Surprise! Student learns of study abroad scholarship

A representative from The Education Abroad Network came up from Chicago to present Mount Mary student Zoua Pa Yang with a full scholarship for a seven-week study abroad experience at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs at Chiang Mai University in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Zoua Pa Yang, a Mount Mary junior studying art therapy, is the daughter of first-generation Hmong immigrants who arrived as refugees. She is a Grace Scholar and a member of the Promise Program. She plans to study abroad in Thailand during the summer term in 2019.

This award was presented in celebration of International Education Week Nov. 12 to 16, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department nov_zoua_pa_yang_study_abroad_award.jpgof State (Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs) and the U.S. Department of Education. Her application was selected from over 300 applicants.

With a student body at Mount Mary that’s at least 40 percent first-generation college students, and 55 percent Pell Grant eligible, studying abroad can often seem out of reach to some students, which is why a full-ride scholarship such as provided by TEAN makes such an impact for our students,” said Mount Mary’s Director of International Studies Nan Metzger. “Zoua Pa Yang will be able to earn credits that count towards graduation and grow both personally and professionally.”

Yang is part of both the Asian Student Organization and the Student Art Therapy Program (SATA), and has worked in the Admissions Office as a Student Ambassador. Currently, Yang serves as the treasurer of ASO and this group is volunteering to create a clothes drive to donate to a local non-profit organization, the Hmong American Women’s Association (HAWA).

Her commitment to service includes dedication time to Hmong dancing and volunteering at several places, including the Holiday Folk Fair. She is also an active member in the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. Additionally, Yang has also interned at the Milwaukee Art Museum to collaborate with students of diverse backgrounds to promote cultural diversity and cultural acceptance.