With great sadness but also with much pride and admiration, the LIS department bids farewell to long-time administrative assistant Touger Vang who will be leaving North Carolina for a public library position doing outreach and working with young adults in and around West Sacramento, California.
Touger came to the United States with his family as a refugee from Laos at the age of 10. One of 10 children, Touger grew up on a chicken farm in Troy, NC. He considers himself a cultural broker and has spent much of his adult life navigating the best of two worlds: Hmong and American.
Administrative Assistant extraordinaire for the LIS Department since March of 2011, Touger has devoted himself to serving the LIS department tirelessly doing innumerable tasks in support of faculty and students while also working on his MLIS degree which he finally earned this past December. He has also been an extraordinary advisor for new international students with the UNCG Asian Students Association.
Please join us in saying farewell to Touger by sharing your thoughts, memories, photos, greetings, and best wishes on our website. Your comments will appear on the page once they have been approved.
Touger Vant says:
Wow.. thank you for doing this. I will miss the department, the faculty and the rest of my UNCG family. I bid farewell but not good bye. I will keep in touch with you all through Facebook page.
A special thank you to all the LIS faculty for giving me two wings to fly off into the world of library and information studies. I hope to make you all proud that at one time or another, I was one of the students from the UNCG MLIS program!
With the highest respect for all of my LIS faculty and UNCG family,
Touger
Janise says:
Congratulations and I wish you the best! Enjoy Cali!
Lee says:
We are all going to feel the loss!
Amanda Glenn-Bradley says:
Touger,
First off, congratulations on the job! I have the utmost faith that you will be an incredible asset to your new library just like you were at UNCG.
Thank you so, so much for the hard work you put in at UNCG. You are, quite seriously, one of the reasons my time at UNCG was so enjoyable and short; without your organizational skills and diligence, I’m not sure I could have graduated in a year and a half!
Best of luck and fortune in this and all of your future endeavors. And, to paraphrase Steve from our graduation, I greet you at the beginning of a stellar career!
All the best,
Amanda
Harris Mason says:
Thank you Touger for all of your you did as I went through the MLIS process. You helped me numerous times. Good luck with the new job!
Vanessa Paramo-Coleman says:
Dear Touger,
I just wanted to thank you for always being there. I only knew you for a very short time, but you left a positive impression on me. You are so helpful and an asset to any organization. Congratulations on your new position and best of luck to you on your wonderful journey.
Kind Regards,
Vanessa
Jim Carmichael says:
Given Touger’s patriotism, loyalty, and dedication, he will understand why I can not be a part of his farewell ceremonies at UNCG as I am serving as a Juror on a rather messy civil case that is running into complications. Touger is so personally faithful to each one of us as a friend, teacher, colleague, and servant, so loyal to his adopted country as well as the traditions he left behind, and so selfless in his service to UNCG, he will well understand how I not only must (legally) but want to put first things first and serve justice in this case.
I will always be grateful for out very special, indeed, unique relationship, and I will strive to meet his example in what remains of my life.
Richard Moniz says:
Sorry to see you go but excited about your chance to explore the new library position and California! Its been great having you in class and you have been a real help on repeated occasions. As an adjunct you always helped me feel connected to what’s going on “up there” in Greensboro. Best of luck. Please stay in touch!
Charity Meyer says:
Congratulations and best wishes Touger! I’m sure it won’t be long before West Sacramento will be singing your praises as loudly as we do here at UNCG.
Clara M. Chu says:
Dear Touger,
So much was made possible here at LIS because of you. THANK YOU/GRACIAS!
Congratulations on you new job! Welcome to the LIS profession!
Some wisdom for the road ahead:
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” –Lao Tzu
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” –Amelia Earhart
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” –Albert Einstein
Adelante!
Clara
Christie says:
Touger,
You were such a help during my grad school career. As others have said I don’t know if I could have made it through without you there to answer all my inane questions. UNCG will miss you but Sacramento is gaining a great asset! Good luck!
Christie Smith
Jennifer says:
Touger,
So glad I met you in class during Spring 2013! You are a helpful, insightful and accessible soul. I wish you all the best in your newest journey. Keep in touch.
Elizabeth says:
Congratulations, Touger! Best of luck on your new adventure! Thank you for always being warm and welcoming. You will be missed!
