Angela Kong, Palomar College\u2019s 2025 Woman of the Year, can appreciate the struggles faced by first-time and immigrant college students.<\/p>\n
She recalls being confused and unsure of herself when she attended San Jose State University. In her role at Palomar College, she enjoys knowing that she is helping students to succeed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was hard for me to navigate the college campus, so being that person to help students gives me a lot of energy and fulfillment,\u201d Kong said. \u201cI want to make it easier for students.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kong was selected as Woman of the Year by the Empowered Women Affinity Group and the Women of the Year Selection Committee, who noted Kong\u2019s unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and antiracism.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is a tireless advocate for student success, a powerful mentor, and a leader who builds spaces of belonging for students and colleagues alike,\u201d the committee said. \u201cShe brings lived experience as an Asian American woman of color to her work with deep empathy, purpose, and integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kong and her family emigrated to the United States from Hong Kong when she was an infant. Although her parents didn\u2019t graduate from high school, they emphasized to her the importance of getting a college education.<\/p>\n
After earning her bachelor\u2019s degree from San Jose State University, Kong went on to earn master\u2019s degrees in counseling and Ethnic Studies from UC San Diego. She started at Palomar College in 2019, serving as a service learning coordinator to aid students in obtaining volunteer experience that supplements their classroom learning.<\/p>\n
In August, Kong was named Interim Project Director of Student Support Programs, focusing on supporting Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian students. She is leading a review to determine the needs of those students.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to understand who our students are and to assess what the needs are for them and to look at the best practices of what they need to be successful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Kong said educators need to appreciate the diverse variety of students who attend Palomar College.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe live in such a diverse society that it requires all of us to have an understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are so many people who are diverse that we need to understand where they are coming from.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kong spends her free time as a founding member of a Hawaiian outrigger canoe club. She tries to paddle three times a week to prepare for the annual racing season.<\/p>\n
Like her relationships with her Palomar College employees, enjoys spending time with her fellow paddlers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI met a lot of wonderful people who I connected with,\u201d she said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t know each other\u2019s job titles. We just hopped in the canoe and paddled.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"