Discover how the UW–Madison Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) is partnering with Madison College to build a thriving Hmong Studies program, cultivating cultural understanding and opening new academic pathways for students across Wisconsin.
A Growing Collaboration: Empowering Hmong Studies
As a Southeast Asia National Resource Center for over forty years, our center has been deeply involved in assisting community colleges across our state in developing stronger international studies and language instruction. For over twenty years, this outreach has included a close partnership with Madison College, making our area and language expertise available to its teachers and administrators across the upper Midwest.
Building on this long-standing relationship, our most recent undertaking is a four-year initiative to develop a comprehensive Hmong Studies program. This effort not only promotes understanding of Hmong history and culture but also formalizes these studies within the academic curriculum, directly scaling Madison College’s existing platform of Hmong community engagement and student support. To achieve this, CSEAS and Madison College brought together a wide array of stakeholders, including key departments like International Education, the School of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Asian Student Association.
During the first stage of the initiative in 2022, we conducted a workshop in collaboration with Madison College and the Center for South Asia titled, “The South and Southeast Asian Refugee Experience in Wisconsin.” Featuring presentations on memoirs, origin stories, Hmong rap, and accounts of Hmong, Vietnamese, and Afghan refugee experiences, the event provided ways for K-14 educators to integrate new content into their courses to engage students in understanding Wisconsin refugee histories.
The workshop continued conversations from “The Growing Crisis of Refugees and Statelessness” workshop of 2020, while offering new insights on unfolding events and optimistic perspectives on possibilities for the future.
In the next phase of the initiative, we collaborated with Madison College and the Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies Program in hosting a second workshop for community college and high school teachers in 2023 titled, “Refugees, Dehumanization & Re-humanization,” awarding Madison College’s Professional Development Certificate to 31 eligible educators.
Learning in Action
Our initiative believes in learning that extends beyond textbooks. These immersive experiences provide students with opportunities to engage directly with Hmong culture, history, and contemporary issues, fostering deeper understanding and connection.
In 2023 (and later in 2025), Madison College organized a regional experiential learning trip to Minneapolis for students and staff to visit the Hmong Museum and connect with peers and Hmong leaders in Minnesota.
Building for the Future: Charting a New Course Towards a Broader Asian Studies Program
- After the first two years of planning, in Spring 2024 Madison College offered a course for credit taught by UW-Madison graduate student Chundou Her, titled, “Intro to American Hmong Studies,” to address feelings of invisibility articulated by many Hmong students and to increase their representation in US higher education.
“I appreciate that Madison College offered this class and provided it for this community. There has been a lot of Hmong stuff happening around the college and I would like to see that grow in the future.” – Madison College student Nathan Xiong
- Following its highly positive reception, a new version taught by UW-Oshkosh Professor Chong Moua was offered in Summer 2025 as a 6-week Continuing Education course to prepare community college instructors to teach their own courses highlighting Hmong American culture and history.
Building on the success of the Hmong Studies Initiative, we are now exploring a significant next phase: supporting Madison College in developing a comprehensive Asian Studies program. This endeavor will create more pathways for students interested in the diversity of Asian cultures and societies. The expansion will likely involve continued collaboration with UW–Madison’s Center for South Asia, and potentially the Center for East Asian Studies, leveraging our collective expertise to build an interdisciplinary academic offering.
The strategic plan between Madison College and CSEAS has also included:
- Completion of a survey of Hmong alumni and community stakeholders about the need and design of Hmong Studies at Madison College
- Professional development of faculty to expand capacity for new units and courses in Hmong and Asian Studies
- Adding Madison College faculty and staff as Researchers within the Hmong Studies Consortium hosted by UW-Madison
- Development of pathways for Madison College students to enroll in UW–Madison Hmong Language study opportunities available through the SEASSI Summer Language Program and Hmong Studies in Thailand study abroad programs
- Implementation of an experiential learning travel program for a group of students to visit the Hmong Museum and other stakeholders in Minneapolis, MN
- Scaling of professional development by offering a Madison College Adult Continuing Education course on Bringing Hmong Studies into the Classroom and development of professional development microcredentials (badges) to certify faculty participation in relevant professional development trainings
Connect with the Hmong Studies Initiative
Interested in learning more about our ongoing work, future program developments, or how you can support these vital educational initiatives? Contact us to learn more!
Contact Information: seasia@seasia.wisc.edu
Madison College: https://madisoncollege.edu/about/news/madison-college-students-embrace-community-and-learning-new-hmong-american-studies-class