Faculty Portrait

Contact Information

Name: Dr. Timothy P. Fong

Title: Professor, Ethnic Studies / Director and Principal Investigator, Full Circle Project

Office Location: Amador Hall 462B

Email: tfong01@csus.edu

Office Phone: (916) 278-7570

Mailing Address: Sacramento State University 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6122

Office Hours: Wednesdays 9-11 am. Link to schedule appointments on EAB: https://csus.campus.eab.com/student/appointments/new

Courses I teach

  • ETHN 11 Introduction to Ethnic Studies
  • ETHN 100 Ethnic America
  • ETHN 110 Asian American Experience
  • ETHN 112 Contemporary Asian American Issues
  • ETHN 113 Asian American Communities
  • ETHN 133 Multicultural Aging

Professional Biography

Dr. Timothy P. Fong is Professor of Ethnic Studies at California State University, Sacramento. Dr. Fong received his doctorate in Ethnic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. His research specialty areas include comparative race and ethnic relations, contemporary immigration, politics and public policy, community studies, higher education equity and student engagement, and qualitative methodology (ethnography and oral history).

Dr. Fong is the Project Director and Principal Investigator for the Full Circle Project (FCP) funded by the U.S. Department of Education. FCP is a comprehensive approach to implement a strategically focused, campus-wide effort to improve retention and graduation rates of underrepresented Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students. FCP aims to assist AAPI students throughout his or her entire college careers, and provide ample opportunities to engage in service both on and off campus to enhance their university experience.

Along with FCP, Dr. Fong is co-Principal Investigator (with Dr. Jana Noel, Dr. Su Jin Jez, and Dr. Jacqueline Brooks) for the Pathways Fellows Program first funded in 2016 by the Institute of Education Sciences. This program successfully supports undergraduate students and recent alumni, nearly all of them underrepresented minorities, to pursue graduate and doctoral studies in educational research. Sacramento State is one of only six universities nationally to receive this funding.

Dr. Fong has helped bring in over $16 million in grant funds and other resources for the university to enhance research and student support.

In October 2022 Dr. Fong was named one of the Sacramento Bee's Top 25 AAPI Change Makers, and is in Class XVII of the American Leadership Forum (ALF). ALF is a non-profit organization, national in scope, dedicated to joining and strengthening diverse, influential leaders to better serve the public good. It enhances leadership capacity by building on the strengths of diversity, understanding and leveraging of differences, and by promoting collaborative problem-solving within and among communities. Dr. Fong also serves as a facilitator with the New Leadership Academy (NLA) Fellows Program at the University of Utah. NLA was previously hosted at the University of Michigan. 

He is on the AANAPISI Steering Committee with APIA Scholars. He is also a Faculty Affiliate and ELEVATE presenter with Center for Minority Serving Institutions at Rutgers University. In addition, Dr. Fong was a Steering Committee member of the California State University Asian American & Pacific Islander Initiative.  The steering committee advised the Chancellor's Office on Asian American & Pacific Islander issues, provides direction to the CSU AAPI Initiative's programs on campus, and develops long-term strategies designed to increase the number of students who attend and succeed in college.

Dr. Fong has written and edited several books (see Publications below) and has presented at numerous professional conferences across the nation and internationally.  He was also the editor of the Critical Perspectives on Asian Pacific Americans Series published by AltaMira Press (a division of Roman & Littlefield). The Series presented books that are theoretically engaging, comparative, and multidisciplinary. Special emphasis is placed on works that reflect contemporary concerns critically important to understanding and empowering Asian Pacific Americans.

Click HERE for video profile.

Books and Reports

“Asian American Studies Now: Contemporary Opportunities and Challenges in Higher Education." A special two-volume issue of AAPI Nexus edited by Timothy P. Fong, Jocelyn Pacleb, and Yvonne Kwan (University of California, Los Angeles: Asian American Studies Center, 2024).

"Models of Change: AANAPISIs in Action" (18: 1& 2), special double volume of AAPI Nexus, edited by Timothy P. Fong, Dina C. Maramba, and Mike Nguyen (Los Angeles: UCLA Asian American Studies Center, 2022).

Transformative Practices for Minority Student Success: Accomplishments of Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), edited by  Dina C. Maramba and Timothy P. Fong (Stylus Publishers, 2020).

A Community Survey Profile of Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders in Sacramento (2019).

Ethnic Studies Research: Approaches and Perspectives, edited by Timothy P. Fong (Alta Mira Press, 2008).

The Contemporary Asian American Experience: Beyond the Model Minority, Third Edition (Prentice Hall, 2007).

Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Sacramento: A Community Profile, 2000 and Beyond (2006).

The Contemporary Asian American Experience: Beyond the Model Minority, 2nd Edition (Prentice Hall, 2002).

Asian Americans: Experiences and Perspectives, edited by Timothy P. Fong and Larry H. Shinagawa (Prentice Hall, 2000).

The Contemporary Asian American Experience: Beyond the Model Minority, First Edition (Prentice Hall, 1998).

The First Suburban Chinatown: The Remaking of Monterey Park, California (Temple University Press, 1994). Association for Asian American Studies National Book Award Winner!

Contemporary Racialization in the United States (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, forthcoming).
Ethnic Studies Research: Approaches and Perspectives, edited by Timothy P. Fong (Walnut Creek, CA: Alta Mira Press, 2008).
The Contemporary Asian American Experience: Beyond the Model Minority (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2007).
Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Sacramento: A Community Profile, 2000 and Beyond (2006).
The Contemporary Asian American Experience: Beyond the Model Minority, 2nd Edition (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002).
Asian Americans: Experiences and Perspectives, edited by Timothy P. Fong and Larry H. Shinagawa (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2000).
The Contemporary Asian American Experience: Beyond the Model Minority (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1998).
The First Suburban Chinatown: The Remaking of Monterey Park, California (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1994).Association for Asian American Studies National Book Award Winner!

In the News

"Sac State will lead new center to support Asian American students throughout the CSU" (April 11, 2023)

"Leadership, determintion and Advocacy: Sacramento Bee's 2022 Top AAPI Change Makers" (October 26, 2022)

"At Sac State town hall, panelists including California Secretary of State call for urgency, voter participation" (September 30, 2022)

"AANAPISIs Have Supported Students for 15 Years" (September 27, 2022)

"The Struggle for Dual Identity: MSI Grant Restrictions" (May 13, 2022)

"AANAPISIs-Big Impact" (May 4, 2022)

"'A chance to succeed:' On its 10th anniversary, Full Circle Project's impact on APIDA students is clear" (February 28, 2022).

"Sac State AAPI students and faculty call for more resources" (November 22, 2021)

"Sac State receives $2 million federal grant" (September 30, 2021)

"Program to increase diversity in education research receives $1.37" (September 1, 2021)

"Sacramento State professor reacts to violence against Asian American community" (March 19, 2021)

"'You should still be working to build bridges' | How to be a better ally to communities of color" (March 18, 2021)

"Sacramento Leaders Demand Change, Call Attention To Hate Against Asian American Women" (March 17, 2021)

"We Have Been Targeted" (March 17, 2021)

"Racists are increasingly targeting Asians" (March 1, 2021) 

"AANAPISI Week spotlights important Sac State population" (September 30, 2020)

"Controversy over 'Chinese Coronavirus' Tweet" (March 12, 2020)

"Sacramento Asian American Communities Wary of Potential Coronavirus-related Xenophobia" (February 28, 2020)

"Sacramento State's Full Circle Project" (November 13, 2019)

"It's AANAPISI week: Here's how it helps low-income Asian Americans and Pacific Islander students" (September 28, 2019)

"Mural goes up at Sacramento State" (August 20, 2019)

"Sac State report profiles Asian Americans in Sacramento" (March 26, 2019)

"Institutionalizing Programs at AANAPISIs is Essential" (October 1, 2017)

"In celebrating King, we must overcome divisive policy changes" (January 16, 2017)

"$1.75 million grant to prepare transfer students for careers" (December 8, 2016)

"Sac State lands nearly $900,000 for new student research" (June 8, 2016)

"Full Circle Project aims to boost graduation rates" (October 15, 2015)

"Asian students need aid, too" (October 14, 2015)

"Full Circle Project-Sacramento State" (September, 2015)

"Full Circle Initiative Helps AAPI Students Close Gaps" (April 13, 2015)

"First program to provide Asian American and Pacific Islander students with resources" (April, 2014)

"Sac State To Host Journey to Success Fair" (July 31, 2013)

"Sac State wins federal opportunity grant" (October 7, 2011)

"U.S. takes halting steps toward a post-racial era" (January 19, 2009)

"Mr. Yunioshi destined to be classroom topic" (August 28, 2008)

"Campus unveils new Tea Room and Garden" (June 5, 2007)

"Robert Matsui's legacy lives on in digital archive" (February 19, 2007)

"University Library receives treasure trove of Southeast Asian cultural history" (February 5, 2007)

"Study finds Asian Americans in Sacramento face high poverty rates" (May 23, 2006)