News
FSoS Associate Professor and Graduate Student honored
Two members of the Family Social Science community will be honored in March with the UMN President's Community-Engaged Scholar Award. Zha Blong Xiong, associate professor, and Miguel Quiñones, doctoral candidate, were selected for the highest honor the University presents annually.
Dr. Zha Blong Xiong was the first Hmong-American tenured professor at the University of Minnesota (2006), where he earned both master's and doctoral degrees in Family Social Science. A first-generation college student, Xiong has mentored numerous undergraduates in the TRIO program as well as advising graduate students. His own research includes the Hmong Children Longitudinal Study with five charter and public schools that examines the role of social capital on students' academic competence, parental involvement in children's education, and women’s perceptions of divorce in the Hmong community.
Xiong’s cutting-edge research and creation of new knowledge significantly contributes to Southeast Asian refugee transition to living in Minnesota and helps those working with refugees to better understand the personal and cultural challenges they are experiencing. Xiong’s personal experience blended with his academic research has helped forge a path for others by developing unique projects that connect immigrants to the community, education, and culture.
Miguel Quiñones’ research examines how immigrant families develop and transmit financial behaviors, values, and attitudes—a process known as family financial socialization. His work focuses on how culture and social context intersect to shape these processes and, in turn, influence families’ financial practices. These insights inform his efforts developing culturally responsive financial education programs designed for underrepresented communities."
In 2024, he collaborated with two local non-profits, Minnesota Financial Empowerment Initiative (MNFEI) and Learning In Style, to develop culturally responsive financial education programs designed for immigrant and refugee learners. MNFEI specializes in financial education programming for local organizations and communities across the Twin Cities. Learning in Style provides immigrant and refugee adults from over 15+ countries with English, math, computer, and citizenship education and training. He also joined the board of MNFEI.
He has also led webinars for Extension and made presentations to state organizations on culturally responsive financial education and “Tandas,” an informal financial practice that addresses the social, cultural, and economic needs of Mexican American families. He also collaborated with Joyce Serido, FSoS professor and extension specialist (now retired) to create an undergraduate course, “The Cultural Context of Family and Financial Wellness.” that explores the core concepts of financial decision-making for contemporary college students, in the context of their diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and financial goals.
In addition, he has also participated in the National Endowment for Financial Education's (NEFE) biannual Financial Innovation and Impact Summit, an event that brings together leading scholars, industry professionals, and policy advocates in the field of financial education. He spoke on a panel about the emerging concept of Financial Interdependence and ways to integrate it into financial education curriculum.
He is also the winner 2023 Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education's "Putting It into Practice Award."