Sopharoth Ith

Attending

Academic Major

Economics

​Class of 2022

Sopharoth “Rosie” Ith is a junior at the University of Portland, majoring in economics, with a minor in political science. Rosie was the first SHE-CAN scholar at UP, paving the way for her little sisters. This summer, Rosie is interning at Gender and Development Cambodia in Phnom Penh.
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On-campus, Sopharoth is an FGEN (First Generation College Student) Programming and Event Coordinator who leads a team of 18 other student Ambassadors on events planning that serves the FGEN Community at her school. She was an Admissions Assistant at the International Student Services on campus, a participant in Habitat for Humanity, Model UN, and with her excellent academic record, she is also a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. She spent the Spring semester of 2020 studying abroad in London. During the fall of 2019, Sopharoth organized and led a fall break “rural immersion” trip in Washington’s Yakima Valley. There, students got to learn about the issues facing immigrants in the region and volunteered at a food bank and a local non-profit.

After returning to Cambodia when the pandemic hit in 2020, Sopharoth stayed for most of the year and saw how women’s rights in Cambodia are abused in the patriarchal society. She is passionate to pursue a Master's degree in Public Policy and Social Justice before returning to Cambodia to be an advocate for women and girls. She believes that Cambodia’s development must include women’s participation, and she is determined to use her voice to increase the number of women in the workforce in order to lift Cambodia from poverty.

Watch her leadership speech here: https://vimeo.com/390650595

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Mentor Team

Shannon Faucette
Claudia Hinz, Owner, Wholistic Consciousness 
Christine Mattsson, Personal Stylist and Wardrobe Consultant, J. Hilburn Men's Clothier 
Karen Meadows, Author and Consultant, Karen Meadows Consulting
Beverley Talbott