Special Section in Memoriam: Ye "Angel" Wang Peter V. Paul, Jean F. Andrews, Maria C. Hartman, Sonia B. Arora, Jodi L. Falk, Marian Patricia Bea Francisco, Amanda Howerton-Fox, Jennifer Montgomery, Onudeah D. Nicolarakis, Elizabeth A. Rosenzweig, Ronda Rufsvold, Lingyun Shi, Julia Silvestri, Elaine R. Smolen, Michelle A. Veyvoda, Beverly J. Trezek, Connie Mayer American Annals of the Deaf, Volume 166, Number 1, Spring 2021, pp. 74-84 (Article) Published by Gallaudet University Press DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/aad.2021.0012 For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/794032 [ Access provided at 29 Sep 2021 04:27 GMT with no institutional affiliation ] Special Section in Memoriam: Ye “Angel” Wang Paul, P. V. et al. (2021). Special section in memoriam: Ye “Angel” Wang. American Annals of the Deaf, 166(1), 74–85. In Memoriam: Ye Wang Peter V. Paul Our research and professional commu- collaborative nature of her publications nity lost a kind, remarkable scholar with and presentations, it is clear that Ye was a the passing of Dr. Ye Wang on Friday, Feb- considerate “team player.” She understood ruary 12, 2021 (Levine, 2021). To be truth- that the resolution of deep, complex prob- ful, a part of me died on that day as well. lems requires the collaboration and stim- “Kind” and “remarkable” can be impressive ulation of colleagues. Ye also incorporated descriptors, especially when a personal and this principle into her classroom discourse professional story can be told to exemplify and instruction. each term. Ye obtained a respected level of re- I knew Ye for about 20 years, from search expertise in both quantitative and her enrollment as a graduate student at qualitative methodology, as evident in her Ohio State University in 2000 to her truly publications, and in the fact that she taught remarkable meteoric rise to full profes- courses and sessions on research method- sorship at Teachers College, Columbia ology during her university career. In short, University. Inspection of Ye’s curriculum not only did Ye have the ability to conduct vitae might take your breath away, consid- and lead research investigations, but she ering the quantity of her scholarly output was also capable of translating findings and once she obtained her PhD in 2005—there conveying her passion and understand- are books, book chapters, journal articles, ing to other scholars and her students. It funded grants, and a number of conference should come as no surprise that in 2013, presentations. If you take the opportunity Ye was selected to serve as Senior Associate to read a few of the published pieces, you’ll Editor of the American Annals of the Deaf. be mesmerized by the quality—in fact, I have a few personal stories to tell about in a positive sense, this is the scholarly my relationship with Ye. Like my other rendition of “shock and awe.” Given the international doctoral students, Ye decided 74 05_Paul.indd 74 5/11/2021 5:00:44 PM In Memoriam: Ye Angel Wang 75 to adopt an “Americanized” nomenclature Over the years, Ye and I had several to, apparently, make it easier for others to deep conversations, typically at the few remember her name. The selection was conferences we attended. Ye knew that “Angel.” After interacting with Ye for a few I was passionate about discussing those years at OSU, I finally told her that she was profound philosophical questions: “What definitely an angel of the highest order. is the meaning of life? Why is there some- There was no doubt that Ye possessed an thing rather than nothing?” I told Ye that incredible level of kindness, reminding me there are two broad perspectives about how of a maxim attributed to Lao Tzu: “Kind- the universe came into being: A supernat- ness in words creates confidence. Kindness ural entity created it, or the universe begat in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness itself. I asked Ye about her view. I still smile in giving creates love” (“Lao Tzu Quotes,” whenever I recall her response: “Don’t Ask, n.d.). Nevertheless, I decided to continue Don't Tell.” to call Ye by her real name. Besides, I could In January 2014, I had the wonderful always make her laugh when I got her at- honor of composing a letter of support for tention by yelling out, “Hear Ye! Hear Ye! I Ye, who was nominated for and eventually want to talk to you!” received a New Leader Alumni Award Yes, Ye was definitely an angel—a gentle, from the College of Education & Human brilliant soul that belied a tenacious inner Ecology at Ohio State. The last paragraph world determined to contribute to the im- of that letter rings an eternal truth: provement of the lives of individuals who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing—no doubt moti- In sum, since her graduation from The Ohio vated by the fact that her parents were Deaf. State