Moraine Park Technical College Blog - Imagine What's Next
  • Moraine Park Technical College
    • Login
Moraine Park Technical College Blog - Imagine What's Next
IT & Web

Finding Purpose Through Community

Mina Vang-Xiong was married at 17 and graduated from Fond du Lac High School in 2005. She went on to pursue nursing at UW-Oshkosh, later becoming a certified ophthalmic assistant. After seven years and having three children, she felt a pull to spend more time with her family and in her community.

“I wanted to be able to spend more time with my children,” Vang-Xiong said. “In the medical field, I
knew I wouldn’t be able to live the life I wanted. Information Technology (IT) is something learnable and will allow me to be more flexible. I know that after I graduate, I’ll be able to work in any industry I want, and I am really excited about my future.”

Vang-Xiong enrolled in Moraine Park’s dual-degree IT program in spring 2020 and will graduate in 2022 with both IT Network Specialist and IT Technical Support Specialist associate degrees. After graduating, her future goals include getting a job at an IT company and working toward a bachelor’s degree.

By enrolling at Moraine Park, Vang-Xiong found not only more time to spend with her family, but also more time to engage with her communities. She is vice president of Moraine Park’s Fond du Lac Student Senate, president of the IT Club, a member of Phi Theta Kappa Academic Honor Society and had the opportunity to work with Moraine Park’s IT department as a technical support assistant.

“Being involved and volunteering is an emotional experience that allows me to be more aware of
the needs in my community,” Vang-Xiong said. “I believe when schools, parents and communities partner together, great things can happen in the lives of children and young adults.”

Outside of Moraine Park she volunteers at her children’s school events, engages with her local Hmong community and enjoys practicing her hobbies of fruit carving and baking. Recently, she was awarded a Bronze MPTC Student Impact Award for completing more than 25 hours of volunteer work.

“Stepping outside of my job and into volunteering has given me the chance to learn new professional skills while sharpening others including public speaking, managing teams, fundraising and coordinating events,” she said.

Vang-Xiong’s proudest moment was volunteering as a traditional Hmong dance instructor with the Fond du Lac Nkauj Hmoob Kaj Siab dance team to help younger generations learn more about
their culture, become more engaged in their community and build self-esteem.

“Career transitions are like onions,” Vang-Xiong said. “They are complex and there is usually more to them than what we see on the surface. This career switch has kept me on my toes, and this new chapter in life has created a network of new relationships, broader access to new information, career advice and community support.”

Read more stories like Mina’s in our Spring 2022 NEXT Magazine.

May 31, 2022by Emilie Wilson

Follow us on social media

Categories

Achievement Administration Adult Education Alumni Auto & Transportation Business Career Center Clubs & Organizations College Communications Community Engagement Construction and Renovations Cosmetology Criminal Justice Culinary & Foods District Board Diversity Early Childhood Education ELL EWD Faculty and Staff Fair Trade Financial Aid Foundation General Education Graphics and Design Health Careers & Wellness Hired Before Graduation Human Services International Education IT & Web Manufacturing Marketing Natural Resources NEWERA New Student Welcome NTO Phi Theta Kappa Service Learning Student Life Student Services & Support Throwbacks Trades Uncategorized Veterans Video

RSS From our Newsroom

Recent Comments

  • Nancy Esposito on Culinary Students Hold “Chopped” competition
  • Mary Vogl-Rauscher on Passing on the Warmth
  • Kim Schwamn on Moraine Park Students Donate to Operation Christmas Child
  • Beau Gellings on EWD Welding Instructor – Dan Zoschke
  • Mike Gradinjan on Keeping the Lights On- Brad Hetzel
  • Becky Melo on Culinary’s Egg Bread Recipe!
  • Mary Koffman on Culinary’s Egg Bread Recipe!

Latest Tweets

  • Parents, we know your summer schedules fill up fast. Now is the time to register your child for Tech Knowledge Coll… https://t.co/VA9NzRSQmT12 days ago
  • Only one week until the start of the spring semester! Here a few tips that will help ensure a successful semester:… https://t.co/2hFG2rCTyQ14 days ago
  • Would you consider yourself a technology enthusiast? Let’s take your love of technology and turn into to a rewardin… https://t.co/7NFm5o87SM17 days ago

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

"Growing minds, businesses and communities through innovative learning experiences."

© 2021 copyright Moraine Park Technical College // All rights reserved //
imagine what's next