The annual Scholarship and Awards Gala is the premier event sponsored by the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association (APAA). Every year, the APAA pays tribute to distinguished members of the Asian Pacific Islander Trojan Family. Previous recipients include mochi ice cream inventor Frances Hashimoto ’66; Justice Joyce Kennard ’71, MPA & JD ’74; Vizio founder William Wang ’86; KTLA Morning News co-anchor Frank Buckley ’87; and director Jon M. Chu ’03.
This is also a time where we celebrate our USC APAA scholars. Since 1984, the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association has awarded over $1 million in scholarships to more than 600 outstanding students at USC. In 2020 alone, the APAA awarded $200,000 in scholarships to 88 USC students.
All proceeds from the gala directly benefit generations of USC students and alumni through the APAA scholarship endowment and our worldwide alumni programs.
This year, for the safety and well-being of our alumni, the APAA Scholarship and Awards Gala was held virtually.
Thank you for those who attended and/or supported our virtual program! If you didn’t get a chance to attend live, you can catch a recording of it by clicking “watch” button below.
Gala Virtual Backgrounds
APAA Gala Invitation Background
APAA Gala Step & Repeat Banner Background
APAA Gala Table Orchids Background
2021 Leadership Award
Baldwin Marchack DDS ’71
Owner, Pasadena Prosthodontics, LLC
2021 Leadership Award
Sidney Kanazawa JD ’78
Alternative Resolution Centers LLC
2021 Service Award
Julie Benniardi BS ’91
Co-Founder, ReWeave LA
2021 Young Alumni Award
Justin Galvan Tandingan MPP ’14
Managing Director, Teach for America
Past Honorees
APAA President’s Award
Steven B. Sample
Wilfred Steven Uytengsu Jr. ’83
APAA Leadership Award
Frank Buckley ’87
Junita Ciputra MBA ’88
Tim Dang ’80
Fung Der ’78, MBA ’79
Michael Garrett ’67
Harun Hajadi MBA ’88
Irene Hirano-Inouye ’70, MPA ’73
Yosuke Honjo MBA ’98
John Iino JD ’87
Grant Imahara ’93
Sabrina Kay MBA ’05
Andy Lee ’93
Scott Lee ’81
Kenneth Liang ’83
Mitchell Maki ’82, MSW ’84, PHD ’93
Bryan B. Min ’86
Glenn Osaki MA ’87
Taryn Rose MD ’92
Haruki Rocky Seto ’99, MPA ’01
Jon SooHoo ’84
Debbie Shon ’74
Nita Song ’97
Garrick (Rick) Wang ’88
William Wang ’86
Karen Wong ’83, JD ’86
Oliver Wong ’76, MBA ’77
APAA Legacy Award
Sammy Lee MD ’47
APAA Distinguished Alumni Award
Justice Joyce Kennard ’71, MPA/JD ’74
Kenneth K. Miura ’54
APAA Service Award
Rebecca Branham MBA ’13
Tony Choi ’81
Bob Chong ’77, MBA ’79
Frances Hashimoto ’66
Wandy and Larry Jung PharmDs ’77
Ysa Le PharmD ’94
Christine C. Lee JD ’79
Jennifer Lum ’82
Chuck Miwa ’88, MBA ’00
Melody Nishida ’78
Tae-Hyun Oh ME ’83, EdD ’91
Bong-rak Sohn MBA ’86
The Hon. Michelle Park Steel EMBA ’10
Ben Wong ’73, PhD ’78
Debbie Wong ’75
Francis Yamazaki MD ’81
APAA Young Alumni Award
Justin Chon ’03
Jon M. Chu ’03
Ken Ochiai ’06
APAA Corporate Leadership Award
Union Bank of California
Verizon
APASG* Award
Jae Min Chang
Edgardo de la Vega DDS ’71
Yoshi Honkawa ’55
David Hyun
Mary C. Takagaki
Carl Tamaki
Kenjohn Wang
The Honorable Delbert E. Wong
Wilbur Woo
Joselyn Geaga Yap
Do Ngoc Yen
APASG* Founders Recognition Award
Irene Hirano-Inouye ’70, MPA ’73
Kenneth Kasamatsu ’68
Alan Kumamoto
Dennis Kunisaki
Mary Kurushima
Frank Kwan ’71
Michael Matsuda ’82
Sarah Miyahira
Karen Wong ’83, JD ’86
APASG* Media Award
The Chinese Daily News
FM Seoul
The Korea Central Daily
The Korea Times
Korean Television Enterprises
KTAN
Nguoi Viet
The Philippine News
Radio Korea
The Rafu Shimpo
* Asian Pacific American Support Group (former name of the APAA)
We would like to thank your sponsors for supporting our first virtual APAA Scholarship and Awards Gala. As our main fundraiser of the year, your support allows us to continue to provide scholarships to our undergraduate and graduate students at USC as well as developing programming to engage alumni lifelong and worldwide.
Gala contributions are tax-deductible with the exception of $150 if your sponsorship/ticket comes with dinner. Individual admission (no meals or wine included) is 100% tax-deductible.