Anh Hang

I had just completed my associate degree in Seattle, Washington, and was looking for a four-year university that could provide me with a personalized educational experience while keeping tuition affordable. I wanted to avoid taking on significant student debt or becoming a financial burden to my parents. I also had family in Kenosha, so UW-Parkside felt like the perfect fit for me.

I was an active member of the Parkside Asian Organization (PAO) throughout both my bachelor’s and MBA programs. I was also completed the Sales Certificate Program and was selected to represent UW-Parkside in multiple collegiate sales competitions.

PAO was an integral part of my growth at Parkside. As a new transfer student, I wanted to find a place where I could belong, fast, and PAO made that possible by hosting various events and creating a welcoming community.

Most of my closest friends today are people I met through PAO. It was also through PAO that I met my husband and was introduced to the company that ultimately became my career and legacy business. Looking back, PAO played a much bigger role in my life than I could have imagined at the time.

Professors Knight and McPhaul were two of the greatest influences during my time at Parkside. They led the Sales Certificate Program, and their belief in me had a tremendous impact on my confidence and career.

I was initially intimidated because English was my second language. However, they believed in me, took the time to coach me, and pushed me to see potential in myself that I did not yet see. I honestly did not think I would be selected for the sales competitions, but their faith in me fueled my dedication and motivated me to work harder.

Today, sales has become my career, and I credit much of that foundation to their mentorship.

My time at UW-Parkside greatly expanded my circle of influence. The Sales Certificate Program gave me the confidence to begin my sales career immediately after college.

A few years into my professional career, two PAO alumni, Ruth Briones and Em Alfonso, introduced me to the opportunity to own a financial services firm with Primerica. That opportunity eventually became my legacy business and has allowed me to build a career around financial education, leadership, and helping families.

My experience at Parkside also gave me the confidence to encourage my younger sister, Thu Nguyen, to pursue her education here. She has since become a strong student leader and accomplished scholar, continuing to create new opportunities for the generations that follow.

Yes. I have a strong belief in the Sales Certificate Program and have regularly volunteered as a guest speaker and judge for the program’s classes and competitions since graduation.

In 2025, thanks for the encouragement from Professor McKee, I applied for and became an adjunct professor for the Selling in Financial Services course. I truly enjoy watching students grow and gain confidence throughout the class, especially when they begin to see sales not simply as a course, but as a potential career.

I highly recommend using UW-Parkside’s low student-to-teacher ratio to your advantage. At Parkside, students have access to professors who genuinely know them and can help them grow. Any student who wants to be given a chance to lead can find that opportunity.

UW-Parkside also offers many organizations where students can build relationships, develop leadership skills, and grow personally and professionally.

Most importantly, I encourage students to treat every day with a sense of urgency. You never know which class, conversation, relationship, or opportunity will change the direction of your life. Take advantage of every opportunity while you have it.

One of the greatest highlights of my career has been the opportunity to train and mentor more than 40 people who had no background in finance, and watch them develop a deep enough understanding of financial concepts to go on to help hundreds of families around them.

About 70% of my team members are first- or second-generation immigrants who have recognized that financial education begins with themselves. Seeing them gain confidence, build careers, and become a source of financial knowledge for the people around them has been incredibly rewarding.

My 2 mothers Hien and Kelly are my role models. Both are entrepreneur and a lifelong learner.

My biological mother Hien is the most persistent woman I have ever met. Even while raising three daughters with my father, I remember her continuing to pursue education in various subjects, including public speaking, English, Chinese, and wellness. I learned many valuable skills simply by watching how she interacted with customers and promoted her businesses.

My adopted mother Kelly has been in more than half my life. She is an amazing communicator and a business owner. She has gone through struggles, but they never changed who she is and how positive she views the world.

Both women are the hardest workers I have even met in my life. My love for self-improvement and my desire to continually strive for more come directly from them. They taught me, through their actions, that learning never stops and that there is always room to become better.

I grew up in Vietnam with my two younger sisters and my loving parents. At the age of 16, I left my country to pursue my education in America.

I am incredibly fortunate to have also had the support of my adopted family, whom gave me a safe nest to come back to.

My husband and I met through mutual friends at UW-Parkside and have been married for 11 years. We have two huskies and are now expecting our first human child.

“It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years”

This is one of my favorite inspirational quotes. You only get one life. That’s it. As morbid as it may sound, you never know when it will end—but it will end.

So, I want to one day look back on my life and be able to say, “I maximized my time on Earth.”

Every year, I get 365 opportunities to become better, to experience something new, to help someone, and to make a difference. I never want to take that for granted.

“The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins is a book I believe is worth rereading at least once a year.

I am in the people business, and it can be easy to get swept up in others’ emotional reactions and decisions. This book has helped me find more peace in my own efforts, especially when I know I have done my best for others.

I highly recommend this book to people at every stage of life—even middle school students—because learning how to focus on what we can control is a lesson that can benefit anyone.

I enjoy experiencing new activities and exploring new destinations with my dogs and family.

This year, my husband and I visited Japan, Marco Island, and Colorado Springs for the first time. We also took my mom and sister to the Wisconsin Dells and several famous Milwaukee destinations so they could experience new places with us.

For me, the destination is only part of the experience. What matters most is creating memories with the people I love.

I am naturally an introvert. It takes courage for me to strike up a conversation with someone, especially someone I don’t know.

However, I have learned that great things often happen on the other side of fear. So, I have intentionally learned techniques to become better at starting and carrying conversations.

I am truly honored to be nominated for this award. It is a meaningful reminder that every effort matters and that the work we do—sometimes without knowing what impact it will have—can create a ripple effect far beyond what we initially imagine.

Being recognized by UW-Parkside, a place that played such an important role in shaping who I am today, makes this honor especially meaningful to me.