LONG BEACH - When Rada Hong steps to the lectern today he'll tell his story. Hong came to the United States in 2000 with his family as a 14-year-old immigrant from Cambodia.
He went to the Khmer Parents Association for help in English, which he couldn't read, write, nor understand. In 2009, Hong graduated from UC Berkeley with dual degrees in nuclear and mechanical engineering.
Today, he tells his story to about 100 Southeast Asian seniors and their families, who are expected to attend the 2009 Southeast Asian Scholarship Awards at Cal State Long Beach.
The event, annually sponsored by the KPA, is co-hosted this year by the Nisei Student Relocation and Commemorative Fund.
A group of nisei ("second-generation" U.S.-born descendants of Japanese immigrants) created the fund to pay tribute to the National Japanese American Student Relocation Council, an organization of religious groups and educators that had helped nisei students leave the internment camps during World War II to pursue college educations.
Each year, the group picks a community in which to give out college scholarships to children of refugee and immigrant families and in 2009 Long Beach is the choice.
Because of the Nisei fund, 30 students from the community will receive $35,000 in scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $500.
They will be kids like Hong, who overcame his obstacles to graduate from Long Beach Poly in 2004 with honors, earn a bachelor's in business
management economics from UC Santa Cruz and went on to Berkeley, where he now does research in nuclear thermal hydraulics. To continue the legacy of KPA, Hong also teaches SAT preparation to students in San Francisco.
Dean Toji, who teaches at Cal State Long Beach and helped organize the event, says he was impressed by the applicants.
"I really admire them," Toji said. "Most are low-income and quite a few have a parent missing or disabled, and they've worked really hard. "
Today's event is free and open to Long Beach Southeast Asian graduates from the class of 2009. In addition to the scholarships, there will be door prizes, including a flat-screen computer monitor, digital camera, scientific calculator and gift cards and vouchers.
The event is from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Student Union at Cal State Long Beach. A reception catered by Sophy's Restaurant follows.
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