University, Dr. Wang’s accomplish- Because I had a bilateral profound hearing ments in research, teaching, and service loss, I wondered if this was one major reason have been substantial with considerable im- why Ye “respected” me. Her response was pact. Dr. Wang has been highly visible at the most likely a reflection of her culture and national level and, at present, she is Senior was buttressed by our wonderful relation- Associate Editor for the American Annals of ship. Ye informed me that teachers are con- the Deaf. In a relatively short period of time, sidered “second parents” in her culture—and Dr. Wang has made significant contributions that she considered me her “Second Father.” to our understanding of the profiles of strug- It’s still difficult to write this without shed- gling readers in the areas of deafness and ding a few tears in my home office. bilingualism and has been an inspiration for While Ye was at OSU, she gave birth students and scholars. to her first child, Amy. It was unbeliev- —Peter V. Paul able, but I was ecstatic for Ye. Of course, I wanted to play with Amy, who was placed References in a stroller whenever Ye worked at the university. Even more incredible was the Lao Tzu quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuotes. https://www. fact that Amy was in that stroller for most brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_118352 of the day while Ye was studying and work- Levine, J. (2021, February 23). A champion for pos- sibility: Ye (Angel) Wang created new pathways ing in her office. I was petrified—but Ye to literacy for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. assured me that all was fine, and then a few Teachers College, Columbia University. https:// years later informed me that both of her www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2021/february/ children (Amy and Stone) were turning out a-champion-for-possibility-ye-angel-wang/ to be gifted and talented! 05_Paul.indd 75 5/11/2021 5:00:44 PM 76 American Annals of the Deaf, Volume 166, No. 1, 2021 Tribute to Ye Wang Jean F. Andrews Angel Wang was an international read- As a Coda, Angel had knowledge of and ing scholar conducting studies in the respect for the Chinese Deaf community United States, the Philippines, Korea, that impacted her work. I particularly and mainland China. She had a gentle admired how she led an international leadership style. After running a reading Deaf-hearing collaborative team of re- clinic and training teachers in the Mid- searchers who wrote a recent chapter on west, she returned to New York to prepare the development of Chinese literacy skills doctoral-level researchers. for deaf students. —Jean F. Andrews Lamar University A Dear Colleague, Friend, and Mentor: Tributes to Dr. Ye (Angel) Wang From Her Teachers College Community Maria C. Hartman, Sonia B. Arora, Jodi L. Falk, Marian Patricia Bea Francisco, Amanda Howerton-Fox, Jennifer Montgomery, Onudeah D. Nicolarakis, Elizabeth A. Rosenzweig, Ronda Rufsvold, Lingyun Shi, Julia Silvestri, Elaine R. Smolen, and Michelle A. Veyvoda Dr. Ye (Angel) Wang was an extraordi- never forget how she arrived at TC in the nary human being: kind, quietly confident, early afternoon for her first round of inter- and wise beyond measure. As the Director views and meetings. Unfortunately, due to of our Deaf and Hard of Hearing program an airline error her luggage did not arrive at Teachers College, Columbia University, with her. On her second day, still with no she led cutting-edge research while expertly luggage, an errant cab driver picked her guiding dozens of doctoral and master’s up at her hotel and mistakenly took her students to their degrees. The following downtown instead of uptown, causing her tributes from colleagues and former stu- to arrive very late for her meeting with our dents illustrate the indelible mark Dr. Wang then–college president, Susan Fuhrman. left on all who were fortunate enough to While both of these events—no clean work with her. Her gentle spirit and bound- clothes and a missed appointment with less intelligence will be greatly missed. the president—would have unnerved most *** of us, Angel took it in stride. As a lifelong New Yorker, ever anxious and perpetually I first met Angel in 2004 when I was a stu- on edge, I was incredibly impressed. dent on the search committee that brought Angel stayed with us for 3 wonderful her to Teachers College as Assistant Pro- years, before moving on to become Di- fessor in our Program in the Education of rector of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH). I’ll 05_Paul.indd 76 5/11/2021 5:00:44 PM In Memoriam: Ye Angel Wang 77 Program at Missouri State University, quietly, she wrote with precise attention to where she remained until returning to detail, and she invited us to do it all with us at Teachers College in 2014 to assume her.