2023 Recipients
(Amber) De-min Yang
Accounting, University of Oregon
Hello! My name is Amber Yang, and I’m from Portland, OR. In the fall of 2023, I will be a sophomore at the University of Oregon majoring in accounting and minoring in economics. As a student who was born in Taipei, Taiwan and immigrated to the U.S. myself, it’s my great honor to be selected as one of the TASF recipients this year! In my free time, I enjoy baking, cooking, traveling, playing board games/puzzles, and reading. After graduating college, I’m planning to pursue a career in public accounting and obtain a CPA certificate. I was glad that I was able to dive deeper into my career interest while serving the community through the IRS VITA program during this past tax season. As a team, we provided free tax preparation services to students and people in the community. While I’m leaning towards Tax among the many practices in the field of accounting at this moment, I’m extremely excited to remain open-minded and try my hand at other options such as auditing and advisory during my internship next summer! As a Taiwanese American student coming from a low-income background, I truly appreciate this opportunity provided by TASF not just because of the financial support to continue my educational journey but to connect with my heritage and the community in which I come from. The Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund scholarship will allow me to concentrate on my education, furthering my academic and professional development both in and outside of the classroom.
Benjamin Chen
Biological Engineering | Cornell University
Hi! I’m Benjamin Chen (陳主流) from Cerritos, California. My dad, who was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, made the courageous decision to go to America alongside his siblings, in pursuit of higher education and an improved quality of life. Growing up with a father deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture has provided me with a truly unique and invaluable firsthand connection to my heritage. This fall, I’ll be studying biological engineering at Cornell University. I firmly believe engineering should serve humanity, and biological engineering stands out as the ideal pathway to achieve this goal. The TASF scholarship empowers me to pursue my dreams and contribute to innovative healthcare instrumentation. My ultimate aspiration is to develop cutting-edge technologies that revolutionize medicine, enhancing patient care and improving health outcomes. Since elementary school, I’ve been fascinated by CRISPR, the revolutionary gene-editing technology. With the support of the TASF scholarship, I’m excited to explore and delve deeper into this remarkable technology. By harnessing CRISPR’s potential, we can make groundbreaking advancements in medicine, treating and potentially curing genetic diseases. I cannot express enough gratitude to the TASF scholarship for granting me this remarkable opportunity to pursue my passion for biological engineering. It is an honor and a privilege to be part of a community that values education, cultural heritage, and the pursuit of excellence. With unwavering determination and a deep sense of purpose, I am committed to maximizing this opportunity to make a positive impact on the world and contribute to the betterment of humanity.
Darcie Wu
Illustration | Parsons School of Design
My name is Darcie Wu, and I am a rising sophomore attending The New School’s Parsons School of Design in New York City. As an art student, my major is illustration. The act of creating visual narratives and bringing stories to life through my artwork brings me immense joy and fulfillment. I draw inspiration from my cultural identity as a 1st generation Taiwanese American and the diverse world that surrounds me. Born and raised in New York, I had the incredible opportunity to live in Taipei for a year during a formative period in my life. I went to local elementary school and practiced character writing daily. It was there that I developed a deep appreciation for East Asian history, thanks to the rich tapestry of languages and cultures I encountered. One of my aspirations is to merge the power of language and art to create meaningful connections between people around the world. I hope to work in concept art and character design, promoting intercultural connections through telling stories about diverse characters. I am thrilled and truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will enable me to pursue and merge my passions for traditional, digital, and sculptural art so I can bring my art to new levels. I look forward to connecting with all of you!
