Phnom Penh, March 9 – A graduate from the American University of Phnom Penh (AUPP) is the first Cambodian female student to be awarded a full scholarship to Stanford University, one of the top three universities in the world.
A press release issued this week by The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program at Stanford University stated “Of over 4,400 applicants, Sievlan Len, from Cambodia, is one of the 69 students from around the world to be awarded entry into the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program.”
The Knight-Hennessy is the largest international fully-endowed graduate fellowship in the world, which was launched in 2016 by Nike co-founder Phil Knight and former Stanford President John Hennessy to bring the bright and civic minds together to create meaningful changes around the world. The scholarship provides full tuition, room, board, stipend, and necessary funding for academic workshops.
Sievlan, 23, was born in Siem Reap province, hometown of Angkor Wat Temple. She moved to Phnom Penh, some 300 kilometers from her home, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in global affairs under the scholarship provided by AUPP’s founder. During her university years, she stayed at the Harpswell Foundation, a dormitory and leadership center for women.
Sievlan aspires to become a civic leader, devising policies to solve educational and social problems in Cambodia, making Cambodia a place, where we all want to live and raise our children. She was a sociology research assistant and interned with the German-based foundation Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Sievlan was an active student on campus. She founded and served as editor-in-chief of the Eagle Times student newspaper at AUPP, co-drafted AUPP’s student government constitution, and organized the first Model ASEAN Meeting at AUPP. In her junior year, Sievlan won Global UGRAD scholarship from the US Department of State, and she is currently on the Harpswell Fellowship at Agnes Scott College.
“From a far-fetched-up-in-the-air dream to a reality! It's been such an incredible journey, and I still couldn't believe that I did it!” Sievlan said after knowing she was awarded the scholarship.
“What I like the most about Knight-Hennessy are its interdisciplinary nature and the scholars. I believe modern-day problems are complex, and it takes a pool of knowledge that no single mind can possess to solve them effectively. We have to collaborate across disciplines to make meaningful contribution to the world, and Knight Hennessy scholars come from many diverse disciplines. I am really looking forward to learning alongside and from them. Everyone is just bright, accomplished, and inspiring. I am very humble to be a part of this second cohort,” Sievlan continued.
Sievlan will be pursuing a master’s degree in international policy at Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences.
Kenneth Dunn, AUPP President said "It is the first time in Cambodia for American University of Phnom Penh’s graduate to receive such prestigious award. AUPP would like to congratulate and appreciate our 2018 valedictorian Sievlan for her huge success."
“AUPP community wishes her a success in her new academic journey. We also encourage her to come back to Cambodia and make impeccable progress to the kingdom,” the president continued.
Cambodian Education Minister Hang Choun Naron had stated that, “AUPP has actively contributed to education and human resource development in Cambodia with quality education and a degree from the U.S and believed that AUPP will be a role model for other educational institutions in Cambodia and the region.”
AUPP is the only university in Cambodia that provides internationally recognized US accredited dual degree programs in partnership with the University of Arizona (UA) and Fort Hays State University (FHSU).
=FRESH NEWS
