Hmong Education Scholarship

2009-2010 Recipients

Namalie Tiffany Yang is a senior at Whitefish Bay High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.  Tiffany produces and presents news for Gumbo T.V, a television show by teens for teens.  She has traveled to Laos and Thailand to bring much needed school supplies to children in these two countries.  She started a charity called The Give Me Hope Project to raise funds to build well and water irrigation systems in Hmong villages in Laos.  She is actively involved in her church, and is a member of the National Honors Society and Asian Club. 

Within the next five years, my main goal is to obtain a master’s degree in journalism and begin a career in the media industry....Life often throws you curve balls, but I look at those times as a test of my character…overcoming obstacles is not what I will do to prevail but how I will deal with those issues in order to better those around me and more importantly, myself.

Andrea Vang is currently enrolled at Patrick Henry High School in St. Paul, Minnesota.  She serves as a mentor and role model for younger girls through her volunteerships at Big Brother Big Sister and Noble Workshop Salvation Army Corps.  She was the 2008 recipient of the Vision Award for her leadership at Big Brothers Big Sisters.  She was the 2008 recipient of the KARE 11 Academic All Star, recognizing her for her academic accomplishments.

…my entire life, I have been drawn to the world of science.  I was and am still fascinated by how the world beyond Earth works…I want to be an astronaut or physicist.  However, this won’t be easy.  Growing up in a family of nine, I will be the first one to go to college…my experiences will pave the way for my sisters and brothers.  My parents look forward to me becoming a doctor or a lawyer…I find myself struggling between my parents’ goals for me and my own.

Pa Vue is graduate student at Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at the University of California Santa Barbara.  Her emphasis is cultural perspectives and comparative education and applied linguistics.  Pa is dedicated not only to her studies but her community as well.  As a student, she has contributed many volunteer hours to local community and student organizations to unite cultures and promote higher education. 

My thirst for more Hmong history was not quenched, my hunger for more Hmong literature was not appeased, and at long last, I realized that only I could contribute to that hunger.  I discovered that being Hmong in America meant always putting my foot forward when no one else will, always taking that extra step when everyone else is just talking about it.   One of my goals is to create new programs that will assist underprivileged student with their literacy development. 

Bruce Thao is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He is currently a graduate student at the University of Chicago studying social work.  He was a Jesuit Volunteer Corps member and served as a Youth Services Advocate for the YWCA of Silicon Valley in San Jose, California.  He is committed to empowering marginalized youth and communities.  He is driven by his commitment to social justice and eradicating inequalities in education. 

 I am the first in my family to earn a bachelors or a masters degree and will be the first to earn a Ph.D. This road has been tumultuous and often lonely; I frequently felt that I was paving a road of my own…I have found strength in the struggles and hardships my family has endured.  In America, the opportunities to succeed are boundless; we must assist the Hmong youth of today in taking advantage of these opportunities.   

Pa Nhia Yang is a family social science graduate student at the University of Minnesota. Pa Nhia enriches her academic learning by participating in internships and community service projects.  She is currently the president of Phi Upsilon Omicron, a national honorary.  Previously, she served as the organizations vice president, giving leadership to professional service projects to help Hmong charter schools.  She was a participant of Hnub Tshiab Hmong Women’s Leadership Institute and is a board member for the Minnesota Council on Family Relations.