Stephanie Long interview
Item
Title
Stephanie Long interview
Creator
Long, Stephanie
Banh, Jenny
Relation
Central Valley Southeast Asian Successful Voices
Coverage
Fresno, California
Date
2017
Rights
Copyright has been transferred to Fresno State
Identifier
SCMS_casv_00035
extracted text
>> Hello. Good morning. Thank you so much, Miss Steffanie, to be included in our new archive at Fresno State as
successful Southeast Asians. If you can say your name and also spell it.
>> Stephanie Long, first name s-t-e-f-f-a-n-i-e. Last name Long, l-o-n-g.
>> And, Miss Steffanie, can you give me verbal permission to record you for Fresno State and to use your information
for scholarly purposes?
>> Yes.
>> Okay, great. So let's start. What is your gender?
>> Female.
>> What is your birth year?
>> December 13th ->> Oh. No, don't tell me the date. Just the year.
>> Oh, 1988.
>> What is your ethnic group?
>> Cambodian-American.
>> Where were you born?
>> Stockton, California.
>> What was your undergraduate major?
>> Clinical nutrition.
>> What is your generation in the United States?
>> Second.
>> What is your mother and father's highest education?
>> Unknown.
>> What is your family composition that you grew up with?
>> A mother and a father.
>> What is your GPA and what college do you go to?
>> GPA 2.49 at UC Davis.
>> What is your ultimate degree aspiration?
>> Bachelor's degree.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> What is your social -- You already have a bachelor's degree?
>> Yes.
>> So socioeconomic background that you grew up, was it working class, low, middle affluent?
>> Middle.
>> What was the high school that you went to and was it private or public?
>> Public.
>> What's the racial demographics of your high school?
>> Hispanic, Southeast Asian.
>> Do many Cambodians go to college? Why or why not?
>> No. Why? It's probably not pushed upon parents enough to have a better life, just to probably just go to work but not
go to college.
>> Alright, if you compare Cambodian college graduates as a somewhat low number, it's around 14%, versus let's say
South Indian, they have a 70% graduation rate and they from India and then they come here and then it's also
predominately men who actually graduate, Indian. Why do you think there's a difference in the Asian community?
>> Well, specifically Cambodian is very different from, it's culture different because of the history. Back then, I was
told that I also done research that the Khmer Rouge, the history have effect on the education system because they try to
demolish education there by [inaudible] teachers, soldier, anyone who's educated there. So it has to do with a lot of the
history, the Khmer Rouge history.
>> So the genocide had a big ->> Genocide had a big effect. So education was not put a priority. So it's harder for this generation to understand that.
So weren't encouraged to go to school.
>> Right. Excellent. What makes a -- What's your favorite subject? What's your least favorite subject?
>> My favorite subject is science. My least was, I would say, English.
>> English, okay. What makes a good professor to pass a class and what makes a bad professor?
>> A good professor has a lot of opportunity for set the student up for success. They have office hours for the student,
tutor, answer questions. They're willing to make appointments with you. And when a professor don't have office hour,
not willing to meet with students, that's setting a student for failure.
>> Okay. Have you ever been mentored in college?
>> Mentor, yes. When I say mentor, I took a lot of tutorial classes in my writing because it was difficult. Mentored in
becoming the Cambodian president in 2009 at UC Davis. Other Cambodians, they encouraged me to do the position.
>> Oh, excellent. And you spoke about how you got together with Sacramento State. How did that happen?
>> That happened, you know, we did collaboration. I contact the president there and went to their meeting and they
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
came to my meeting as well. So we worked together to support one another education goal.
>> Oh, great. Okay. Thinking back on your high school, what was your teachers' expectation of you? Was it neutral,
low, high?
>> It was high because I like to challenge myself. I place myself in advanced courses, honor roll classes. So I was
already challenging myself in my academics. I was planning to succeed and so my expectation from my teacher was
high because I was already in honor roll classes.
>> What high school did you go to?
>> I went to Fresno High School.
>> Oh, okay. And did you think that the high prepared you better, adequately for college?
