Kassandra Chhay
The last four years at the Beach has been a journey filled with invaluable opportunities that has allowed me to learn about myself, the diverse community of Long Beach, and the global world. I am fortunate to have an extensive amount of research experience and global experience, in terms of studying abroad in Cambodia and India, as an undergraduate. My experience at the Beach would not be possible without the support of my family, friends, and professors.
Honestly, I felt obligated to attend college right out of high school to meet society and my family’s expectation. I chose to stay local primarily for financial reasons, especially since I was not certain about what I wanted to do in the future. I can proudly affirm that attending college does not feel like an obligation. It may sound like an exaggeration but I actually wake up looking forward to going to school.
I have taken a proactive approach in making the most out of my time at the Beach. For the first two years of college I worked as a research assistance on two community based research projects through Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP).
Last year I participated in the India Winter Study Abroad Session and had the chance to stop in Singapore for a few days after India. I received the ASI study abroad scholarship to help fund my expenses. This summer I received the ORSP Student Assistantship Award which allowed me to work as a student researcher for the Cambodian Community History and Archive Project (CamCHAP), a university-community collaboration between CSULB, CSUDH, and Historical Society of Long Beach. I worked under the supervision of Dr. Quintiliani who assisted me in developing my research project and getting IRB approved.
Besides research, my other campus involvement includes being the Ambassador for CSU Journey for Success Asian American Pacific Islander Initiative and being a member in different clubs on campus. Some of the clubs that I am a member of or have been a member of include Student Justice for Palestine, Environmental Club, Outdoor and Adventure Club, and Cambodian Student Society (CSS). CSS has taught me to appreciate and learn about my own culture.
Currently, I am in the process of applying for graduate school and have narrowed down my top two schools. My first school of choice is University of Minnesota – Twin Cities for their PhD program in Culture and Teaching. I would like to work with one of the professors there, Dr. Vichet Chhoun, because of our similar research interests on the learning needs of immigrants, and identity of Cambodian Americans. My second choice is CSULB; I am applying for the Masters Program in Applied Anthropology. So there is a chance that my journey at the Beach will continue.
