Below you will find our scholar blog posts – they cover a variety of topics, from arriving in the U.S. to interning with a stellar company to post-graduation dreams.
 | Voleak Phan, a rising sophomore at Beloit College, tells us about all of the places she got to visit during her first year in the U.S. My heart was thumping loudly when I landed at Newark International Airport in August 2019. All I could think was “I am here. I am finally here.” It was both thrilling and daunting. The United States was no longer just a farfetched dream of a high school graduate from the rural part of Siem Reap - it was my reality. Before I knew it, I had finished my first year at Beloit. It was an eventful year full of traveling and adventures. |
| On one of my first days, Julie and I took a walk along the boardwalk and got ice cream. Later, Carly took me to see the pinball machines and we played some games along the beach. Then it was time to go to New York. I had only seen Times Square and the Brooklyn Bridge in movies and I finally got to see them in person. We had lunch at the Mercer Company with nearly all my mentors and their colleagues. They all gave me great advice and wished me good luck. |  My mentor Julie and me in Times Square |
 | Sreytom Tim, a recent graduate from The University of Minnesota Twin Cities, reflects on her past four years at college and her hopes for the future. Time really flies. I cannot believe I have graduated from college. May 13th, 2020 marked the completion of my bachelor’s degree and a conclusion to another chapter of my life. It feels like I was just a freshman yesterday when I said goodbye to my friends and family and stepped on an airplane for the first time in my life. I remember asking myself how I was going to handle my new life in the U.S. |
| Throughout my four years of college, I grew from being a girl from a small village in Cambodia to a global citizen and a strong, competent female leader. Going to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMN) not only allowed me to get a great education but the college also gave me access to many opportunities. Outside of class, I spent a lot of time volunteering at student organizations and organizations outside of UMN. These opportunities helped me to sharpen and practice the skills I had learned in the classroom and gave me the chance to practice my leadership skills while serving my community. |  SHE-CAN Revolution 2.0 2019 |
 | Sreileak Hour, a recent graduate from Scripps College, writes about her experience quarantining in Kauai with one of her mentors. It was March 11th, 2020. I was preparing for my midterms when I received an email from Scripps that school was going to temporarily transition to online classes. On the same day, I received email after email with constant updates about the situation. Finally, I got notice that the whole semester was going to be online and all students were required to leave the campus within the week. |
 My graduation celebration in Kauai | Who would have thought that this crisis could turn into one of the most wonderful experiences in my life? Following Scripps' campus closure, my mentors and I agreed that I would stay at Anne’s house in San Francisco while Anne and her family were abroad. However, they couldn’t leave the United States due to border closures. So, they decided to go to Hawaii instead and asked if I wanted to join them for one or two weeks. I agreed. |
 | Vuochnear Ly, a recent graduate from Gettysburg College, wrote her blog about her experiences in 2020, which ranged from an immersion trip in Texas to a quarantined graduation celebration.2020 started off as a great year. I attended a wonderful leadership training organized by SHE-CAN and I learned about immigration at the U.S.-Mexican border on my Gettysburg College immersion trip in El Paso, Texas. |
| During both experiences, I gained leadership skills and learned about social justice issues that I intend to use in the future as a diplomat. January gave me so much optimism, hope, and excitement for the rest of 2020 and beyond. Yet... |  My immersion trip in El Paso! |
 | Ariane Irafasha, a rising sophomore at Beloit College, reflects on her first year at college in the United States. It has now been almost a year since I came to the U.S. and I have never stopped learning.Everything is going by so fast! I remember the waves of emotions I felt on my first plane ride like it was yesterday. I went from being excited to nervous to lonely. Fortunately for me, I am lucky to be in good hands because of the support of my caring and loving mentors, SHE-CAN big sisters, and the SHE-CAN team. I am thankful for each one of them. |
| When I finally arrived at Beloit College, everything sunk in. Studying abroad was always one of my biggest dreams and now I had finally achieved it. My family was so proud of me and I was also proud of myself. My mentors Maureen and Gayle helped me move in and bought me clothes and other freshman essentials. On move-in day, Chelsea (another SHE-CAN sister at Beloit) helped us move my stuff into my room. I’m glad I got to meet her before she left for her study abroad program in Amsterdam. |  One of my first dinners in the U.S., featuring my mentors Cara and Martha, my SHE-CAN sister Phidor, and some of my mentors friends. I love this picture because it reminds me of how warmly I was welcomed when I first arrived in the U.S. |