Juan Villa / The Collegian
Just a generation or two ago, the face of Fresno State̢۪s student body was predominantly white. In the last twenty years alone, the ethnic face of Fresno State has changed dramatically.
The numbers reflect that more minority students are taking advantage of all that Fresno State has to offer. Paul Oliaro, Ph.D., the dean of Student Affairs, said that, including those listed in the “otherâ€Â category, Fresno State is now comprised of 63 percent non-Caucasian students. He said he would not be surprised to see the number go up 70 percent within the next five years.
The changing attitude of minority families toward higher education accounts for much of the growth. Many efforts are now made to educate parents on the importance of college.
Fresno State funds a program called Parents Interested in Quality Education (PIQE), which puts parents of elementary school age children through a nine-week seminar that teaches them how to assist their children in their education. PIQE teaches parents skills to help students study, which high school classes students need to take to go to college, financial aid and the admissions process.
“Parents have the tools to be able to raise the aspiration levels for their children,â€Â Oliaro said. “So their children … can see college as a real possibility. Otherwise they don’t even think about it.â€Â
According to Fresno State̢۪s Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning (IRAP) office, the percentage of Asian students on campus alone has nearly tripled in the last two decades from 6.6 percent of the student body in 1985 to 15.6 percent in 2007.
Much of the Asian student body is comprised of Hmong women. What was once thought of as a rebellion is now more of the norm as the number of Hmong women attending college is on the rise.
Traditionally, the Hmong culture is a patriarchal society where males hold a higher position and are given more freedoms than females. Girls are expected to marry young – often before finishing high school – and have sons for the family. Now, young Hmong women are viewing college as a good alternative to starting families.
Vicky Xiong, a Fresno State alumna, remembers feeling insulted upon hearing men in her family joking that the women would get birth certificates before a college degree.
“I know that in the Hmong culture at the time I was going to college, a lot of the men believed we belonged in the homes,â€Â Xiong said. “I wasn’t going to let that tie me down.â€Â
Xiong began college in 1991, at a time when most Hmong women – including many of her friends – were skipping college in lieu of marriage. Xiong decided to do both. She married young but attended college with her husband, even having her first child during her sophomore year.
She said both her family and her husband were very supportive of her decision because they were more open-minded to views outside the Hmong tradition.
“I was the first in the family [to go to college] and they were very excited,â€Â Xiong said.
Xiong graduated with her teaching credential in 1996, and uses her position as the only Hmong teacher at Cole Elementary in Clovis to reach out to families in her community regarding education. When Xiong was given an opportunity to teach in the Fresno Unified School District, where there are more Hmong students, she felt that she needed to stay for her students in the Clovis Unified School District.
“Even though I’ve always been the only Hmong teacher at every school site, I’ve always felt privileged and respected,â€Â Xiong said. “I was reaching out to the Hmong kids, showing them that if I can do it, they can do it too.â€Â
Xiong said she recommends Fresno State to her family members and her community.
“I had a really good experience there,â€Â she said. “[It’s] somewhere close to home that they could go to and still get an education and be close to your home and community.â€Â
Oliaro believes students are at an advantage when Fresno State reflects the diversity of California.
“Our responsibility is not only to prepare students in the basic liberal arts disciplines but also to prepare them to be able to interact and work with people who are different from themselves,â€Â Oliaro said.
ksv • Apr 22, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I thought this article was going to be about how the face of CSU Fresno has changed. It is not a very well written piece. It started out on the right track but lost its way.
ksv • Apr 22, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I thought this article was going to be about how the face of CSU Fresno has changed. It is not a very well written piece. It started out on the right track but lost its way.
ksv • Apr 22, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I thought this article was going to be about how the face of CSU Fresno has changed. It is not a very well written piece. It started out on the right track but lost its way.
wL • Apr 16, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I agree with one of the comments above. Isnt this article supposed to be about DIVERSITY at Fresno State and how minority statistics have grown in the university education system??? That should be viewed as POSITIVE thing – not a highlight or disadvantage weighed upon the traditions of ethnic minorities.