Gracie Miu
Pre-Business | University of California, Riverside
My name is Grace Miu from San Jose, California. I am the oldest of four kids. My mother is from Taichung, Taiwan. Growing up in a parent participating school community, I learned it takes a village to raise a kid. During pandemic time, I see there is a great emotional and social need in my school and my community. I joined my mom in planning and coordinating various activities from online story time/ craft workshops/holiday celebrations to basketball practice for local children from the Taiwanese community. At school, I was able to apply technical skills from multimedia training to serve the school community. From designing campus calm spaces to co-founding Art club to provide art meditation workshops to support my peers. This year, I have been selected as Key club Division News Editor and given the honor to mentor 11 editors from different local high schools. I will be attending University of California at Riverside and majoring in pre-business in the fall. My academic goal is to become a certified CPA and to promote financial literacy in immigrant’s community. Growing up I often heard heartbreaking stories of immigrants being scammed or penalized from doing their taxes incorrectly. In addition, I can recall numerous times seeing my grandparents seek my parents for help on taxes. As I got older, I was able to witness many obstacles that hinder people in my community from learning new financial rules. While my grandparents have my parents’ help, I know that many immigrants do not have access to tax help. As a future accountant, I hope to advocate financial literacy to help immigrants in my community better manage their hard earned money
Jerrick Wu
Business Economics | University of California, Los Angeles
My name is Jerrick Wu, and I will be attending UCLA as a freshman in the fall of 2023 with an intended major of Business Economics. I look to further my studies within this field to ultimately enter the finance industry as a financial manager or an investment banker. Dual enrolling at a community college my sophomore summer, I became fascinated by the intricate connections between our world economy and the field of business. My passions inspired the creation of my own club, Business and Economics Initiative, aimed at creating a community of shared knowledge with fellow business-passionate peers at my school. Further, at Whitney High School, I have been actively involved within multiple clubs, ranging from serving as the Key Club President to planning school wide events as the Senior Class Vice President. I have also been an active participant within my community, hosting a technology class at my local senior center which tackles the digital divide so prominent within the senior population. Beyond academics, I have a deep connection to the sport of basketball and have been playing for the past 12 years. My love for the game has translated into the opportunity of coaching in a youth program, the same one where I first learned to play the sport at. As I venture off into my college studies, I am incredibly thankful for the Taiwanese American Scholarship Fund and their continual support in all my future endeavors.
Patrick Wang
Astrophysics and Astronomy | Haverford College
My name is Patrick Wang (王浩仲) and I’m from north Jersey. I’ve grown up taking Mandarin lessons at Bergen Chinese School, giving me the opportunity to learn about my ancestry and surround myself with those like me. My parents both immigrated from 台灣, so almost all of my extended family lives there. When I get the chance to, I travel back to台灣to visit them. Throughout high school I’ve been an orchestra concertmaster, a varsity long distance runner and pole vaulter, and an officer of many clubs. I enjoy going outdoors, playing video games, writing, working out, and listening to all kinds of music. In the fall, I’ll be attending Haverford College in Pennsylvania, where I’m planning on majoring in astrophysics and astronomy. My passion for the sky was ignited on an autumn evening in elementary school when I saw Jupiter through a telescope for the first time. Since then, I’ve spent countless hours under the canopies of planetariums, and my eyes have even been pierced by the marvelous light of the Orion Nebula’s heart, the Trapezium Cluster. As I’ve gotten older, astronomy has offered me timeless memories, along with ever-evolving perceptions of my surroundings. One of my future goals is to buy a professional telescope and travel to different countries to visit their night skies. The first destination on my list is, of course, 台灣. Until that future arrives, I’ll let my dreams guide my every waking moment, immensely grateful for the opportunities the TASF has given me.
Rachel Wu
Piano Performance and Psychology | University of Michigan
Starting from the age of 4, Rachel Wu fell in love with music, and it became part of her everyday life. Learning the piano was just the start of her journey with music. Even while exploring her love for music through singing and playing the violin, the piano was always a constant source of pleasure. Since then, Rachel has received many awards such as placing second in the 2022 Sherer International Violin & Piano Competition, second in the 2021 International New Heart Competition, being a semi-finalist in the advanced division in the 2022 Carmel Klavier International Piano Competition, along with awards from many other competitions. In addition to her musical life, Rachel was still very focused on her academics at school, even ranking in the top 3% of her high school class. Starting from the 8th grade, she became interested in the study of psychology. With her two passions being music and psychology, Rachel is planning to attend the University of Michigan with a dual degree in piano performance and psychology. In the future, she hopes to use her two degrees and her love for helping others and piano in becoming a music therapist.