>> You know what? Yes, because I placed myself in honor roll classes and they also I was involved in Upward Bound.
>> Oh, okay. What's Upward Bound?
>> Upward Bound is for the low-income families, those who parents don't have college degrees and they prepare you
for college.
>> In what way?
>> In what way? They give tutorials, make sure we're on the right classes to take those classes and also we take campus
tours. So they exposed us to college campus. Right away my sophomore year I was living on the campus at Fresno State
taking just some high school classes to get more ahead of most students.
>> Great. So what's so different Upward Bound and AVID?
>> Upper Bounds -- AVID is on Wednesday and you take it during school time and Upward Bound is after school.
>> Oh, interesting. Okay, [inaudible] Go ahead.
>> And then also Upward Bound has summer program, too, as well.
>> Upward Bound, oh great. Upward.
>> They have that at Fresno State and also Fresno City College.
>> Thinking back at the media depictions of Cambodians in the media, can you remember any media depictions?
>> You know what? I don't. But I mean, I just hear my mom talk about the war and it's hard for her. And I see depiction
of like the media like more Chinese, like on social media, like Jackie Chan and ->> So the next part, the second part of the interview are optional but when you're thinking back, do you think that you
had any barriers going to college and finishing? Because UC Davis is one of the best colleges in the world, so that's very
prestigious that you graduated there. Do you think you had any barriers?
>> Family. Being away -- I actually earned a scholarship like a $20,000 scholarship for my academic from high school
and I was working also in the military at the same time.
>> What branch?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Air Force.
>> Oh, wow.
>> So I want to say financially I had my scholarship and then being the first generation going to school, because my
mom was uneducated, it helps with financial aid because financial aid was supporting.
>> Did your military actually pay for your college?
>> Yes.
>> Wow! That's excellent.
>> So that helped.
>> Did it pay all of it or ->> No, not all of it. Just partial.
>> Wow, that's pretty great. Why did you choose UC Davis and not go to Fresno State?
>> You know, actually Fresno State was my first choice because I thought about the financial barrier. But when I had
the opportunity from the scholarship, I thought it would be a good opportunity to go to UC Davis because that's why
financial was not a barrier because I have the scholarship. If it wasn't for the financial, it could've been a barrier.
>> Okay, great. Thinking back, you said your mother wasn't educated. Do you think that was a barrier to her education
at all?
>> You know, it encouraged me to pursue my degree more because I see like life was limited. You know, you have the
opportunity to make the best of it and I don't want see much of just working. I want to be passionate about my career
field. So seeing my parent not educated, I wanted, you know, I know that it's important to have food on the table but that
was just not enough for me. So seeing my mom not having a degree, not even a high school diploma, it encouraged me
to pursue a degree, a college degree.
>> You've always seemed to be very unique and high achieving because also as an Asian woman, why did you choose
the Air Force, the military? That's also very unique.
>> You know, I was highly involved in my community and in school. I was in the Junior ROTC Program.
>> What's that?
>> Junior ROTC. So being involved in school curriculum helped me stay focused in school academically even though
my parents weren't enforcing it or regulating my studies because I know when I met, when I went to college I met other
Asian American, like Chinese, they're more stricter on them with their education and pursuing their education where I
met like -- I met my friend that went to UC Davis and I have another friend that went to Sacramento State. They're both
Cambodians but they didn't graduate their degree.
>> Oh no. Why not?
>> I think the struggle was difficult. They were not asking for help. I made it and so ->> Thank you for saying that, that we do find that as an issue. What do you think they had the barriers? So they didn't
finish UC Davis and they didn't finish Sacramento State?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, no. Okay.
>> But they're good friends of mine. I mean, so I, you know, I want to say maybe not asking for enough help because I
was always at office hours getting help.
>> Wow. Office hours, it's so important that you went.
>> How did you know to go?
>> I joined community service fraternity and I had a mentor in college. When they do a mentor, they set you up with a
big bro, big sis, and he introduced me to the resources there on campus.
>> Okay.
>> So, so having joining club and being set up with a mentor really did help.
>> Was it a Cambodian mentor or who do ->> It was a -- Well, it was just another student that was a year ahead of me.