The only thing I see in this artcle is viewing the Hmong culture and the disadvantages the culture has for women not having an education. Special note to the editor: broaden your horizen BEFORE you write about anything that can be that sensitive. Why necessarily point on the Hmong culture?? Now that you have though, why not try writing an article for every single ethnic background that is considered a minority including the category “other”.
wL • Apr 16, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I agree with one of the comments above. Isnt this article supposed to be about DIVERSITY at Fresno State and how minority statistics have grown in the university education system??? That should be viewed as POSITIVE thing – not a highlight or disadvantage weighed upon the traditions of ethnic minorities.
The only thing I see in this artcle is viewing the Hmong culture and the disadvantages the culture has for women not having an education. Special note to the editor: broaden your horizen BEFORE you write about anything that can be that sensitive. Why necessarily point on the Hmong culture?? Now that you have though, why not try writing an article for every single ethnic background that is considered a minority including the category “other”.
wL • Apr 16, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I agree with one of the comments above. Isnt this article supposed to be about DIVERSITY at Fresno State and how minority statistics have grown in the university education system??? That should be viewed as POSITIVE thing – not a highlight or disadvantage weighed upon the traditions of ethnic minorities.
The only thing I see in this artcle is viewing the Hmong culture and the disadvantages the culture has for women not having an education. Special note to the editor: broaden your horizen BEFORE you write about anything that can be that sensitive. Why necessarily point on the Hmong culture?? Now that you have though, why not try writing an article for every single ethnic background that is considered a minority including the category “other”.
Johnsvang • Apr 11, 2008 at 7:52 am
I am really just pointing out the facts from my point of view. I never said that we should ignore the problems, i simply said that the problems are getting better and that kimbos point of view is somewhat ignorant as are some of the others on this post.
Johnsvang • Apr 11, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I am really just pointing out the facts from my point of view. I never said that we should ignore the problems, i simply said that the problems are getting better and that kimbos point of view is somewhat ignorant as are some of the others on this post.
Johnsvang • Apr 11, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I am really just pointing out the facts from my point of view. I never said that we should ignore the problems, i simply said that the problems are getting better and that kimbos point of view is somewhat ignorant as are some of the others on this post.
Chest Rockwell • Apr 10, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Goddammit! Why do we have to paint a glowing portrait of problems various ethnic (white included) communities have? Let’s just sweep all the unsavory details under the rug and act like domestic violence and other issues don’t exist. Being blind to social problems and unattainable social norms held by certain racial and ethic groups doesn’t change crap. John S. Vang, please allow questions to be asked without dropping the ‘socially insensitive’ claim on Kimbo. And how do you know he’s not Hmong and using the alias of the MMA star?
Chest Rockwell • Apr 10, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Goddammit! Why do we have to paint a glowing portrait of problems various ethnic (white included) communities have? Let’s just sweep all the unsavory details under the rug and act like domestic violence and other issues don’t exist. Being blind to social problems and unattainable social norms held by certain racial and ethic groups doesn’t change crap. John S. Vang, please allow questions to be asked without dropping the ‘socially insensitive’ claim on Kimbo. And how do you know he’s not Hmong and using the alias of the MMA star?
Chest Rockwell • Apr 10, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Goddammit! Why do we have to paint a glowing portrait of problems various ethnic (white included) communities have? Let’s just sweep all the unsavory details under the rug and act like domestic violence and other issues don’t exist. Being blind to social problems and unattainable social norms held by certain racial and ethic groups doesn’t change crap. John S. Vang, please allow questions to be asked without dropping the ‘socially insensitive’ claim on Kimbo. And how do you know he’s not Hmong and using the alias of the MMA star?
johnsvang • Apr 10, 2008 at 1:42 pm
This article is suppose to be about the ethnic change upon the CSU Fresno campus yet it ends up being an attack upon the hmong culture. I think the authors of the collegian need to go out and get a broader view of things and not resort to such shameless propaganda.
johnsvang • Apr 10, 2008 at 8:42 pm
This article is suppose to be about the ethnic change upon the CSU Fresno campus yet it ends up being an attack upon the hmong culture. I think the authors of the collegian need to go out and get a broader view of things and not resort to such shameless propaganda.