Shai Guerrero
Biology | University of Texas, Austin
I, Shai Guerrero, have always been fascinated with human beings, whether it was through art or learning. When I was younger, I wanted to be a pathologist, but realizing the amount of schooling it took, I looked towards becoming a mortician instead. I was always excited about the idea of helping people in either profession and dealing with human biology. During middle and high school, I focused on my academics by taking advanced courses, AP classes, and competing in Academic Decathlon my senior year. Through all those years of school, I’ve participated in art competitions annually, for instance, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo art competition, VASE, or Scholastic’s. Despite the commitment I made, I always made sure to make time for my friends. Being my age now, just graduated from high school, I plan on going to the University of Texas at Austin and majoring in Biology. It’s a topic that will allow me to explore my passion for knowledge, specifically with human biology, and it’s a broad enough major that will allow me room to change and shift if my career goals decidedly change in the future. Along with my pursuit of knowledge, I hope to still pursue my passion for the arts, whether in drawing, crocheting, or sewing all throughout my life. At the end of the day, the thing I value most and hope to continuously nurture in college and afterward is the relationships I have with the people I love, whether family, friends, or lovers.
Sheng-Chang Chen
Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics | Sacramento State University
Hello! My name is Sheng-Chang Chen and I currently live in Sacramento, California. I was born in Taiwan, and I’ve lived there for 11 years. When my parents divorced, my mother brought me and my younger sibling to live in New York, where my aunt lives and helped to support us. We had to move several times across the country in Greyhound buses, which was extremely stressful, but we eventually found a home in Sacramento. My mother and my stepfather have been the biggest gift in my life. They have supported me from the first step and the last step in high school. Despite our impoverished status, they would try to provide me with everything and expect nothing in return. Each and every sacrifice that they’ve made fuels my determination to be as successful as I can. This fall, I will be attending Sacramento State University, majoring in mechanical engineering and mathematics thanks to my 9th-grade math teacher who introduced me into mathematics and its applications in mechanical designs. After college, I want to become a licensed professional engineer and work on sustainable designs for the environment in order to contribute to my community. Thank you, TASF, for funding my dream and higher education. This opportunity is a huge weight off my shoulder as I pursue my passion. When I have succeeded, I promise to give back to my community, so that they can have a similar opportunity that you provided me with. Once again, I wholeheartedly thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in my potential.
Wesley Pi
Applied Mathematics | University of California, Los Angeles
My name is Wesley Pi, and I am from Temple City, California. I was born in the United States, with both of my parents being Taiwanese. Now, I am a proud Temple City High School graduate as part of the 2023 class. During my time there, I led the Math Team as co-captain, founded the Rubik’s Cube Club, and was a violinist in both the Honors and Pit Orchestras. In fall 2023, I will embark on my college journey at UCLA. With the impactful experiences that the math club and team had on me in high school, I intend to study Applied Mathematics there. With math, I find that I am able to explore different, novel ways of thinking and problem solving. I find it fascinating how math connects the world: with its contents being utilized in fields concerning the natural sciences, social sciences, and even everyday life. With my education, I hope to be involved in research that will hopefully inspire future generations to see the power and beauty of STEM-related subjects. Apart from academics, I also look forward to continuing my extracurricular passions at UCLA. Among these are joining the UCLA Rubik’s Cube Club, Game Music Ensemble, and the Taiwanese American Student Association. I am excited to be surrounded by high-achieving, driven peers who are just as passionate for what they do as I am, and I am proud to represent the Taiwanese American community in my college years and beyond.