Metropolitan State University Hmong students assist Hmong refugees

They are familiar strangers. Hmong students from Metropolitan State University looked like the newly arrived immigrants they tutored in the Hmong Cultural Center (HCC) in St. Paul. But the cultural experiences of the two parties were about as far apart as the continents where they lived.

Chor Her was born in Laos and resided for many years at a refugee camp in Thailand. Her is one of several thousand Hmong refugees who were recently invited to live in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Pa Hua Her, a junior at Metropolitan State University and a second-generation Hmong has lived in the metropolitan area all her life. Pa Hua’s upbringing was strikingly different from Chor’s.

None of that mattered at the HCC class.

A determined Chor, one of about 30 students in the class, polished his English so he could earn his GED and improve his chances of passing a citizenship exam. Students—as part of their “service learning” offered through a spring semester Metropolitan State University class called “New Neighbors: The U.S. Hmong”—assisted Chor by translating English into Hmong.

“It makes it easier for me to catch on what is going on in class,” said Chor through an interpreter, “so (the students’ translation) is very helpful.”

For her part, Pa Hua enjoyed clarifying words for the immigrants, who ranged from 20 to 60 years old. As part of her service learning experience, available through a program called Project SHINE (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders), she also jotted down observations for a 15-page, semester final paper.

“It’s interesting observing cultural and gender issues,” said Pa Hua “It motivates me to want to learn more about the Hmong culture.”

Phong Lee, a Metropolitan State University senior and another tutor, said his HCC experience enabled him to go “deep in my Hmong culture.” Lee also came away humbled by the immigrants’ sheer drive and ambition.

“At this time, the Hmong elders are not very literate,” said Phong Lee, “but I am really impressed because they are working so hard to achieve that.”

Txongpao Lee, HCC director, is grateful for the students’ assistance. Lee said many new Hmong refugees are shy, so he appreciates the students’ initiative in helping immigrants learn. ”They are acting like mentors for the refugees in this country,” said Txongpao Lee.

The students’ participation is also welcomed by Andrew Anderson Sprecher, Project SHINE coordinator at Metropolitan State University and Minneapolis Community and Technical College. About 280 students from Metropolitan State University alone have provided an estimated 5,800 hours of tutoring to nearly 1,800 people since SHINE has been offered at the university. During the 2004–2005 academic year, the students—many of whom were Hmong—helped immigrants with English and with citizenship exam questions at 13 nonprofits, including HCC.

“Through Project SHINE, students are able to apply or connect with what they learned in class,” said Sprecher. ”They get hands-on learning, which is a valuable academic goal, and insight into possible career opportunities.

“Most SHINE students have also remarked about how enriching it is to learn about the varied life experiences of the people they’re helping. Many Hmong students may be personally aware, through their own family members, of the struggles and challenges Hmong immigrants face. So their assistance becomes more personalized and meaningful, especially when they end up making quite a difference in some people’s lives.”

The “New Neighbors: The U.S. Hmong” class has been taught by Metropolitan State anthropology instructor Gale Mason Chagill since 1996. Out of 30 students in the spring semester class, 16 were Hmong; 11 participated in Project SHINE.

“Students learn in the classroom about the basics of Hmong culture and how it’s manifesting here in the United States,” said Chagill. “Then, as part of their service learning, they get out of the classroom, which helps them learn about their culture in ways that may surprise them. Then they go back to the classroom to reflect and write about their experience in their final paper. So they benefit both from the academic experience and helping the community.”

Chagill said she hopes to involve both Project SHINE and the Hmong Cultural Center into her Hmong class next spring.

The Metropolitan Home || Calendar || Commentary || Masthead || Contact
Metropolitan State University Homepage

All material © Metropolitan 2005, except as noted. All rights reserved.