>> Oh, wow. Okay. So you got peer mentoring?
>> Peer mentor.
>> Oh, excellent.
>> And he was Vietnamese and he was really a big bro to me, kind of watching after me, so showing me where the class
was and he was also in Upward Bound as well from his high school.
>> Oh, wow. Okay. Is he from Stockton?
>> From Monterey Bay.
>> Oh, wow. That's excellent. So did this mentor, what else did he do for you?
>> He also provided -- He showed me location about where to buy my books, rental books, and helped me study. So
when I needed help with study, he helped me study. So that's ->> That's impressive. Later on, were you a mentor at all or peer mentor?
>> I was never a mentor because you have to [inaudible]. How the program works is you join the club and then ->> What's it called, the club?
>> Alpha Phi Omega.
>> Alpha Phi Omega?
>> Uh-huh. They have that also at Berkley. It's a coed fraternity.
>> What's the mission statement for that one?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Community service.
>> Oh, okay. Community service. Excellent. I will look at up. You don't happen to know if we have that at Fresno, do
you?
>> I don't know.
>> That would be great if we did.
>> I'm pretty sure they have maybe a national community service.
>> I'll look that up.
>> They have that at UC Berkley.
>> Okay, great. Delving deeper into your friends who did not graduate, do you look at the reason they didn't graduate
probably financial I'm assuming but do you think that it was they didn't find the college a warm environment or do you
think it was just financial, educational, didn't ask questions or didn't ask for help?
>> Obviously didn't ask for help, you know, I know that with my Cambodian friend that went to Davis, I recently got in
contact with her during Cambodian New Year. She said she's going back for nursing.
>> Great. But not back to UC Davis?
>> Not back to UC Davis.
>> Okay. Where is she going to?
>> City College.
>> Okay, great. Okay, excellent. Do you think of anything else that I might not have asked you about barriers? Do you
think your life would be different if you were male or it would maybe be easier?
>> I think it'd be different because I think as a female they're more hindering to ask for help, not wanting to ask for help
in their academics and doing it on their own.
>> It does seem a common sentiment a lot of the Southeast Asians in particular or Asians in general don't ask for help.
Why do you think that's true or why do you think that's so because that's a major detriment to academics? Obviously we
all need help. Why is it that Asians don't ask for help?
>> You know, I figure they want to do everything on their own.
>> Do you think their parents tell them or some engrained cultural thing?
>> I think more themselves. I know that my mom like personally say go get your education but I don't understand why,
you know, they don't go ask for help because there's nothing wrong with that because you're learning.
>> Right. And why do you think that it's more women, Cambodian women who are graduating versus Cambodian men?
I mean, there's a stark difference.
>> I think it has to do with nowadays more women are going to the workforce. They're more not afraid to get their
degree. I think with males they probably just think working just fine, working is fine. Maybe that's just enough.
>> Interesting. So do you think I didn't ask you, did I cover all the barriers?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Uh-huh.
>> Okay. So now we're going to move to the last part is success. So Miss Steffanie, you're very unique in that a) you
went to the military. For an Asian woman, that's quite unique. Also, you went to UC Davis, which is, you know, a world
class university. Also, you're the Cambodian Club's president, right, and you did a lot of community service. Why did
you make it? Do you think as a personal -- We talked about kind of nurture, do you think like biologically nature they're
something genetic, why did you make it when so many people didn't make it, particularly Southeast Asians?
>> You know what? I made it a priority. It was a priority in my life to achieve. It had to do with I like to give back to
my community. So that's the reason why. When I say give back to community, not just a service to myself, a service to
others. So and that's why.
>> You think that's why? Okay. Well, is this your personality you had in third grade?
>> In third grade?
>> Yeah.
>> You know, I, you know, was involved in sports. I was involved in my community doing volunteer work and I'm
currently doing volunteer work right with UC CalFresh.
>> What's that?
>> University of California Cooperative Extension [inaudible] program
>> Oh, what is that?
>> So we serve those who receive CalFresh, like food stamp services and you give nutrition education. But I want to be
able to and also I'm volunteering at Catholic charity.
