A little about me

10/27/2022

Hello everyone! My name is Chao Vang, and I am currently a third-year student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire majoring in Elementary Education. I was born in Thailand; however, my family immigrated to the United States of America in 2005. First, we lived in California for 11 years. Then we moved to Wisconsin around 2011, and now I live in Menomonie, Wisconsin. I am bilingual: I speak Hmong and can speak and write in English. I am the first in my family to attend college. Being a first-generation college student with immigrant parents has been a challenge, but it has been fun navigating through all the challenges. I hope that McNair can help me transition to law school more smoothly than how I transitioned from high school to university.

One of the goals of the McNair program is to prepare aspiring undergraduate students who wish to continue their education. I heard of McNair while I was on a school immersion trip, and I applied. I believe that McNair will be able to help me eventually pursue a law degree. It was very stressful and scary to take the first step to apply to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The entire FAFSA process was also stressful. McNair will prepare me to understand what Research is and how to begin the process. Thus, being a McNair Scholar will help me recognize and prepare me for my goal: law school.

A Wish Turned Into a Goal

I aspire to go to law school and practice law in the future. My dedication to obtain my Jurisprudence Degree (JD) comes from my experience with the law. When my family first came to the United States of America, we knew nothing of the law, and we were afraid to utilize our civil rights. We were so afraid to do anything in fear of being deported. I would love to become an attorney who can advocate for immigrant families. Law school requires aspiring students to obtain a Bachelor’s degree, good grade point average (GPA), and LSAT score. I am in the process of getting my Bachelor’s degree. I chose Elementary Education because a teacher will get experiences in teaching and explaining concepts to students. I believe that the law and concepts that come with the law are very complex. Therefore, being a teacher would give me the necessary experiences to explain the law to a client or lay person. If I am able to explain complex terms to a client, this will help them feel a sense of relief and not feel like a burden when it comes to the legal process.

In the future, I would like to practice immigration and family law. My interest in immigration law stems from the fact that I am a child of immigrants, and I have seen how hard it is being an immigrant. With family law, I know that domestic violence is a very serious issue and would like to contribute in being an advocator for my clients, such as amplifying their voice.