Vivian Kong Doctora '96

• Management
• Bloomington, IL

As a student at Illinois State University, Vivan founded the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) alongside her late sister, Eleanor Kong, creating a lasting space for Asian American student connection and belonging. She was also active in the Black Student Union and remains deeply committed to diversity, inclusion, and community building.

After a 21-year corporate leadership career at State Farm, she transitioned into entrepreneurship and now owns multiple businesses in the Bloomington-Normal community. She is co-founder of The Collective, an entrepreneurial community group focused on connection and growth, serves on the TEDx Normal committee, and is the author of the children’s book Life As Bao. Her family also established the Eleanor Kong Memorial Endowment Scholarship within the College of Education to support future educators.