McDonald’s USA Convenes Top Asian Pacific American Thought Leaders for First-Ever College Education Summit Aimed at Helping APA Students Map Out Their Career Success

Students will explore various topics, from college preparedness and scholarships to financial literacy and mental health during the free, one-day event on November 12, 2022.

(CHICAGO – Nov. 9, 2022) – The Asian Pacific American community is vast, with multiple ethnicities, languages and identities that are often lumped together causing many Asian subsegments to be overlooked, particularly students when it comes to representation and financial aid. To address the evolving needs of APA youth, McDonald’s USA is teaming up with top APA media company NextShark to present the first-ever APA Next Summit, an in-person and virtual event focusing on education and professional development. This summit is a new addition to McDonald’s legacy of education-focused programs to advance bright futures and provide opportunity, which importantly includes the McDonald's/APIA Scholarship awarding half a million dollars to uplift APA students with reaching their full potential annually.

“Education has proven to be one of the most effective ways to empower youth and McDonald’s remains dedicated to that belief,” said Elizabeth Campbell, Senior Director of Cultural Engagement, McDonald’s USA. “Our Asian Pacific American-focused programs are designed with leading partner organization like NextShark and APIA Scholars, to ensure we address the community’s unique needs and diverse groups.”

McDonald’s APA Next Summit

The APA Next Summit will feature a line-up of prominent speakers from all walks of life covering holistic topics we know are important to this audience like college admissions, financial literacy, and mental health. The roster includes actress Arden Cho (star of Netflix’s Partner Track), TikTok finance influencer Vivian Tu (aka “Your Rich BFF”), and Founder of Brown Girl Therapy Sahaj Kaur Kohli.

“This convening is a much-needed event for students who now more than ever crave meaningful engagement with the world around them,” said Benny Luo, CEO of NextShark. “We’re proud to work with McDonald’s to gather parents and students to connect, listen, and learn from some of the major trailblazers in our community.” 

The APA Next Summit is free and will take place at the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union located at 7 E 7th Street, New York, NY 10003 on Saturday, November 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST. The event will also be available virtually via livestream. To RSVP and find additional details on the panels and speakers, check out the APA Next EventBrite.

McDonald’s/APIA Scholarship Applications Available for 2023

Established in 2019, the McDonald’s/APIA Scholarship awards $500,000 to 55 high school and college students of Asian descent every year. To date, 165 students have benefited from the program.  Applications for the 2023 McDonald’s/APIA Scholarship are now available online through January 19, 2023.  Recipients are selected based on their academic achievement, community involvement, and financial need. Check out this year’s 55 scholarship recipients and details on how to apply at  APANext.com. 

About McDonald’s USA Education Efforts

McDonald’s APA Next Summit and APIA Scholarship are just some of the many company initiatives created to serve up bright futures and provide opportunities for education and skills in the communities we serve. These efforts also include the Black & Positively Golden® HBCU Scholarship Fund, which is administered through Thurgood Marshall College Fund and helps students continue their undergraduate and graduate school education; the HACER® Education Tour, which provides information to navigate the college application process; and the Archways to Opportunity® program, which provides educational resources to eligible crew at participating U.S. restaurants. Together, with franchisees, we are committed to offering opportunities to feed and foster our communities.

About McDonald's USA   

McDonald's has always been committed to the communities it serves, and the people that make up those communities. Every day the brand takes steps to achieve a more equitable and inclusive future for our employees, Franchisees, suppliers, customers, and the communities we serve and foster. 

McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s approximately 13,500 U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by independent business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.