The sun crests the mountain range, rising slowly to signal the start of a new day. The jungle nightlife quiets, burrowing away to allow the daytime life a chance to sing. A young 15-year-old Cher Teng (Bee) Yang watches the glowing, Laotian horizon, amazed by the few moments where the night sky coexists with the gleaming promise of the coming day.

In that moment, Yang knew he would do whatever it took to leave the war-torn country of Laos and pursue his dream of teaching. As a child with no formal education and battling through a country decimated by the Vietnam War, the hope of teaching never seemed feasible for him.

Spurred by motivation, Yang followed his dreams and today serves as a full-time lecturer in the Department of Social Work Education, where he has taught for the past 17 years. However, getting to this point has not been without challenges.

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(Editor's note: Campus News accepts nominations for faculty and staff profiles. These stories allow the campus community to learn about the many colleagues who contribute to the success of Fresno State. If you know someone with an interesting story — a passion for helping the community or a cause, a remarkable life journey, or there is just something fascinating about them to share — please email campusnews@csufresno.edu.)