1. Create Account
  2. Login
StudyUSA
Match Me
  • Create Account
  • Login
  • School Search
  • Resources
    • All Resources
    • Articles
    • Student Voices
    • Videos
    • Magazines
    • Podcasts
  • Services
    • All Services
    • Accommodation
    • Support
    • Career
    • Financial
    • Testing
    • Other
  • Apply
  • Chat

Community College Made Her Career Dreams Come True!

Community College Made Her Career Dreams Come True!

Oct 3, 2022

From Santa Rosa Junior College to an Ivy League

Y Pham, born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, followed her brother Duc Pham’s example and enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) as an international student. For two years at SRJC, Y Pham juggled several part-time jobs and internships on campus, as well as full-time classes. She received excellent recommendation letters from her teachers and applied to transfer to several Ivy League colleges. 

Talent + discipline = success

“My SRJC instructors gave me really good advice. They looked through my essays. My art teacher, Donna Larsen, told me, ‘Talent is a cheap commodity; everyone has it, but not discipline. Discipline is how you will succeed.’” recalled Y. That summer she received the exciting news that she was accepted at Cornell University to study design and environmental analysis with a concentration in well-being design. Sadly, her world was shattered when she realized that her application for financial aid was rejected and the tuition was beyond her ability to earn or borrow. 

A roadblock, not the end of the road

Faced with the hard decision to accept defeat or see it as a challenge, Y decided she wouldn’t give up. She continued studying at SRJC, changed her major to biology and took more difficult science classes. She felt that, as a designer interested in health environments, she had to prove that she could make pragmatic and functional designs applied to healthcare systems. She reapplied to Cornell and was accepted, this time with a full scholarship and the support she needed. 

The path to her future

After an internship in the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, supported by a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Y started her studies at Cornell University. There, she was reunited with her brother Duc who was studying for his Ph.D.

Today Y is a healthcare designer at SmithGroup architecture firm in San Francisco, California. As it happens, her firm is working on the new STEM building at SRJC, so Y has come full circle!

Follow us:
Written by

Study in the USA®

Get matched to the best program for you

Let us know what you're looking for so we can find the best school for you.

Get matched
Call to action background image. Decorative.

Useful Articles

Main image for the article titled Internships and Fellowships for International Students
Internships and Fellowships for International Students
Main image for the article titled Studying Psychology at St. Joseph’s University in New York
Studying Psychology at St. Joseph’s University in New York
Main image for the article titled What Should I Major in to Become an Anesthesiologist?
What Should I Major in to Become an Anesthesiologist?
Main image for the article titled Transfer from Shoreline Community College to Your Dream University
Transfer from Shoreline Community College to Your Dream University
Read more

Check Out These Schools

Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa Junior College

$5,000—$10,000 Year

2yr/Community College - 2+2 Programs Certificate/Short Term Online
Contact
Education First Miami Beach

Education First Miami Beach

$10,000 — $15,000 Quarter

English Programs
Contact

Featured Programs

Berkeley Global

Typical cost per Semester: $15,000—$20,000

Bachelor Degree Masters Secondary/Boarding
Learn More

University of Northern Iowa

Typical cost per Year: $15,000—$20,000

Bachelor Degree Masters Certificate/Short Term
Learn More

Golden West College

Typical cost per Year: $10,000 — $15,000

Bachelor Degree Certificate/Short Term Summer
Learn More

Related Stories

What if my study is interrupted?

close-up of female student applying for transfer admission to American University
What to Do if Your Student Visa Is Denied

Main image for the article titled What to Do if Your Student Visa Is Denied
Can I Get A Master's Degree if My Bachelor's Degree is in a Different Field?

Main image for the article titled Can I Get A Master's Degree if My Bachelor's Degree is in a Different Field?
What is a GPA?

Main image for the article titled What is a GPA?

Start your U.S. adventure with Study in the USA

What's your dream? We can guide, advise, and connect you with your perfect U.S. school. We can also help you with the application process.
More about us
Partner Services

Learn About U.S. education financing, housing, and more

Partner service logo for ELSA

ELSA

ELSA - World's Best English Pronunciation App. Speak English like a native speaker. Get instant feedback on your speech from proprietary artificial intelligence technology. Learn more. Get a 10% discount using code: StudyUSA

Read more
Partner service logo for There’s a business school for everyone. Meet yours at a free upcoming event!

There’s a business school for everyone. Meet yours at a free upcoming...

Ready to make your MBA dreams a reality? Register now for a virtual or in-person event with The MBA Tour! Don’t miss your chance to speak directly with leading business schools, such as Harvard University, Boston University, Columbia University, UC...

Read more
Partner service logo for Renters Insurance

Renters Insurance

SURE offers hassle-free renters insurance that'll protect your clothes, furniture, and even yourself from unexpected damages and injuries. The SURE team will get you set up with a free quote and the correct coverage that you need!

Read more

Testimonials

Quotation mark.

The first time I met with StudyUSA was when I was searching which college I should attend. StudyUSA helped me out in some ways. I was able to review a lot of detailed college information in your website. That included not only just about colleges, but also many of real voices from the students in the US. The real information helped me to make decision where I should go for studying. I'm sure that StudyUS would help much more students who are trying to start adventures in the US all over the world!

Nana Katsumi Japan

Study in the USA provided me with a lot of information about the program I was interested in at my university. I was able to get all sorts of statistics, as well as learn about the internships I could apply to while at the university.

Raiza Soares India

I checked their website to search for scholarships and find answers to some frequently asked questions.

Gracia Duron Honduras

Resources

Learn about American culture and education direct from our experts at Study in the USA. Read more

Achieving Your Goal
Admissions and Placement Testing
Beyond the Basics
Education System in the USA
Financing Your U.S. Education
Frequently Asked Questions
Life in the USA
Resources
Student Experiences
For students age 10-18
Study in Canada
Podcasts
Magazines
Videos
Student Voices
Ask StudyUSA.com

Subscribe to get the latest from Study in the USA

You can unsubscribe at any time.


StudyUSA
Explore

  • School Search
  • Resources
  •   Articles
  •   Student Voices
  •   Videos
  •   Magazines
  • Partner Services
  •   Accommodation
  •   Career
  •   Financial
  •   Other
  •   Support
  •   Testing
  • Apply
  • Chat
Information

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Course Index
  • Article Index
  • Create account
  • Sign in
  • For Educators & Institutions
Match Me
  • English
    العربيـة English Español Français Bahasa Indonesia 日本語 한국어 Português Русский ภาษาไทย Türkçe Tiếng Việt 简体中文 繁體中文

  • Privacy & Policy
  • /
  • Terms

Study in the USA logo

© 2023 Study in the USA. All Rights Reserved.

Global Study logo
A member of the Global Study network

When you visit or interact with our sites, services or tools, we or our authorised service providers may use cookies for storing information to help provide you with a better, faster and safer experience and for marketing purposes.