Fresno State, along with campuses across the California State University system, are building a coordinated and culturally-grounded/relevant student success model for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students, according to the 2026 annual report and program evaluation report for the CSU Chancellor’s Office.

The reports, published in March, highlight the activities and initiatives CSU universities have implemented or plan to implement using annual CSU Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Student Achievement Program state allocations.

In 2025, Fresno State received a $1.75 million allocation through the program to provide culturally responsive support for Asian and Pacific Islander students and other underrepresented groups.

At the center of this work at Fresno State is Bulldog Scholars, established by Dr. Shimel Her Saychou through the former Southeast Asian Student Success Center. It builds on the CSU goals for holistic support through cohort-based programming, mentorship and structured student engagement. The program brings together academic advising, peer, staff and faculty mentorship, as well as community building to strengthen persistence, retention and belonging towards completion.

In the past year, the Fresno State team, led by Drs. Shimel Her Saychou and Jenny Banh, also did the following:

• Planned the second annual AANHPI Student Leadership Conference in spring 2026.
• Hired research assistants.
• Supported the Asian American and Asian Studies major.
• Launched the Bulldog Scholars Peer Mentorship program.
• Conducted a follow up report to the findings of the Asian Pacific Americans in the CSU: A Follow-up Report (August 1994) to assess where the CSU system currently stands in relation to Asian Pacific American students, faculty and staff, including both ongoing challenges and areas of progress.

The team built a Qualtrics registration form with pre- and post-evaluation questions on leadership and are building a data pipeline to evaluate retention, graduation and dropout rates. Future plans include collecting registration data through Qualtrics to inform program improvements and planning, to expand program capacity and to continue supporting student success and belonging.

The program evaluation report, conducted by WestEd, pointed out Fresno State’s broader implementation efforts, which include:

• Culturally responsive learning communities that integrate AANHPI histories and perspectives into academic and co-curricular experiences.
• Expanded mentorship structures connecting students with faculty, staff, peers and alums.
• Intentional community building through student organizations, engagement networks, and cultural programming.
• Investment in student success infrastructure, including advising and coordinated support systems.

“Together, these efforts show Fresno State moving toward a more integrated model that supports student success through early alert approaches in academic support, cultural identity and a strong sense of belonging,” Her Saychou said, “while also building data systems and reports to identify gaps and opportunities, leveraging existing infrastructures to better support students, and using data proactively to anticipate needs and provide guidance before challenges emerge.”