Channtha Sum 

Attending

Academic Major

Political Science & Critical Identity Studies with a Minor in Chinese
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​Class of 2024

Channtha (Moon) Sum attends Beloit College, majoring in political science and critical identity studies with a minor in Chinese. In 2018, Channtha was selected to participate in the JENESYS Exchange Program, which allowed her to study abroad in Japan. This program provided her the chance to meet high-potential youths from three countries – Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia – and exchange culture, tradition, and discuss social and environmental issues with other participants.

Channtha is very passionate about debating controversial social issues. In Cambodia, she was invited to join a debate program with The Perspective Cambodia for several months, where she discussed problems facing Cambodia such as traffic accidents, substance abuse problems, and human rights violations. She also led a group of Cambodian University students to raise awareness for Freedom of Expression in Cambodian Higher Education Institutions. Channtha also received second place in the Youth and Culture Debate of the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

Her time spent debating has led her to appreciate how Cambodia would change if youth start to understand the country’s various social situations. Channtha hopes to use her studies to help poor families, improve their standards of living, and end human rights violations by becoming a politician back home in Cambodia.

This summer Channtha can be found in Cambodia directing her Make A Change project, and shortly after completing her summer fellowship with the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. 

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Mentor Team 

Elise Balelo, Business Analyst, Deloitte
Cathy Batteer, Retired Healthcare Senior Vice President
Jenny Bond Murray, Owner/Coach, Jenny Bond Coaching
Andrea Leeb, Owner/Attorney, The Law Office of Andrea L Leeb
Camille de Jong, Product Manager, Facebook
Natalie Oei, Sr. Product Manager, Atlassian 
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