Sia Yang Scholarship

This scholarship was donated by Lue Her and Xang Her 

in loving memory of Sia Yang 

Sia Yang was born to Cher Tong Yang and Yer Vue in the village of Xam Kaj in Laos on May 8, 1918 and passed on September 6, 2013 at the age of 95.  

Sia had three sisters, Mao, Mai Yee, and Mai See and three brothers, Tou Vue, Chia Gao, Song Yer.  In 1935, Sia married Ka Nao Her and together they had thirteen children, Tou Xue, Wakai, Bao, Yer, Mee, Boua Yang, Tou Bee, Chue Tou, Cher Xiong, Chai, Ka, Chee who passed away as a young girl, and an un-named infant who passed away shortly after birth.  As a grandmother, Sia had a total of 285 grandchildren and great-grandchildren that extended across five generations.

Throughout her life, Sia witnessed significant geopolitical changes in the world through the lens of the Indochina and Vietnam wars.  In almost a century of life, she lived through colonization, war, the persecution of her people, and the beginning of life in America.  She was the matriarch that held her family together throughout turmoil and tragedy.  Her life is remembered by her caring nature, love for family, and calm she exuded. Sia had a big heart for orphaned children. For many of her grandchildren, she served also as their mother. For this reason, a scholarship is established to provide assistance to students who have endured life without one or both parents. 

Like so many grandmothers in Hmong society, Sia Yang played an important role in the rearing and caring of grandchildren.  Without grandmothers like Sia Yang, whole generations of Hmong children would be at a lost especially during the war in Southeast Asia and the transition period here in the United States.   

This scholarship is presented by the Hmong American Education Fund.  The scholarship seeks to financially support one student in the pursuit of his or her educational goals.  The successful applicant will be awarded up to $1000.00 each to the choice of his or her college or university.