Midland University Professor of Mathematics Dr. Ming Huang and his family were recently honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Over a 12-month period, Huang, along with his wife, Jing Chang, and daughters, Chu Yee and Jin Yee, completed about 300 service hours through the Nebraska Chinese Association to earn the Bronze PVSA. The NCA, located in Omaha, became a certifying organization for the award in June 2018. The Huang family was one of eight families, groups, or individuals involved with the NCA to be honored with the award. 

The Huang family assisted in numerous ways throughout the year, everything from making sure things were running smoothly at the NCA facility to loading sandbags during flood relief efforts. “We helped wherever it was needed,” Dr. Huang said. “With my wife and I both being educators (Jing is Associate Professor of Mathematics at College of St. Mary), we serve on the school board for the NCA Chinese School and will help at the school on Saturdays. The NCA needs people to provide maintenance at its facility - it might be working on the roof or just cleaning.”

Huang and his family also play a role in the various Chinese cultural celebrations that take place throughout the year. “Photography is a hobby of mine, so I will take photos at our events,” Huang said. “I want the community to know what’s going on with these events, but I also want to have our children be involved. I want them to embrace the culture that’s inside them through these activities.”

The work done by the Huang family extends beyond the NCA. Huang brought nearly 40 members of the NCA to Fremont in March of 2019 to help with flood relief efforts. The group also held a fundraiser in August to raise money for flood victims. “We’re not just here for our group, we want to help all of society,” Huang said.

Volunteering 300 hours of time requires a great deal of sacrifice for Huang and his family, but he believes it is vital for individuals to get involved. “I really enjoy contributing to the NCA and I feel it’s important,” he said. “When you see everybody working as individuals and then pulling together, it makes a great impact. Somebody needs to contribute, and I want my kids to see that it is important to contribute. It’s sacrificing a lot of weekends, but I like seeing the results.”