Meet Our New APIDA Amplified Team
Fullerton College is thrilled to introduce our Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi American (APIDA) Amplified team. The team is overseen by Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies and APIDA Amplified Project Director, Dr. Rosie Kar.
Together, they will manage the APIDA Amplified Student Center, which will open October 2024 and be located in Building 100, Room 121. The center aims to cultivate visibility, celebration and success for APIDA students on campus.
The APIDA Amplified team came together through the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) grant, a highly competitive federal grant awarded to the college in 2023. Fullerton College was also given the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Student Achievement Program as a supplemental grant to AANAPISI funds. Fullerton College’s central goal for obtaining this grant was to create a student resource center, along with three key initiatives that will help boost APIDA student joy and success:
- Increase persistence of APIDA students on campus and ensure students have a comprehensive education plan by their first year of enrollment
- Reduce disparities and refer students to basic needs programs on campus
- Increase graduation rates and sense of belonging for students on campus with exciting events, community-building experiences and more
Meet the new team and welcome them to the college’s inclusive and student-centered community.
Rosie Kar
Assistant Professor, Ethnic Studies
Project Director, APIDA Amplified Team
With nearly 20 years of teaching experience under her belt, Dr. Rosie Kar is proud to serve students as full-time faculty at Fullerton College. Dr. Kar is a second-generation South Asian American of Sindhi and Bengali ancestry. At Fullerton College, she teaches Asian Pacific Islander Desi American studies, Asian Pacific Islander Desi American history, women of color feminisms, contemporary social justice movements, popular culture and intro to women’s studies, and serves as an advisor to the APIDA Students club. She holds a bachelor’s in literatures of the world from University of California, San Diego, a master’s and a doctorate in comparative literature with an emphasis in feminist and Asian American studies from University of California, Santa Barbara. Kar was honored to be selected as Fullerton College’s 2023 Faculty of the Year.
Rachel Reyes
Special Projects Manager
Rachel Reyes earned their master’s in social work from California State University, Long Beach, their post-baccalaureate certificate in psychological sciences from the University of California, Irvine and their bachelor’s in electrical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. As a second-generation Filipino American, Reyes aims to uplift APIDA and all students of color at Fullerton College through culturally responsive programs that build and celebrate these communities. They previously served as a mental health clinician, master of social work intern at Long Beach City College. They continue to support the wellness of diverse and vibrant college student populations in their current role as APIDA Amplified special projects manager.
Camille Serrano
Project Coordinator and Social Media Manager
Camille Serrano is a queer woman of color with a background in advocacy nonprofits and political campaigns. During the 2022 election, Serrano assisted in social media for Beto O’Rourke and digital fundraising for Lina Hidalgo. Before campaigns, Serrano worked for IGNITE National, curating programs that encourage civic engagement among black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) women. Born and raised in Southern California, she is a Fullerton College alumnus who transferred to UCLA with a full scholarship. While at UCLA, Camille completed honors departmental research examining the performance of Filipina motherhood and its impact on the mental health of queer second-generation daughters. Currently, Serrano is earning her master’s in communication at Johns Hopkins University. As a proud Korean Pilipina, she is a firm believer in utilizing the digital space to mobilize and empower disenfranchised communities on the path to social change.
