The Power of Representation and Community in Higher Education
By Carol Jean Tomoguchi
May 9, 2025
May 9, 2025
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In a higher education landscape still struggling with leadership diversity, Sam Bersola stands out—not just as one of the few Asian American voices in executive leadership, but as someone committed to ensuring he’s not the last.
Now Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives at UC Irvine’s School of Education, Bersola has spent the last 25 years advancing equity and representation in higher education. His journey, shaped by mentorship, advocacy, and community, has long been tied to his work with Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE)—a national organization he credits with launching his career, and one he continues to help shape today. In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Bersola is reflecting on his roots in the organization and calling on a new generation of AAPI professionals to take center stage. A transformative talk by an emerging force in AAPI leadership |
A group of "Dine and Discover" lunch attendees, including organizers Mariam Lam (second from right) and Sam Bersola (fifth from left)
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Bersola first encountered APAHE as a doctoral student at Stanford. As a board member of the campus’s Asian American Activities Center, he helped host a talk by Audrey Yamagata-Noji—then a newly appointed vice president at Mt. San Antonio College and an emerging force in AAPI leadership.
“She described that when she began her career and attended national professional conferences, she would look long and hard to find people who looked like her; there were very few AAPI leaders in higher education," Bersola said. “She and the few AAPI colleagues that she did meet saw the need for an organization that would address issues affecting AAPI students, staff, faculty and administrators.”
That moment resonated deeply. The lack of AAPI visibility in leadership—even at institutions where AAPI students thrive—sparked a fire that would guide the next 25 years of Bersola’s career. Despite AAPI’s success in higher education, Bersola shared that “less than two percent of all college presidents in the U.S. are of AAPI descent. We have a lot more work to do at the highest level of leadership.”
Building community, creating change
Bersola attended his first APAHE conference in 2000, and in 2005 he participated in the acclaimed LEAP Advance summer leadership program that Yamagata-Noji co-leads. In 2012, he joined the APAHE board and was asked to join the faculty of LEAP Advance. He has mentored countless professionals along the way.
At this year’s APAHE National Conference in Oakland—attended by more than 1,400 students, faculty, and administrators—Bersola chaired the Engagement Subcommittee, helping launch a new “Dine and Discover” initiative that paired small groups with AAPI leaders for candid conversations over meals.
“I’m most proud that we sponsored a set of 'Dine and Discover' lunches," Bersola said. "I teamed with Mariam Lam, vice chancellor and chief diversity officer at UC Riverside and a double-Anteater alumna, and we offered advice to participants on earning a Ph.D.”
Other “Dine and Discover” lunches spotlighted critical issues like LGBTQ+ experiences in higher education, strategic planning, and pathways to the professoriate. Notably, a plenary panel of three Pacific Islander college presidents explored how cultural identity shapes leadership, modeling new narratives of success for underrepresented communities.
Advancing AANAPISI efforts and empowering UC leaders
APAHE has also become a national leader in advancing AANAPISI (Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions) recognition and funding. Although UC Irvine is eligible for AANAPISI support, it currently does not hold such a grant—according to Bersola, campuses must choose between AANAPISI and Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) grants due to federal restrictions.
Through partnerships with the California Commission on APIA Affairs and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, APAHE continues to advocate for resources that better serve AAPI students and communities.
What sets APAHE apart, he explains, is its accessibility. “Unlike most professional organizations that are hierarchical and whose board members meet separately and keep to themselves at national conferences, the APAHE Board intentionally works the crowd and wants people to see them and get to know them.”
“She described that when she began her career and attended national professional conferences, she would look long and hard to find people who looked like her; there were very few AAPI leaders in higher education," Bersola said. “She and the few AAPI colleagues that she did meet saw the need for an organization that would address issues affecting AAPI students, staff, faculty and administrators.”
That moment resonated deeply. The lack of AAPI visibility in leadership—even at institutions where AAPI students thrive—sparked a fire that would guide the next 25 years of Bersola’s career. Despite AAPI’s success in higher education, Bersola shared that “less than two percent of all college presidents in the U.S. are of AAPI descent. We have a lot more work to do at the highest level of leadership.”