johnsvang • Apr 10, 2008 at 8:42 pm
This article is suppose to be about the ethnic change upon the CSU Fresno campus yet it ends up being an attack upon the hmong culture. I think the authors of the collegian need to go out and get a broader view of things and not resort to such shameless propaganda.
johnsvang • Apr 10, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Kimbo T. Slyce you should do your research before you retort the many hmong in the central valley. Things have changed in the hmong community as a whole. Marrying young is in the past. Most girls get married after high school now because they are infactuated not because their parent force them to. Hmong women arent oppressed as you may think being a non hmong. Yes there are still many who do follow the old ways, but there are even more whom have left the old ways behind and have conformed to the hypocritical culture we call the american culture. As far as marrying within thier race, why not. there is nothing wrong with that. I would like to also point out that there are many hmong women whom marry outside the race and when they do it is not a big deal within the hmong community. Marrying within a race is not just a hmong thing, mind you hispanics, whites, blacks and other races do as well. I believe its primary purpose is to conserve a cultural heritage from being assimilated into the mainstream.
johnsvang • Apr 10, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Kimbo T. Slyce you should do your research before you retort the many hmong in the central valley. Things have changed in the hmong community as a whole. Marrying young is in the past. Most girls get married after high school now because they are infactuated not because their parent force them to. Hmong women arent oppressed as you may think being a non hmong. Yes there are still many who do follow the old ways, but there are even more whom have left the old ways behind and have conformed to the hypocritical culture we call the american culture. As far as marrying within thier race, why not. there is nothing wrong with that. I would like to also point out that there are many hmong women whom marry outside the race and when they do it is not a big deal within the hmong community. Marrying within a race is not just a hmong thing, mind you hispanics, whites, blacks and other races do as well. I believe its primary purpose is to conserve a cultural heritage from being assimilated into the mainstream.
johnsvang • Apr 10, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Kimbo T. Slyce you should do your research before you retort the many hmong in the central valley. Things have changed in the hmong community as a whole. Marrying young is in the past. Most girls get married after high school now because they are infactuated not because their parent force them to. Hmong women arent oppressed as you may think being a non hmong. Yes there are still many who do follow the old ways, but there are even more whom have left the old ways behind and have conformed to the hypocritical culture we call the american culture. As far as marrying within thier race, why not. there is nothing wrong with that. I would like to also point out that there are many hmong women whom marry outside the race and when they do it is not a big deal within the hmong community. Marrying within a race is not just a hmong thing, mind you hispanics, whites, blacks and other races do as well. I believe its primary purpose is to conserve a cultural heritage from being assimilated into the mainstream.
Jizabel • Apr 10, 2008 at 1:30 am
Is this article supposed to complement the brain drain article? If so, that is just racist. Shame on you Collegian, shame.
Jizabel • Apr 10, 2008 at 8:30 am
Is this article supposed to complement the brain drain article? If so, that is just racist. Shame on you Collegian, shame.
Jizabel • Apr 10, 2008 at 8:30 am
Is this article supposed to complement the brain drain article? If so, that is just racist. Shame on you Collegian, shame.
Kimbo T. Slyce • Apr 9, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Going to FSU doesn’t change the fact that these Hmong women are still oppressed. Having to marry inside the race, having to start a family early, and having to put one’s dreams aside are pretty horrible truths—–a college degree doesn’t fix that archaic mindset. A wholesale change needs to take place. Great that the Hmong helped us in Nam, but when you come to the states, self-determination should win out.
Kimbo T. Slyce • Apr 10, 2008 at 6:08 am
Going to FSU doesn’t change the fact that these Hmong women are still oppressed. Having to marry inside the race, having to start a family early, and having to put one’s dreams aside are pretty horrible truths—–a college degree doesn’t fix that archaic mindset. A wholesale change needs to take place. Great that the Hmong helped us in Nam, but when you come to the states, self-determination should win out.
Kimbo T. Slyce • Apr 10, 2008 at 6:08 am
Going to FSU doesn’t change the fact that these Hmong women are still oppressed. Having to marry inside the race, having to start a family early, and having to put one’s dreams aside are pretty horrible truths—–a college degree doesn’t fix that archaic mindset. A wholesale change needs to take place. Great that the Hmong helped us in Nam, but when you come to the states, self-determination should win out.