Brown University nih a timi cu first generation college student cu college hngakhcia a si nain an nu le an pa college degree a ngah lo mi pawl an si. Hmai kum first generation college student a si ding mi hi SHS sianginn hnagkchia tampi an neih hna.
Senior Van Par and Sui Lauttlai zong cu first generation college student an si ve. An pahnih ningin degree lak dingah IU Bloomington ah kai an in tim ti nain thil dang veve an major la. Par nih a major dingmicu business le Marketing asi la nain Lauttlai nih Dentistry (ha lei) ai tim.
Par nih a chim mi cu kai zuam nak hi ka nu sinin a ra, college kai i van success ding kong khi a chim lengmang tawn. Asi nain, har nak tei in hi dir hmun ah a phan kho ve.
“U.S. ka rak phak hi 2012, Jan. 8 ah asi. Ram dang in a ra mi ka si ruangah mirang holh hi kai harh ngai, can a kal in ka thiam deuh chin lengmang nain kai harh pah rih ko,” Par nih ati.
Par bantukin, Lauttlai zong nih college kai hi kai timh peng mi asi ati. An innchungkhar ah college a kai hmasa mi si a duh, asi nain thil a duh mi tuah ai timh ah hin kalnak mawttaw a nei tawn lo.
“Sianginn ah har nak ka tong bal loin, sianginn lei peh tlai in thil pakhat ai i tel kai timh ah hin mawttaw kal nak lei ah ka chanbau ngai. ”Lauttlai nih a chim. “Burmese American Community Institute zong ka join i Mrs.Peddie zong nih college lei he thil a herh mi tete pehtlai in an ka bawmh.”
Caan kar lakah Lauttlai hi sianginn kong he pehtlai in tthatnak lei ah a panh chin lengmang.
Tingchia sayapa Jason Adler le Lauttlai hi an i theih nak a sau i an i kom ngai. Adler nih a chim i Lauttlai tang 9 a kai lio le tang 12 a kai lio he cun ai dang bak a ti.
“Sianginn hngakchia a si nain upa lungthin a ken mi le cawnnak ah an chanbau nak ai hmuh khawh cang,” Adler nih a chim. “Atu a sining cun, college a kai tikah a lam tluang ko la.”
Par zong cu a sianginn kai ning he pehtlai in sianginn leiah a thiam chinlengmang. AP World History and AP US History sayapa David Luers nih Par hi a class pahnih ning in a neih i a thiammi le a harh mi hi a cingken dih.
“A holh tam lo, nain thil ah i tel ai zuam,nain caan a liam i, tang hleikhat cun midang pi ah ai cang,” Luers nih ati i.” Mah cun a ruahnak lei (critical thinking) zong rang deuh a ttha deuh, biahal a duh ah mah le mah seihchiah nak a nei deuh i cucu sianginn hngakchai tampi nih an neih mi a si lo.”
Lauttlai le Par nih an chim mi cu FAFSA ca phit le college ah vasok (apply) a har lai ti an ruah ning bantukin asilo. Online survey i biahal mi an phit mi bantuk khi a lo ee an ti.
“FAFSA ca ka phit lio ah khan, a har loh. A dang ca ka phit he ai lo,” a ti i Lauttlai nih. “Phit dingcu a tampi nain, an awl te ko. Aho paoh nih an tuah khawh i ansok khawh mi a si ko. Caan zong arau ko la nain caan na pek mi heh ai keih ko.”
Par cu college manah tam deuh cu scholarships a hmuh minih aman aliam piak ko lai.
A chim i Par nih scholarships ka hmuh lai ti hi ka ruat bal loh ait. A hmuh mi pawl scholarships cu Federal Supplement Grant, IU 21st Century Covenant (D), Provost Scholarship, 21st Century Award, Federal Pell Grant, cun Prebys Fdtn Resident Scholarships an si.
“Scholarships ka ngah i college nih an ka accept kan college ah na kai kho ko ti nawl pek nak” ko ti thawng ka theih ah hin kai zumh loh,” Par nih a ti. “Kan innchungkhar ah college akai ding mi si hmasa ka duh.”
First generation college students hna hi tam deuh cu an sianginn kai nak ah an i harh deuh peng ziah ti cun college kai ah zeidah a lawh ti an thei loh, an innchungkhar members zong an hal khawh hna lo caah asi. Nain Luers le Adler nih fak piin a zumh mi cu aho sianginn hngakchia paoh nih an ca cawnning hi anmah rian ah in i ruah ah cun a duh mi an cohlan khawh ko la.
“Felfai hi a thupi tak ih cule mah le mah ca zir daan ding theih a ttul,” Adler in ati.