>> Wow. Why are you so giving? You seem very giving.
>> I think it has to do with my faith.
>> Are you -- What faith are you?
>> Christian.
>> Oh, wow. Okay.
>> I know that most Cambodians are ->> Right, you're the first Christian I ever met Cambodian.
>> My faith has strengthened me to pursue, to go back, I guess kind of go back to college to boost up my GPA status
and a different mindset. I say, okay, Steffanie, go to office hours, do what it takes to boost your GPA, to become a
dietician. [Inaudible] but I think my faith has a lot to do with encouraging me to go back to school.
>> How does it encourage you?
>> Believing that I'm not alone. Sometimes when I think people don't go to school because they feel alone.
>> Oh, interesting.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> I think it has going alone because it's taking that first step. I think being Cambodian American ->> You mean being alone as a Asian in college or a female or Cambodian or which one?
>> I want to say being Cambodian American, as a female, like when I went to college and I had, I joined club and I
wasn't alone but now I'm okay, I'm starting over and there's a fear of being alone but my faith have me feel I'm not
alone, that it's always possible. I think maybe many Cambodians feel that they're alone, they don't finish college.
>> Interesting, that's insightful.
>> So that's why when I have the Cambodian club in Davis there's probably like ten Cambodians there and I post fliers
for [inaudible]. So I think it's one to be alone and I think my friend that didn't finish Davis went back to be with her
family.
>> Interesting. So that kind of like psychological. Is your friend a female or male?
>> Female.
>> Interesting. Okay, do you know that if she ever continued on or is the one who went to nursing now?
>> Nursing now.
>> Okay, what about the other one you said [inaudible] didn't finish?
>> Yeah, she, you know, she didn't join the Navy but she married to someone that's in the Navy. It wasn't -- I'm not sure
was it pushed upon her to finish her degree but it's, like I say, it has to do with the history because the genocide took
place in the late '70s, mid '70s, so my mom came in the '80s. So we're the first generation to go to college.
>> That's pretty amazing if you think about it. Genocide to college, one of the best colleges in the world. That's a huge
jump. That's a huge jump. That's tremendous. Thinking back, do you think that they had -- You talked about your
personal life, your family, do you think that there was any bridges that helped you graduate college? You talked about
you had the mentoring program. You talked about office hours, asking for help, anything else do you think? You talked
about faith.
>> Sports.
>> Oh, sports. Go on.
>> It made me stay focused.
>> What sport did you do?
>> I did track, soccer, and volleyball. And also in high school I was on the president's SWAT team, Students Working
Against Tobacco.
>> Oh. What's that?
>> We fund raised money for Relay For Life.
>> What's that?
>> Relay For Life is American Cancer Society.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Oh, okay.
>> It's being involved -- It's basically being involved with others that helped me to be successful.
>> And what does it stand for?
>> Students Working Against Tobacco.
>> Students Working Against Tobacco. Okay.
>> And we fund raised money for the American Cancer Society. I did that in high school. And doing this kind of work,
you know, I know that English is not my, I mentioned how English is not my favorite subject because I know it's hard
for me to speak, so that's why. So ->> And you put yourself as president so many times. That's amazing. How do you push through that?
>> You know, it's about being passionate about helping others.
>> And why the leadership position? You could be just a member but you're like the leader.
>> Yeah, the member because -- As a member, I was very committed and my advisors saw that and the previous
president saw it and she asked me to take her positioning when she left.
>> Great.
>> So I want to be able to speak more clearly English composition in leadership position ->> So that position pushed you to do better?
>> Uh-huh. Do better.
>> Okay. Great. So thinking of that, was -- So you talked about your family life. Was college pushed upon you at all in
the family?
>> I wouldn't say push. I know that my sister Christina [assumed spelling] went to college, you know, and then she have
her story and then my story is like, okay, I know that I make school a priority which is why I'm part time military and
full time as a student. It wasn't a priority like, you know, I want a good life but it wasn't pushed upon. It was strictly
pushed upon that I had to do it. I know ->> So it's kind of you just did it by yourself then because that's it wasn't pushed upon, you just, yeah, amazing. Okay.
