Education, income and mental health disparities within the Asian Pacific American (APA) community continue to impact their higher education journey. To help address the needs of APA students, McDonald’s is launching APA Next, an education program aimed at empowering and uplifting students throughout their academic journey – both in the classroom and beyond – with financial and personal development resources. The distribution of income among APAs being the most unequal among all racial and ethnic groups1, paired with a higher level of unmet mental health needs and lower level of mental health service engagement among APA youth2, showcase the need for programs like APA Next.
As part of its commitment to feeding and fostering communities, McDonald’s is building on 14 years of providing support and advancement opportunities for APA students with APA Next. Through a series of content that offers career advice from leading APA voices to online mental health resources via Shine, a self-care app founded by two women of color, this diverse toolbox of resources is designed to help students and families prepare for “what’s next” in modern academia.
“The ongoing social disruptions have not only reshaped the education landscape, but also student priorities and needs,” said Willie Cho, a Seattle, WA-based McDonald’s USA Owner/Operator and National Diversity Marketing Committee Lead. “We’re listening, and through APA Next, we are honored to extend our support of students by providing inspiration and resources they need to succeed, which we know go beyond scholarships.”
