College
Department
My family are refugees from Laos and Thailand. They were resettled in Modesto in 1986 and eventually moved to Fresno where I was born. As a child of refugees who viewed education as the ultimate path to social mobility and freedom, I took my education seriously but also found liberation in higher education as a Hmong American woman and first-generation student. My goal as an educator is to help students navigate the educational system, gain opportunities and experiences, and (re)write their own narratives.
I received my BA in sociology and psychology as well as a master’s in public administration from CSU Fresno. I recently received my Ph.D. in sociology from UC Merced. I am excited to be back in the CSU system, this time as a professor. My research interests are in the areas of education, race and ethnicity, Asian Americans, public policies, and social stratification. More specifically, I examine how colleges and universities shape various aspects of students’ lives from ethnic-racial identities to their post-baccalaureate pathways. I am also interested in research focusing on the Hmong community as a refugee community as well as the lives of Hmong women.