In December of 1974, Van Ha To-Cowell left Viet Nam to attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Four months after her arrival, the Viet Nam War ended and she lost contact with home and family for many years. Understanding her parents’ sacrifice and commitment to education, she worked three manual jobs and stayed in school while helping her 22 year-old sister raising their younger brother. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Education in less than four years and earned her Master’s degree in 1988.
Van-Ha has worked in public schools since 1982 and has served students of many different needs, from second language learning to gifted education. She is entering her fourth year as vice principal in Lodi Unified School District.
She and her husband, Dana Cowell, moved to Stockton in 1988, and they raised two sons in Lincoln schools. She actively volunteered in her children’s classrooms and served on five different advisory groups in the Lincoln School District. Believing in the power of education and in the potential of every student, she has served faithfully as an active voice on committees and frequently pressed for equity in policies and school programs on behalf of students and families. In 2008, Van-Ha was first elected to the Lincoln Unified School Board of Trustees and successfully completed two four-year terms. She was Board President twice in those years. She was also elected to represent Region 8A on the California School Boards Association Delegate Assembly. As a trustee of Lincoln Unified, she initiated conversations on various issues that positively affect student learning such as equitable access to advanced courses, student leadership opportunities, and anti-bullying curriculum.
In April 2008, Van-Ha received a Public Service Award from Delta Kappa Gamma Society, a professional honor society of women educators. In April 2011, with three other distinguished women in San Joaquin County, she was honored as “Woman of the Year” by Senator Lois Wolk who represented the fifth Senate District. In February of 2012, she was a recipient of the Susan B. Anthony Women of Achievement Award for her contribution in education in San Joaquin County. Also, in 2012 San Joaquin A+ awarded her the Spirit of Literacy Award. In 2016, Van-Ha was given the Torch of Literacy Award by the American Literacy corporation, and in 2017, she received the Exemplary Leadership and Community Service Award from Central Valley Asian Chamber of Commerce. Van-Ha thinks her biggest reward is when she's able to mentor students and help them achieve their educational goals. Since 2010, she has established the Cowell Education Scholarships to award deserving high school seniors who aspire to become educators. Believing in the gift of literacy, Van Ha helped the Stockton Little Free Library (LFL) Committee with their mission to acquire 100 Little Free Libraries for the community. When teaching, she furnished her classroom with hundreds of new books quarterly and gave them free to her students.
In March 2020, Van-Ha was appointed to San Joaquin Delta College Board of Trustees. She would be honored to have the opportunity to continue her service.
