Sokuntheary Heang
Attending
Academic MajorMathematical Economics and International and Global Studies
Class of 2024 |
Sokuntheary "Theary" Heang attends Gettysburg and has a double major in Mathematical Economics and International and Global Studies. Because her father is an educator, Theary was exposed to the world of knowledge and curiosity from a young age. Given cultural restrictions that were still powerful in her rural neighborhood, she crossed many social barriers to become the person she is today. Theary worked hard to be an outstanding student and managed to maintain first or second rank among students in her high school grade.
Before coming to Gettysburg College, Theary began studying Media and Communication at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. She learned that she is passionate about improving Cambodia’s educational system. While the world is developing, many schools in Cambodia are still operating under the old way of learning, which limits the students’ knowledge of today’s world and deprives them of better opportunities. Theary knows that the problem in Cambodia is complex and does not lie in the educational system alone – the economic and political situation also plays a very important role in the country’s development. After graduation, she hopes to use her knowledge of applied economic development, cooperative communication, social issues, and emerging global educational trends to improve Cambodia. Theary’s legacy will be making a positive change in the Cambodian educational system to help unleash the potential of Cambodia’s next generation. During the Summer 2021, Theary was a Digital Scholarship Summer Fellow (DSSF21) on campus. Using various digital tools, she did independent research and created a website on the Cambodian refugees early resettlement experience in the U.S. from 1975-1990. On campus, she is a Program Coordinator for Immersion Projects of the Center for Public Service (CPS), and last fall, she was a leader for an immersion project to study the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama. She is a part of the Tech Crew team on campus as well. During Summer 2022, Theary has been in Cambodia implementing a project initiative in Battambang Province that aims to address digital education disparity among Cambodians' rural youth by providing them with basic computer training and Khmer Rouge education using digital tools. |
Mentors
Caroline Boeckman
Karen Frank, Partner, Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass
Barbara Giuffre, Attorney, Work/Environment Law Group
Michelle Lepore
Lisa Michael, Physics Teacher, Pacific Collegiate School
Patricia Templin
Janet Watson, President & Founder, Watson and Associates
Karen Frank, Partner, Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass
Barbara Giuffre, Attorney, Work/Environment Law Group
Michelle Lepore
Lisa Michael, Physics Teacher, Pacific Collegiate School
Patricia Templin
Janet Watson, President & Founder, Watson and Associates