling
Graphic Design &
Online Engagement Intern
“My professional growth has skyrocketed ever since joining Asian Student Achievement. As only being a junior in high school, I’ve learned soft skills needed for college and my career. I’ve been taught how to speak in public, how to manage my time, and how to work as a team.”
“My time at Asian Student Achievement has been amazing. The team has welcomed me with open arms and I have been able to learn so many skills in so little time. ASA has helped me become a more responsible person and has set me up for future long term workplace endeavors.”
Christian So
Business Development Intern
Julianne Sun
Content Writing &
Event Planning Intern
“My time at Asian Student Achievement has given me room to use my writing skills in a multitude of environments, helping me develop a clearer vision for my future career. I have also had the opportunity to work with a passionate team of skilled people who have taught me so much about project management, communication and networking. There’s no shortage of opportunities through ASA, and I really appreciate that I’m able to work on projects that I’m truly passionate about.”
Outlook 2026
We’ve done a lot in 2025, but we’re already looking ahead to 2026 and beyond! After a successful launch of our 1-on-1 coaching program, we are focused on growing it on all sides: more coaches, more students, more areas of expertise. We also plan to lay the foundation for beta Asian Student Achievement (ASA) chapters at college campuses nationwide, which we hope will increase our reach to AAPI students and young professionals. Finally, we will continue to expand our internship program, providing real-world experiences that will prepare them for leadership roles in the workplace. We will have new paid internship positions, in memory of Elizabeth Skoien, that will incorporate mental health awareness and outreach into our programming.
Our 2026 schedule is already filling up, between speaking engagements at organizations like the Kentucky University Asian American Association, the 859 Night Market, and Chicagoland universities. Our CEO, Shane Carlin, will have the opportunity to work with the Miami Entrepreneurship program during Miami University’s Social Innovation Weekend. We look forward to continuing our work with partners like Sugar Bliss, NAAAP, Baisun Candle Co., Pegasus Education, and Furever Young Co. Finally, visit our website to see how to sign up for our first-ever fundraiser, the Nickel Nickel party, happening Saturday, April 4!
Our goals couldn’t be accomplished without the tremendous gifts from all of our current and future donors. From the bottom of our hearts, ASA thanks you! We encourage you to stay engaged with ASA by following us on our social media platforms and signing up for our monthly newsletters. Here’s to another great year in 2026!