Vanna Christian Sun Legacy Scholarship

Cambodian-Americans living in the United States make up a tiny fraction of the population and only a small portion of the overarching Asian-American population. The Cambodian history of survival, grit, and love for the betterment of the community is largely overlooked and undervalued. 

Vanna Sun was a Cambodian refugee who endured slavery, torture, and starvation for four years under the Khmer Rouge genocide. She immigrated to the United States in her early twenties with no money and no English language skills. Vanna was married and a mother of two when she started high school and later went on to earn the prestigious honor of being named valedictorian of the Hope High School class of 1983. Through her long hours of translating English to Cambodian (and vice versa) in order to learn and study, Vanna earned a full scholarship to Rhode Island College, where she graduated cum laude with the “Richard A. Howland Computer Science Award.” Throughout her successful corporate IT career, Vanna continued her education and earned a Master of Science degree in software engineering from Fairfield University. As a devoted wife and mother of three by then, Vanna’s ongoing life goal was to end her family’s financial struggles and to give them a comfortable life with a warm home and the occasional opportunity to travel and experience new places. Vanna believed that studying, hard work, and determination were the keys to providing a better life for her family and the next generation of Cambodian people. 

This scholarship seeks to honor the life of Vanna Sun by supporting students of Cambodian descent who are interested in making a difference in their families’ lives and the community.

Any Cambodian high school senior going to a four-year college or current four-year undergraduate student may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they’re pursuing STEM or business and if they have at least a 3.0 GPA, financial need, and volunteering experience. However, first or second-generation descendants of Cambodian refugees are preferred. The first-place winner will receive $10,000 while the second-place winner will earn $7,500 and the third-place winner will earn $2,500.

To apply, write a short essay telling us about yourself, your family’s journey to/in America, how you’ve made an impact in your community, and why your community is important to you. Additionally, submit a video no longer than two minutes telling us what your immediate and long-term goals are and how this scholarship will help you achieve them. Submit a link to your video as a public YouTube link or a Google Drive link. Settings should be set to "public" or "anyone with the link can view." If we can't access your video, your application won't be considered. Finally, upload at least two pictures of your family or community to show your well-rounded life.