Building community, creating change
Bersola attended his first APAHE conference in 2000, and in 2005 he participated in the acclaimed LEAP Advance summer leadership program that Yamagata-Noji co-leads. In 2012, he joined the APAHE board and was asked to join the faculty of LEAP Advance. He has mentored countless professionals along the way.
At this year’s APAHE National Conference in Oakland—attended by more than 1,400 students, faculty, and administrators—Bersola chaired the Engagement Subcommittee, helping launch a new “Dine and Discover” initiative that paired small groups with AAPI leaders for candid conversations over meals.
“I’m most proud that we sponsored a set of 'Dine and Discover' lunches," Bersola said. "I teamed with Mariam Lam, vice chancellor and chief diversity officer at UC Riverside and a double-Anteater alumna, and we offered advice to participants on earning a Ph.D.”
Other “Dine and Discover” lunches spotlighted critical issues like LGBTQ+ experiences in higher education, strategic planning, and pathways to the professoriate. Notably, a plenary panel of three Pacific Islander college presidents explored how cultural identity shapes leadership, modeling new narratives of success for underrepresented communities.
Advancing AANAPISI efforts and empowering UC leaders
APAHE has also become a national leader in advancing AANAPISI (Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions) recognition and funding. Although UC Irvine is eligible for AANAPISI support, it currently does not hold such a grant—according to Bersola, campuses must choose between AANAPISI and Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) grants due to federal restrictions.
Through partnerships with the California Commission on APIA Affairs and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, APAHE continues to advocate for resources that better serve AAPI students and communities.
What sets APAHE apart, he explains, is its accessibility. “Unlike most professional organizations that are hierarchical and whose board members meet separately and keep to themselves at national conferences, the APAHE Board intentionally works the crowd and wants people to see them and get to know them.”
Bersola with two of his mentors: Patricia Neilsen, former director of the Asian American Students Success Program at UMass Boston, and Chui Tsang, president of San Jose City College and Santa Monica College (retired)
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A legacy of mentorship at UC Irvine
Bersola can name numerous Anteaters who have benefited from APAHE and LEAP Advance: Edgar Dormitorio, Sherwynn Umali, Kathy Dong, Denise Khaw, and many more. “Peter Thatch, campus social worker who works closely with our SAGE Scholars is a LEAP Advance alumnus and APAHE Conference attendee,” he said. He also celebrates UC Irvine alumnus Leland Simpliciano, now AANAPISI grant director at San Diego Mesa College, and Justin Javier, associate director of undergraduate programs at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business. “Leland worked at UC Irvine from 2012 to 2016 and was instrumental in helping students pass the Student Outreach and Retention (SOAR) Center referendum, which will fund the center until 2046,” he said. “Justin attended an APAHE Conference about eight years ago, transitioned from a job at UC San Diego to UCLA where I was for 12 years, and then to UC Irvine a few years before I transitioned to UC Irvine.” |
The support network is stronger than ever
His advice to early-career professionals: don’t wait to lead.
“Get involved. Network. Find mentors and stay connected,” he said. “Too many graduate students have told me I’m the first AAPI administrator they’ve ever met. That’s not something we should still be hearing in 2025.”
Next year’s APAHE conference will be held in Anaheim, and Bersola hopes to see a strong UCI presence. He also encourages prospective applicants to consider LEAP Advance, a residential leadership program held every July at Cal Poly Pomona.
“I’m happy to talk with anyone who’s interested,” he said. “The next generation of AAPI leaders is already here—we just need to make sure they’re seen, supported, and ready to step forward.”
His advice to early-career professionals: don’t wait to lead.
“Get involved. Network. Find mentors and stay connected,” he said. “Too many graduate students have told me I’m the first AAPI administrator they’ve ever met. That’s not something we should still be hearing in 2025.”
Next year’s APAHE conference will be held in Anaheim, and Bersola hopes to see a strong UCI presence. He also encourages prospective applicants to consider LEAP Advance, a residential leadership program held every July at Cal Poly Pomona.
“I’m happy to talk with anyone who’s interested,” he said. “The next generation of AAPI leaders is already here—we just need to make sure they’re seen, supported, and ready to step forward.”
