Q&A with Zong Her, Cohort 2 SDP-CTE Fellow Alumna

This Q&A is part of an SDP Blog series profiling members of the 2023 – 2025 SDP Alumni Advisory Board. All posts from this series may be found here.

Zong Her, the Director of Institutional Research & Data Management at Madison Area Technical College (Madison College) in Madison, WI, is a Cohort 2 (2021-2022) alumna of the Strategic Data Project (SDP) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Fellowship, sponsored by the ECMC Foundation. The SDP-CTE Fellowship supported postsecondary institutions with career and technical training programs in using data to uncover insights to help CTE students to thrive in college, in the workforce, and in life.

Zong was nominated into the SDP-CTE Fellowship by Madison College, where she has been working since 2004, to identify what support services and programs had the highest impact for students with basic needs insecurities, such as food, housing, and mental health. Her research was in service of reaching one of Madison College’s strategic goals: students of color and traditionally underrepresented student populations will persist and succeed at greater rates to achieve more equitable outcomes. Zong and her team’s work on Madison College’s student-parent population was recognized as the winner of SDP’s  2024 Strategic Data Excellence Award. The award was created in 2021 to recognize that while strong data work is critical to successful strategy, innovation, and improvement, it is too often taken for granted and goes uncelebrated. Read more about Madison College's award-winning work here.

Zong is passionate about creating data analytic solutions and conducting action research and, beyond her professional achievements, she is a first-generation Hmong college graduate who is committed to giving back to the Madison College community. She has been recognized as one of the 40 most influential Asian Americans in Wisconsin by Madison365.

What drew you to the Strategic Data Project?

The SDP Fellowship provided a valuable opportunity to work with others in the field and reinforced what I had been seeing and learning in my 18 years in the education sector, providing fresh perspectives and validating my experiences. To me, education was a key that opened many doors to opportunities that would otherwise be closed.

Tell us about your current job!

I work with various data-informed initiatives as part of a dynamic project team to drive transformational change at Madison College. My role involves leveraging data to inform decision-making and strategic planning, ensuring that our initiatives align with our overarching goals of enhancing educational experiences and outcomes.

Every day is filled with a variety of tasks that keep me engaged and challenged. I attend multiple meetings, ranging from my team’s status reports to strategic discussions about major projects like the implementation of a new Student Information System or updates to our Learning Management System. Alongside these responsibilities, I also dive into fun and insightful analytic projects, working with data from surveys or administrative records to provide actionable insights that support the College’s mission.

A typical day starts with morning status meetings, where we review progress and plan our activities. Following these meetings, I collaborate with colleagues to address the data needs of various strategic projects. My team and I conduct institutional research studies, analyzing results and recommending actionable steps to improve our processes and outcomes. We also engage in comprehensive data analytics work, beginning with initial business assessments, progressing through the development of data infrastructure, and culminating in the creation of data visualizations and dashboards. Additionally, I spend time coaching my staff, helping them achieve their goals and ensuring we meet our deliverables. The blend of meetings, collaborative work, and mentorship makes each day unique and fulfilling.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

The most rewarding aspect of my role is seeing how our data-driven efforts lead to systemic positive changes for our students. Whether it’s through improving our systems or influencing policy decisions, knowing that the work we do has a tangible impact on students’ lives is incredibly gratifying.

What changes do you anticipate in your field in the next year?

Today, tools like Generative AI are further transforming our work. I am diving deeper into this technology every day because it is a significant time saver and productivity booster. What once took months in qualitative data analysis can now be achieved within weeks. Generative AI is a game-changer, not only for my industry but for many others as well. It is crucial to address the challenges and harness the strengths of this technology, as its potential is incredibly promising.

What skills did you gain from your time as an SDP-CTE Fellow that you find helpful in your current role?

Collaboration with other organizations and colleges has been immensely beneficial in my current work. The networking opportunities not only enhance our projects but also provide lasting professional connections that support career growth and development.

What advice would you give to prospective SDP Fellows?

The SDP Fellowship will equip you with essential tools in data analysis, opening doors to new opportunities and providing a network of like-minded professionals.You will connect with others who are passionate about education and committed to the mission of using education as a means to lift students out of poverty.  This experience is invaluable for anyone dedicated to making a positive impact in the education sector.

What is something that you would tell your younger self about your career?

If I could tell my younger self something about my career, it would be this: I got into this field by what seemed like an accident, but it turned out to be an unknown blessing from above. Who knew there was a job like an institutional research analyst? Don't be afraid to take chances and continue doing what you love. Even though I graduated from business school and not IT, my knack for technology was a significant advantage. My business background enabled me to master Microsoft Excel and Access, which paved the way for learning MySQL, HTML and other languages. While I didn't do much programming, I leveraged various technologies to create reporting analytics and data visualizations. I love my work. My advice in one sentence: Just do what you love, and it won't feel like work.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a lawyer.

What is something you enjoy in your free time?

I like to garden and play with the chickens.

What are you currently reading or watching?

I like to watch Korean dramas. Their storylines are great!