Yawsoon Sim

Dr. Yawsoon Sim passed away peacefully on February 6, 2024, in Vienna, VA, after an extended illness. Dr. Sim was a long-time faculty member at Grambling State University from 1968 to 2009, having served as director of graduate studies in public policy and criminal justice, and head of the political science department, and a resident of Ruston and Grambling.

Dr. Sim was born on July 17, 1937, in Kuching, Malaysia. He was awarded a scholarship to attend New Asia College (now part of Hong Kong University) where he met his wife Kitty and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 1962. Dr. Sim received his Master’s degree in Southeast Asian studies from Yale University in 1965 and a PhD in political science from Fordham University in 1970. His doctoral thesis was one of the first academic studies of China’s foreign policy in Africa.

While at Grambling, Dr. Sim taught American government and international relations classes. He also contributed scholarly articles to academic journals and analysis articles to Chinese language newspapers in Malaysia and New York. He volunteered his spare time to improving international links between North Central Louisiana and the global community.

Dr. Sim is survived by his wife Kitty, his son Edmund Sim of McLean, VA, his daughter Yvonne Sim of Vienna, VA, and his grandsons Ryan, Jordan and Everett. He was preceded in death by his son William Sim. Besides his family, Dr. Sim considered his many former students and colleagues at Grambling as his greatest legacy.

The family has asked that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org in lieu of flowers or other memorials.