Name:
Thiri Zaw
Position Title or Student Involvements:
Administrative Specialist II, Housing Department. Student
What degrees have you obtained or are working on?
Master of Science in Supply Chain Management, Sam M. Walton College of Business
What does it mean to you to be a first-generation student/graduate?
The education is very important for the career. It is never too late to go back to school or continue education.
Why is being a first-generation student/graduate important to you?
I have been working very hard to continue education while raising a daughter. I would like to be a role model for my daughter about the importance of education.
What piece of advice would you give to first-generation students?
Education will always payoff in the career one way or another. Don’t give up and keep pursuing continue education.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself that you feel is important for people to know about you?
I dreamed of being a student at the University of Arkansas for 14 years. I had been busy with full-time and part-time jobs, house payments, and travel expenses to see my parents. I started working at Chartwells 17 days after arriving in Fayetteville. I also worked part-time evenings and weekends to care for older people and people with disabilities. During those years, I admire seeing all students around me, my customers, and my student coworkers. I took an ESL class for a few months, advanced and composition I class, some non-credit classes from NWACC, some courses in health care avocation school, and a CNA certificate at NTI. I got promoted in my work and did not have a chance to return to college or look for a new career. I have no time to practice for TOEFL, and the difficulty of getting a transcript from my country makes me hesitate to return to school. It has been challenging for me to become a University student because of different cultures and languages, time, and resources. After fourteen years of dreaming, my wish became a reality, and now I am a first-generation graduate student and a staff member of the University of Arkansas. I am very proud to be a student and will try very hard to complete my graduate studies.