In the late 19th century, Asians were seen as foreigners who were called the "yellow peril" by Americans because they were seen "as perpetual foreigners who threatened the U.S. economy, society, and nation" (Tzu-Chun Wu, 2017, p. 1). Eventually, the model minority myth was coined and referenced as "Asians comprise the racial minority group that has ''made it'' in America through hard work and education, and therefore serve as a model for other racial minorities to follow" (Wing, 2007, p. 456). Presently, the model minority myth has continued to marginalize Asian Americans and the umbrella term of being "Asian" taints every subgroup (Pak et al., 2014). This project provides insight into the perspectives of two Asian subgroups, Vietnamese Americans and Filipino/a Americans, on the model minority myth and the lack of representation of Asians in higher education. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. The findings include a discussion of parental immigration and refugee narratives and show that colonization has influenced language acquisition and career stereotypes. Participants discussed the confusion with self-identity, acclimation, and experiences of racism and discrimination. Additional themes are the American Dream, new adjustments to the United States, and an urge for a sense of community. These findings indicate the need for more research on first-generation Asian Americans, the effects of the model minority on new generations, and how to increase Asian American leadership in higher education institutions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]