Karen Feeney says:
Congratulations Touger!
Enjoy your success. I know that you will do amazing things in your new library role. They are lucky to have you!
Cheers,
Karen
Carol Jordan says:
Thank you for all the many times you have helped me and my students! I am delighted for you and hope you will enjoy your new position and all the adventures you will find ahead in California!
Carol
Corrine Luthy says:
Touger! I am so happy for you and your new job…you deserve it! Thanks so much for being so patient and helpful with me as a student and as a GA. Enjoy California and being a librarian!
Beth Martin says:
Touger, I can’t tell you how much I will miss you. You have worked tirelessly to make our LIS Department great and it shows. You are an amazing person and an amazing librarian. You have already touched so many lives and I know that you will continue to make a difference in the lives of everyone you meet.
I will miss you!
Beth
Phil White says:
Hi Touger,
Congrats on the new job! It really sounds perfect for you. I hope you love it in California. The nearby Sierra Nevada are stunning -I’m sure you’ll enjoy being there. Plus just an hour or so from the beautiful Pacific Coast, which is equally stunning.
Enjoy you’re new job, and I’m sure we’ll cross paths again.
-Phil White
Emma Rose says:
You have been very helpful during the short time I have been in the Library Science program! You are so respected and I wish you the best of luck!
Matthew Kelly says:
Touger, you have been a welcome and helpful presence during my short time as a student here. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!
– Matthew Kelly
Jo Henry says:
Touger,
Congratulations and best of luck. Thank you for all your help from myself and the Metrolina Library Association here in Charlotte. All the best with your new career!
Jo
Jamie Stroble says:
Good luck and safe travels in California, Touger!
Joyce Weaver says:
Congratulations Touger! I am so happy for you! You are just a remarkable individual and I wish you so much success in this new part of your life – how exciting! And thank you for all your help this past semester. You will be sorely missed. Best wishes to you!
Amy says:
Congratulations, Touger, and thank you for your dedication. Our loss is California’s gain!
Suzy Collins says:
Congratulations, Touger! I know you will be great! We will really miss you here at UNCG!
Trina Gabriel says:
Touger, you’ll be missed but I’m excited that you’re headed to experience new things! Until we see each other again, I’ll send you electronic hugs and kisses 🙂
Heather Graham says:
Touger,
Best of luck in California. Cal is a great state, you’ll love it! Many thanks for all your kind and patient assistance. You will be missed.
Heather
Akira Sakai says:
Congratulations, Touger! I was really glad to work with you for almost 2 years. Thank you for all your help and I wish you further success in your future endeavours!
Yuen K. Kim says:
Oh, I just heard this shocking news from Akira!!! Congrats Touger, even though I feel a deep sadness for this unexpected farewell. You are one of the most terrific guys who I’ve ever met. And you have done lots of excellent things to me and us. Even my wife likes you 🙂 We can never forget everything. I really appreciate your warm caring for me. I hope that you and your family would be much happier in California. God bless you and your family!!!
Megan says:
Hey Touger,
Congratulations on your new job!! Wishing you luck on all your future endeavors. We’ll miss you in GSO.
-Megan
Brandon Lewter says:
Touger,
I’m so happy to hear your news from Clara! I wish you the best of luck and know you will be a great success. Have fun in California, and I’ll drop you a line if I’m every out that way!
Brandon
Dr. A. says:
I knew this day was coming. I am so proud of and happy for you. None-the-less, it is so, so hard to say goodbye. You have left an indelible mark on the LIS department. Safe journey, Godspeed! You will be an extraordinary librarian!
pat taylor says:
Congratulations Touger – wishing you all the best… it will not be the same without you. Your smiling face and helpful manner is so appreciated by the Graduate School! Your new employers are so lucky.. take care..and we look forward to hearing about all your new adventures! Happy Trails!
Emily Porter-Fyke says:
Good luck at your new job, Touger! Have an awesome career/life!
Beth Bentley says:
Touger has been been such a help to me, during grad school. He has helped above and beyond, and with such patience. He’s gonna rock in his new chapter.
Heather Hans says:
We’ll miss you, Touger!! But congrats on your new position. Thank you for all your hard work and for helping so many students along the way 🙂
Best wishes,
Heather