FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2008
Media Contact: Aya Abelon, Public Affairs; (562) 860-2451 ext.2287
“As a lifelong learner I want to learn more things beyond schoolwork,” said Siv. “I extend my academics by bringing my energy and skills to the community in a form of volunteering in order to experience new things.”
Siv, a Cambodian native that now lives in Long Beach, has only been in the United States for a little over two years, but has already made a bigger impact on his community than most people do in their whole lives.
He left Cambodia in 2006 in search of the American Dream. He wanted to take full advantage of all of the educational opportunities that America offers. He believes many things can be accomplished with hard work and nothing is going to stop him from being successful.
Siv arrived in the U.S. when he was a senior in high school and attended Long Beach Jordan. He had quite a difficult time adjusting to life in America and the culture shock that came with the change, but he used the courage and strength his parents armed him with to overcome the challenges he faced.
He worried he might not graduate because of the language-barrier he experienced, but just like with everything else, Siv excelled.
He ended up graduating high school on time with a perfect 4.0 and was asked by the school principle to speak as valedictorian for the Jordan High School class of 2007.
Siv’s first volunteering experience was at Jordan where 40 hours of service learning was required to graduate. It was contagious.
“During the community service my compassion has built upon itself because I’ve learned a meaningful lesson on serving others and this lesson also positively shaped my personality and life skills. I’ve continued to volunteer for many hours more than I’ve planned,” said Siv.
Siv spends time volunteering as a tutor for the AmeriCorps Program APPLE. He has a 450-hour contract with the program that he needs to complete in order to be a Project APPLE graduate. His service for this program includes tutoring students after school at Thomas Jefferson Elementary in Bellflower.
It is no mistake that he has ended up volunteering so much of his time in the health field. When Siv was still in Cambodia he knew he either wanted to become an engineer or a physician.
“Two different professional fields and I wanted to accomplish both of them,” he said. “Unfortunately I can only choose one. I am very happy that in America I can major in biomedical engineering which consists of both the medical and engineering disciplines.”
After getting his associate’s degree at Cerritos College he plans to get his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering. Some of the universities he is applying to are UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, Cornell and Washington University in St. Louis.
Biomedical engineering will give Siv the ability to fuse his two loves together and use his engineering capabilities to serve medical purposes. He will be able to use research and technology to do things such as create artificial organs or work on creating or bettering medical imaging systems.
Experience is another reason Siv volunteers.
“I want to gain experience working with people and making myself familiar with the hospital environment,” he said. “It will be helpful to my dream of working in the medical school after completing my biomedical engineering degree.”
Siv takes two buses to get to Cerritos College. It is an hour and 20 minute journey for him, but it is definitely worth every minute. He believes the school offers him the best quality of education possible and strengthens his academic resume that he will use when it comes time to transfer.
“I feel that the school’s chemistry professors are tough, but not mean,” Siv said. “They are…the best value in education. Their exams have never been easy; they try to set high standards for everyone.”
Many faculty and staff members at Cerritos College have had a positive effect on Siv and his future. Counselor Marvelina Barcelo has aided him in his transfer plans and financial hardships, while professors, such as Smita Rawal of biology and Cheryl Shimazu of chemistry, have helped him meet his dreams and his goals.
Siv has already accomplished so much since arriving in the United States, but he knows that everyone always has something about them they can improve and he is no exception.
“At school I am always aware that I have so much to learn and I am also aware of my shortcomings,” he said. “I know I still have many weaknesses and I am working to become a stronger student every day.”
Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 200 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently averages more than 20,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.
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