Origin of H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E.
In 2024, the Male Success Initiative was delegated to the Academic Retention Initiatives. As part of efforts to better understand the needs of the communities served, the initiative facilitated focus groups and surveys with students, staff, faculty, and alumni and invited K–12 educators to share perspectives on the experiences students bring with them before entering college.
The findings from this community-informed process identified a need for meaningful mentorship, connection, and networks of care. In response, the H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E. Mentorship Program for Academic Success and Retention was developed to create intentional opportunities for students to build meaningful relationships, strengthen their sense of belonging, and support one another in navigating their academic and personal journeys.
The program reflects the broader mission of the Asian and Pacific Islander Academic Retention Initiative: supporting student success not only through academic resources, but through relationships, community, mentorship, leadership, and care.
Why is H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E. important?
As part of the Student Success Initiative, H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E. aims to foster a supportive community by acknowledging and addressing the challenges faced by students in higher education. The curriculum for H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E. will be tailored to the growth, empowerment, and success of our AandPI students, voices that are too often overlooked.
The model minority myth masks real challenges and excludes AandPI folkx from student success efforts. This narrative obscures performance disparities among disaggregated Asian subgroups. (Le et al., 2025)
Mental health stigma in many Asian and Pacific Islander communities can suppress help-seeking behavior (e.g. fear of “losing face,” cultural norms around emotional self-reliance). (Leong & Lau, 2001)
The Lotus Mana Center seeks to provide a comprehensive framework that promotes the academic excellence, connectedness, and leadership empowerment of Asian and Pacific Islander (AandPI) students. H.E.R.I.T.A.G.E is dedicated to acknowledging the diverse experiences of students who face many significant barriers including socio-economic disparities, cultural stigmas, and a lack of tailored support systems. By harnessing the strengths of our diverse communities, we aim to cultivate an environment that actively supports students’ journey toward success.
Le, V., Angell, G., Nissen, J., & Van Dusen, B. (2025). Challenging the model minority myth: A MAIHDA study of Asian student outcomes in introductory physics (arXiv:2509.19049). arXiv.
Leong, F. T. L., & Lau, A. S. L. (2001). Barriers to providing effective mental health services to Asian Americans. Mental Health Services Research, 3(4), 201–214.