To my Professors, my Mentors, my Advisors, and the Amazing People that I have met along the way,
I am writing to express my appreciation for your contribution to one of the biggest accomplishments in my life. I was given the privilege to be taught or guided by you, some a few, some only once. Ever so, this privilege not only enabled a clear direction for me to follow but also a better future for my family. This was one big goal of mine, and it was a goal that many thought not possible especially with starting a family. Now that I've finished my one of many chapters, I start anew, to embark yet another journey ― a new beginning.
Thank you for your commitment to my success not only in education but also in life ―for challenging me in ways I never thought possible. It is individuals like you who make it possible for my husband and I to both complete our degrees together. As a first-generation Hmong-American student, this accomplishment is as much yours, as it is mine. It is ours. We did it!
―Gao Hmong Xiong, HIMT Graduate
Photo: Our little family, UW-Green Bay Commencement, 2022. Children: Aubree, Greyson and Ellie.
Inset: My husband and I at his Commencement, UW-Milwaukee, 2022.