Editor’s note: Nga-Wing Anjela Wong uses she/they pronouns, but they/them pronouns will be featured for clarification purposes.

Nga-Wing Anjela Wong, a UW-Eau Claire professor of education for equality and justice, was honored with the 2023 Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award. They were awarded in a ceremony on Nov. 9 in Madison alongside 13 other recipients. 

The UW System gives this award to highlight “each recipient’s contributions to improving the status and climate for women and people of color and to advancing the work of diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Teresa O’Halloran, assistant chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), said this award has been given out since the ‘90s and celebrates diversity in the academic community.

“I am honored and humbled, because the diversity — including injustice — is very central to all the things that I engage in and engage with people,” Wong said. 

In addition to being a professor, Wong is also an advisor for the Hmong society and one of the founders of the Critical Hmong Studies Program. Through these roles, they have directly impacted diversity on campus. 

Wong has put their focus on supporting marginalized students. They have directly mentored over 100 students, a majority of whom are people of color and first-generation. 

Dedicating time to student research is one of Wong’s key focuses and a major part of what they teach. 

“My teaching encourages students to be active in the learning process (and asks), ‘what does responsibility mean for you,’” Wong said.

O’Halloran said this award shows Wong’s strengths.

“She is really devoted to supporting our students of color, she is professional and she excels, she helps out, she shows up,” O’Halloran said. 

This is not the first time Wong has received an award, they also received the Shirley Paulson-Lee Education University Fellow Award earlier this year. 

Wong said they wouldn’t have been able to do this without those backing them.

“I’m able to do all that because, through my experience, I’ve had amazing mentors that have validated me, that have amplified my voice, that have believed in me, that have supported me,” Wong said. 

Leick can be reached at l[email protected].