Committed to the Cause EMERGING SCHOLARS A s a child of Vietnam War refugees, Dr. Soua Xiong “I love the opportunity to work directly with our students to always wanted to make his parents proud. create the change that we collectively would like to see in the To do so, he sought the route of higher education in program,” says Xiong. hopes of being able to financially support his family. Dr. J. Luke Wood, associate vice president for faculty “[Attending college diversity and inclusion and distinguished meant] that all of their professor of education at San Diego sacrifices to get us State University, described Xiong as one here were not just for of the most “hardworking, driven and nothing,” says Xiong, passionate” people he has ever met. assistant professor in “His level of impact at such an early the student affairs and stage in his career is really not comparable college counseling to most others in the field …,” he adds. program at California “To see him go off to Fresno State and State University, Fresno. get a tenure-track position. And continue Being a first-generation to do the work, even though he has an college student, he incredibly high responsibility load in relied on TRIO and terms of teaching and administrative other federally funded work. Very proud of him. Very proud of programs to finish his the work he has done.” degree. Throughout his career, Xiong has Therefore, upon participated in several fellowship graduation, Xiong programs and was the past-president became an outreach of the California College Personnel recruiter for the Association, the California chapter College Assistance of ACPA-College Student Educators Migrant Program at International. Fresno State. He aimed to “pay it forward” by Dr. Soua Xiong remaining involved in the Education: Assistant Professor, Student Affairs and College Counseling Program, California State University, Fresno. assistance programs that had Age: 35 previously benefited him. Xiong went on to serve in various academic Education: B.A., psychology, California State University, Fresno; M.S., counseling, advising and counseling positions for TRIO California State University, Fresno; Ph.D., education, Claremont Graduate University joint with San Diego State University. programs, where he worked with both high Career mentors: Dr. J. Luke Wood, San Diego State University; Dr. Song E. Lee, school and community college students California State University, Fresno; Dr. Sarah K. Y. Lam, California State University, intending to further their education. Fresno. “It has been very gratifying to see and Words of wisdom/advice for new faculty members: “Be you. Be yourself and don’t be able to support students along their lose yourself in academia. Do you. Do work that matters to you.” academic journey,” he says. After 10 years in student affairs, Xiong shifted his focus to research while completing a master’s He has also received a number of accolades including the degree at Fresno State and doctorate at Claremont Graduate Hsiao-Min Wang Award at Claremont Graduate University University joint with San Diego State University. and the Outstanding Dedication to Professional Service His ongoing research has focused on student success, Award from the American College Personnel Association engagement of male students of color and support services for Coalition for Graduate Students and New Professionals. underserved students and community colleges. As a Hmong faculty member, Xiong hopes to be a “My research helps to reframe and better understand the “role model” and “inspiration” for other underrepresented conditions that are needed in order for students to utilize the individuals or students aspiring to work at a college or services that we claim that we have on campus,” says Xiong. university. “If students are not aware of it, how do we as an institution or “Oftentimes, we do not see, especially in the academy, as practitioners focus on access to information and so forth?” faculty who may look like us or share similar backgrounds to Remaining close to his alma mater Fresno State, Xiong us,” he says. “But there are some that are continuing to pave became an assistant professor in 2018. A year later, he was the way and that it is possible, even though it might seem like also named coordinator of the university’s Student Affairs a long career trajectory and pathway to get to it.” D — Sarah Wood and College Counseling Program. January 2 1 , 2021 | Diverse 29 www.diverseeducation.com
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