Summer — 2010

Aye Yin Thu

Bioengineering/AS

“Studying is just not enough. We all need a lot of different experiences in life. We need academic success, sure. But we also need to grow as human beings.”

Let’s just tick off a few of the bona fides of Aye Yin Thu. Member, Phi Beta Kappa. AS Director of Academic Support. Mastery—though having been born in Myanmar—of written and spoken English. For Aye Yin, challenge is the spice of life. “When I first came to SMC, my major was Business. But it just wasn’t engaging enough, and I didn’t think it was worth my time and money.” So she adjusted her sites and lasered in on a future in Bioengineering.

“Oh yeah. We study all the Sciences—math, physics, chemistry, biology—all of ’em. And you might not believe this, but I have great professors in every single class, especially Professor Hong in math. He teaches so very fast and so well... although his handwriting is terrible!” she says with an endearing laugh. “But he is absolutely brilliant and kind.” Aye Yin, in her fourth year at SMC, reports that her dreams of studying in America have nearly all come true. “I was so excited to come here because it’s so much a better system than we have at home. And I’ve found that living a good ‘student life’ at SMC is very important and fulfilling. I’ve found so many very brilliant people here who resist joining other students to make our college a better place. Sometimes,” she says with a laugh, “it’s almost a physical struggle to drag them into being involved!”

Aye Yin says that SMC is “really one great international ‘laboratory.’ You will be studying here with teachers and students who come to America from everywhere on the planet. And you will learn from all of them, if you give yourself the chance. But SMC is not just a way to get from Point A to Point B. You need to make this college your ‘home.’ ”

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