>> Because I know that I learned in psychology that sometimes stuff [inaudible] if you just push yourself to do it.
>> Oh, wow. Okay. Looking back, did friend groups help you graduate college?
>> Yes. I surrounded myself with peers, not necessarily Cambodian Americans but like Hispanic that were like honor
roll students. My peers had the same talent at doing good in school.
>> Great. So now I'm just going to ask you questions about what would you like in college. You went to a very large
UC. So I guess you can contrast. Did you want smaller classes or makes no difference?
>> You know what? With smaller classes, it's better because with I know when I went to Davis the classes were larger,
so small classes would definitely help out at being successful.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Okay. What about co-ethnic professors, did you want Cambodian professors?
>> You know, it'd be nice to have.
>> Okay, what about Asian professors?
>> That's also beneficial. They could relate more.
>> What about more ethnic clubs?
>> Definitely I think clubs, it's to build relationship connection, to be comfortable in your skin because you're going
through the same struggles to achieve your goal.
>> Okay, great. Can you think of offhand any college success workshops that you think would be helpful for students to
take?
>> College -- Can you say that again?
>> College success workshops such as maybe stress relief or study skills or they're called [inaudible].
>> Okay, I want to say stress relief. I know college can be very, very stressful. When I was the Cambodian club I would
host a stress reliever break, like take a break from your studies and to socialize. So that helped out. And yeah.
>> Okay, great. So my last question is what advice do you have for the third and fourth generation of Cambodian
Americans coming in to college but also Southeast Asians, also Asians or minorities in general who might be first
generation because you're like the first one, so you're like the trail, trail maker, trail breaker. You know, they still have
their own barriers coming in even though there will be a generation before them to have gone. What advice can you give
them to finish and graduate?
>> You can do anything you put your mind to as long as you use your resources. There's a lot of resources out there.
When I say resources, like financial aid. There are resources for scholarship. Resources for getting the help you need
from a mentor like teachers, staff, counselor. So use your resources and use it wisely. It's all out there for you to be
successful.
>> Your path has, it seems like you've taken everything given to you but made it more. So what is -- What is this grit
that you have? What makes you go to the next day then even after failures and struggles, what makes you go to the next
day and finish?
>> You know what? See, I struggle with [inaudible] struggle with biology in Davis. I failed biology and even though I
study and study and office hour, I still failed. So I guess what makes me, like I finally passed [inaudible]. It's just you
never give up hope, you know, like and just to hold on that everything's going to be okay, just work on self
improvement.
>> But then what is it that gave it to you? You failed it, a lot of students will just drop out of school. Like what made
you take it again? That's the thing.
>> You know, I had a professor in Davis and he is biochemistry and he mentioned about I know grades are important.
He said that but he said he failed semester three times and he's like the dean of, you know, of the department. So it
makes you kind of hopeful, like, you know, anything is possible, like you don't have to be [inaudible]. I know I graduate
with 2.49 but it makes me like I endure a lot, I keep trying and trying and so perseverance. Faith. Friends that have the
same goal as you. Family support is very key. Just using those resource to bettering your life like, you know, Upward
Bound has been helpful for me, exposing me to college campus. Sports has helped me. Making a definite impact in my
community has helped me. The scholarship has helped me [inaudible] scholarship. Did that answer your question?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Yes, very thoroughly. Thank you so much. That's excellent advice. So I guess if there's not anything else, I guess I'll
close the interview.
>> Okay, just, like I said, for next generation, you can be who you want to be. You just decide. And use those resources.
They're all out there. People are willing to help you because we all need people to grow so just decide I want to say to
make a change in your life [inaudible] other people.
>> Yeah. Great. Well, thank you so much.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
successful Southeast Asians. If you can say your name and also spell it.
>> Stephanie Long, first name s-t-e-f-f-a-n-i-e. Last name Long, l-o-n-g.
>> And, Miss Steffanie, can you give me verbal permission to record you for Fresno State and to use your information
for scholarly purposes?
