Hmong New Year Celebration

Each year the greater Madison area Hmong community holds an annual Hmong New Year Celebration. This traditional Hmong celebration is usually held after the harvest. The Hmong are the largest Asian subgroup in Wisconsin. Madison College enrolls an average of 1,500 (degree and non-degree) Hmong students each year.

This year marked Madison College’s second annual sponsorship of this event held at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall. In addition to financial support, the college is an active participant in the event itself:
• Madison College’s Diversity and Community Relations had a booth featuring various college programs. The booth was staffed by Jerry Vang, Nidia Villatoro Hundley, Syvannia Yang, and Maikaying Vang.
• Thomas Heaney, supervisor in Madison College’s Institutional Research and Effectiveness Department, volunteered to judge the singing and dancing competitions.
• Other Madison College staff volunteered to chair the competition and judges’ committees, respectively Kou Her, ABE Instructor, and Zong Her, Research Analyst.

The New Year Committee, chaired by Tom Beu Xiong, expressed gratitude to Madison College for the continued involvement and support for the local Hmong community.