An internationally-recognized educator and scholar, Dr. Barbara Hong recently joined North Shore Community College as dean of postsecondary transition programs. 

In this position, Dr. Hong oversees Early College, Dual Enrollment, Gateway to College, the Adult Learning Center, Upward Bound, and Talent Search, programs that provide both high school and adult learners access to a college education. 

"These programs create possibilities for marginalized and first-generation students who never thought college was possible,” she said. “We explain the pathways and possibilities available to them—and encourage them to believe in themselves, have a little courage, and take that next step in changing their lives." 

An Unlikely Success Story

Given her accomplishments as an educator and scholar, many assume that success has always been a part of Dr. Hong’s life.

"A 23 year old student  at Penn State who is struggling with alcohol addiction once challenged me, 'You'll never understand what it’s like to be an addict. You're an Asian, you must be smart, and you went to Columbia, so your parents must be educated and rich too,'" Dr. Hong recounted. That student—and many others—have been too eager to put her in a box. 

Dr. Hong grew up in a family of six crammed into a tiny government housing in Singapore. She started working in a sweatshop at age 6, snipping threads off designer clothes for pennies per garment.

She did not learn how to read until the fourth grade, and she was far from a star student, struggling through an educational system built on shame. Teachers mocked her rather than helped her, and her parents looked forward to the day she could quit her schooling and work full time.

At the end of 10th grade, she found herself at a crossroads: if she passed the Cambridge national exam, she could continue her education. If she didn’t pass, she would be forced to either drop out or face the shame of repeating the entire grade. Too terrified of failure to even try, a young Dr. Hong did not even show up for the exam. 

However, she didn’t give up completely. She found enough courage to return to school and repeat the 10th grade. Her new teacher taught from a place of empathy and understanding, and he encouraged her budding confidence. 

"I would have been the student who gets written off, if not for a professor who taught me how to rebuild myself, love myself, and give myself another chance at school,” she said. A year later, she took the Cambridge exam again and this time, she passed with flying colors. By embracing her failures and learning from her mistakes, Dr. Hong was able to build an illustrious career—a journey she documented in her memoir, Failing UP. 

Dr. Hong understands what it’s like to hit roadblock after roadblock. Her research focuses on the barriers students face as they transition to and through college, and her work has helped institutions and educators create pathways to success. 

"When we say 'meet students where they are,' we're not asking professors to lower standards,” said Dr. Hong. “We're asking you to understand where they're coming from. You may never be able to walk in their shoes, but ask yourself this question: Can you be there for them as an adult,  give them a reason to continue living, and remind them that they are worthy of your time?” 

A Scholar and Leader

Dr. Hong earned a PhD in disability studies and three masters degrees from Columbia University. In addition to her years as a K-12 teacher and assistant principal, she brings more than 25 years of higher education experience, most recently as vice president for student success at San Antonio College and dean of University College at Texas A&M International University.

A three-time Senior Fulbright Scholar, she serves on the Oxford Education Research Symposium advisory board and was previously on the executive board of the Council for Exceptional Children, largest professional organization for children with special needs. In 2014, the United States Bureau of International and Information Programs, part of the State Department, appointed Dr. Hong as a speaker specialist and expert on disability and inclusionary practices. Her work as a scholar and educational consultant has taken her around the globe, including Turkey, Qatar, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Guatemala.