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 2018 alone, the APAA awarded $225,000 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.
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
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
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
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)
PLATINUM SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSOR
CARDINAL SPONSORS
Mirae Asset Wealth Management (USA)
Chuck Miwa
Union Bank
USC Alumni Association
TROJAN SPONSORS
East West Bank
Alexander & Tera Eng
David & Linda Ikegami
Stephanie & Teiji Kawana
Brandon & Wendy Lew
Rei & Kelly Umekubo
USC Marshall School of Business
USC Gould School of Law
USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work
YOUNG ALUMNI TABLE SPONSOR
Rod & Elsie Nakamoto
STUDENT TABLE SPONSORS
Mark & Ada Kawa
Patricia T. Mar
USC Sol Price School of Public Policy
University Relations
Karen Wong & Scott Lee