>> Yes.
>> Okay, great. So let's start. What is your gender?
>> Female.
>> What is your birth year?
>> December 13th ->> Oh. No, don't tell me the date. Just the year.
>> Oh, 1988.
>> What is your ethnic group?
>> Cambodian-American.
>> Where were you born?
>> Stockton, California.
>> What was your undergraduate major?
>> Clinical nutrition.
>> What is your generation in the United States?
>> Second.
>> What is your mother and father's highest education?
>> Unknown.
>> What is your family composition that you grew up with?
>> A mother and a father.
>> What is your GPA and what college do you go to?
>> GPA 2.49 at UC Davis.
>> What is your ultimate degree aspiration?
>> Bachelor's degree.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> What is your social -- You already have a bachelor's degree?
>> Yes.
>> So socioeconomic background that you grew up, was it working class, low, middle affluent?
>> Middle.
>> What was the high school that you went to and was it private or public?
>> Public.
>> What's the racial demographics of your high school?
>> Hispanic, Southeast Asian.
>> Do many Cambodians go to college? Why or why not?
>> No. Why? It's probably not pushed upon parents enough to have a better life, just to probably just go to work but not
go to college.
>> Alright, if you compare Cambodian college graduates as a somewhat low number, it's around 14%, versus let's say
South Indian, they have a 70% graduation rate and they from India and then they come here and then it's also
predominately men who actually graduate, Indian. Why do you think there's a difference in the Asian community?
>> Well, specifically Cambodian is very different from, it's culture different because of the history. Back then, I was
told that I also done research that the Khmer Rouge, the history have effect on the education system because they try to
demolish education there by [inaudible] teachers, soldier, anyone who's educated there. So it has to do with a lot of the
history, the Khmer Rouge history.
>> So the genocide had a big ->> Genocide had a big effect. So education was not put a priority. So it's harder for this generation to understand that.
So weren't encouraged to go to school.
>> Right. Excellent. What makes a -- What's your favorite subject? What's your least favorite subject?
>> My favorite subject is science. My least was, I would say, English.
>> English, okay. What makes a good professor to pass a class and what makes a bad professor?
>> A good professor has a lot of opportunity for set the student up for success. They have office hours for the student,
tutor, answer questions. They're willing to make appointments with you. And when a professor don't have office hour,
not willing to meet with students, that's setting a student for failure.
>> Okay. Have you ever been mentored in college?
>> Mentor, yes. When I say mentor, I took a lot of tutorial classes in my writing because it was difficult. Mentored in
becoming the Cambodian president in 2009 at UC Davis. Other Cambodians, they encouraged me to do the position.
>> Oh, excellent. And you spoke about how you got together with Sacramento State. How did that happen?
>> That happened, you know, we did collaboration. I contact the president there and went to their meeting and they
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
came to my meeting as well. So we worked together to support one another education goal.
>> Oh, great. Okay. Thinking back on your high school, what was your teachers' expectation of you? Was it neutral,
low, high?
>> It was high because I like to challenge myself. I place myself in advanced courses, honor roll classes. So I was
already challenging myself in my academics. I was planning to succeed and so my expectation from my teacher was
high because I was already in honor roll classes.
>> What high school did you go to?
>> I went to Fresno High School.
>> Oh, okay. And did you think that the high prepared you better, adequately for college?
>> You know what? Yes, because I placed myself in honor roll classes and they also I was involved in Upward Bound.
>> Oh, okay. What's Upward Bound?
>> Upward Bound is for the low-income families, those who parents don't have college degrees and they prepare you
for college.
>> In what way?
>> In what way? They give tutorials, make sure we're on the right classes to take those classes and also we take campus
tours. So they exposed us to college campus. Right away my sophomore year I was living on the campus at Fresno State
taking just some high school classes to get more ahead of most students.
>> Great. So what's so different Upward Bound and AVID?
>> Upper Bounds -- AVID is on Wednesday and you take it during school time and Upward Bound is after school.
>> Oh, interesting. Okay, [inaudible] Go ahead.
>> And then also Upward Bound has summer program, too, as well.
