LOU CHA
LOU CHA is a contributor to the new book “A Career in Student Affairs: Reflections from Hmong Student Affairs Educators.” In her chapter, titled "HEART WORK," Lou shares with us about pursuing what you love. From her experience in higher education, she’s learned that meaningful work is challenging. Although she feels exhausted at the end of the day, the fulfillment she gets from dedicating herself to her work and seeing everything come together makes it all worthwhile.
“Currently, I serve the community as a program coordinator at the Cross Cultural Center at the University of California, Davis where I get to utilize my counseling, event planning, and program organization skills, along with my passion for social justice, cultural humility, and student retention. In student affairs, I have found myself surrounded by other staff and students who hold the same values as I do… Education is a part of career development and I feel my role is imperative to helping students holistically, not just academically. I hope that by providing brave spaces where students can feel heard and develop a sense of belonging, will empower them to continue to be their most authentic selves and find the heart in all the hard work they pursue…” - Lou Cha.
A CAREER IN STUDENT AFFAIRS highlights the unique experiences of Hmong student affairs professionals from a wide range of professional levels, institutional settings, and functional areas. Each author shares a journey into student affairs and how this was navigated to become a student affairs career. Each chapter also concludes with advice for Hmong students who are considering a career in student affairs and provides insights for prospective and current Hmong college students. This book is a great resource for student affairs professionals, faculty, and institutional leaders working with Hmong students exploring career options in higher education. Because many of the professionals were the first in their family to enter higher education, reading their experiences can be very beneficial to many Hmong students.
