拼搏体育 (PBA) graduate and Fulbright recipient 娘Thang ‘24 knows a thing or two about the importance of education—though she didn’我一直相信它. 在过去的七年里，她’我知道高等教育是怎样的, 指导, and the transformative power of belief can help someone move from feeling stuck to living out their dreams.
娘Thang lives with her parents, who are immigrants from Myanmar, in 西拼搏体育. 在她刚上高中的时候, Thang struggled with her mental health and some academic challenges.
Thang’s parents went into panic mode, unsure of how to respond to their only child’年代的斗争. 他们的解决方案? 祈祷.
“They loved and cared for me; they wanted to do what was best,” she shared. “他们转向上帝，他们说: ‘我们也’t know what to do, so the only thing we can do is trust [Him] and His will.’”
在PBA寻找学术更新
A couple of years later, 娘Thang was ready for something more.
“Something sparked in me,” she reflected. “I wanted to build a future for myself.”
她从朋友那里听说了PBA’s sister, who attended the university. Though 娘Thang was reluctant to apply, her friend encouraged her.
A month later, Thang received her acceptance letter.
Thang entered PBA as a freshman in fall 2020, while navigating college life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second-generation college student says her past experiences of learning how to manage her mental health helped her thrive during the pandemic.
Thang also credits her success to PBA’支持社区. She was particularly moved by the genuine care that faculty and staff demonstrated—especially as she entered PBA with an undeclared major.
“When I was trying to choose, I met with my 职业导师詹妮弗·丰塞卡，”她说。. “She guided me and helped me figure out my major. 她愿意帮助我.”
After diligently researching and identifying programs that best mirrored her passions and goals, 他选择了学习 心理学 追求一个 化学小. 她也被学校录取了 弗雷德里克•米. 晚餐荣誉课程.
现在,她’s the Class of 2024 Outstanding Graduate of the 心理学 department.
“I came into PBA as one person, now I’m graduating as another,” Thang said. “PBA had a big role in transforming me. I started with nothing—but I felt like I had such potential and big dreams.”
Thang added that she could focus on her academic and career goals thanks to the scholarships she received, 包括2024年 杰出女性奖学金, which gives funds to female students who excel in academics, service, and leadership, and the 约翰逊奖学金, which is distributed to PBA students with demonstrated financial need.
“They made it easier [for me] to go to school,”她说。. “My peers are worried about how to pay for school, or they’我负债累累. 我也’t have to feel burdened because 我也’t have to work and sacrifice my grades. The scholarships saved me and my parents from that financial burden. 我很荣幸被选中.”
In addition to easing the financial pressures, the scholarships enabled Thang to thrive in a full-time academic routine—which, 反过来, helped spark conversations with her parents about her hopes and dreams.
“We started talking about my future and my passions,” she shared. “他们思想开放. I would have thought that they wanted me to go into pre-med! But I was comfortable talking with them.”
Looking Ahead: Fulbright and Future Goal
今年夏天, Thang will embark on a year-long English teaching assistantship to Taiwan under the prestigious 富布赖特U.S. 学生项目. 虽然她不是’t initially planning to apply, a professor urged her to consider it, and she took a leap of faith. 博士指导. 卡尔•米勒, associate professor of English and PBA faculty coordinator for the Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships, Thang prepared her application last semester while also applying to graduate programs.
Last month, she learned that she received the Fulbright.
“Tears started flowing; I was in utter shock. 我也’t believe it,” Thang said, adding that these moments remind her to believe in herself. “People would think I was a failure with no future—but t在这里 was something in me that said I knew better.”
在她做助教之后, Thang wants to continue her education and become a clinical psychologist.
“No matter what, I can do and achieve much more,” she reflected. “PBA很特别’ve never encountered people like this. These professors are investing in our lives, and their belief in me [reminded me] that I can thrive. 我也’t think I would have done as well as I did if I attended another school.”
To learn more about PBA’s 心理学 and counseling programs, 点击这里.
To watch PBA’s 2024 Commencement recap video, click 在这里.