>> Upward Bound, oh great. Upward.
>> They have that at Fresno State and also Fresno City College.
>> Thinking back at the media depictions of Cambodians in the media, can you remember any media depictions?
>> You know what? I don't. But I mean, I just hear my mom talk about the war and it's hard for her. And I see depiction
of like the media like more Chinese, like on social media, like Jackie Chan and ->> So the next part, the second part of the interview are optional but when you're thinking back, do you think that you
had any barriers going to college and finishing? Because UC Davis is one of the best colleges in the world, so that's very
prestigious that you graduated there. Do you think you had any barriers?
>> Family. Being away -- I actually earned a scholarship like a $20,000 scholarship for my academic from high school
and I was working also in the military at the same time.
>> What branch?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Air Force.
>> Oh, wow.
>> So I want to say financially I had my scholarship and then being the first generation going to school, because my
mom was uneducated, it helps with financial aid because financial aid was supporting.
>> Did your military actually pay for your college?
>> Yes.
>> Wow! That's excellent.
>> So that helped.
>> Did it pay all of it or ->> No, not all of it. Just partial.
>> Wow, that's pretty great. Why did you choose UC Davis and not go to Fresno State?
>> You know, actually Fresno State was my first choice because I thought about the financial barrier. But when I had
the opportunity from the scholarship, I thought it would be a good opportunity to go to UC Davis because that's why
financial was not a barrier because I have the scholarship. If it wasn't for the financial, it could've been a barrier.
>> Okay, great. Thinking back, you said your mother wasn't educated. Do you think that was a barrier to her education
at all?
>> You know, it encouraged me to pursue my degree more because I see like life was limited. You know, you have the
opportunity to make the best of it and I don't want see much of just working. I want to be passionate about my career
field. So seeing my parent not educated, I wanted, you know, I know that it's important to have food on the table but that
was just not enough for me. So seeing my mom not having a degree, not even a high school diploma, it encouraged me
to pursue a degree, a college degree.
>> You've always seemed to be very unique and high achieving because also as an Asian woman, why did you choose
the Air Force, the military? That's also very unique.
>> You know, I was highly involved in my community and in school. I was in the Junior ROTC Program.
>> What's that?
>> Junior ROTC. So being involved in school curriculum helped me stay focused in school academically even though
my parents weren't enforcing it or regulating my studies because I know when I met, when I went to college I met other
Asian American, like Chinese, they're more stricter on them with their education and pursuing their education where I
met like -- I met my friend that went to UC Davis and I have another friend that went to Sacramento State. They're both
Cambodians but they didn't graduate their degree.
>> Oh no. Why not?
>> I think the struggle was difficult. They were not asking for help. I made it and so ->> Thank you for saying that, that we do find that as an issue. What do you think they had the barriers? So they didn't
finish UC Davis and they didn't finish Sacramento State?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, no. Okay.
>> But they're good friends of mine. I mean, so I, you know, I want to say maybe not asking for enough help because I
was always at office hours getting help.
>> Wow. Office hours, it's so important that you went.
>> How did you know to go?
>> I joined community service fraternity and I had a mentor in college. When they do a mentor, they set you up with a
big bro, big sis, and he introduced me to the resources there on campus.
>> Okay.
>> So, so having joining club and being set up with a mentor really did help.
>> Was it a Cambodian mentor or who do ->> It was a -- Well, it was just another student that was a year ahead of me.
>> Oh, wow. Okay. So you got peer mentoring?
>> Peer mentor.
>> Oh, excellent.
>> And he was Vietnamese and he was really a big bro to me, kind of watching after me, so showing me where the class
was and he was also in Upward Bound as well from his high school.
>> Oh, wow. Okay. Is he from Stockton?
>> From Monterey Bay.
>> Oh, wow. That's excellent. So did this mentor, what else did he do for you?
>> He also provided -- He showed me location about where to buy my books, rental books, and helped me study. So
when I needed help with study, he helped me study. So that's ->> That's impressive. Later on, were you a mentor at all or peer mentor?
>> I was never a mentor because you have to [inaudible]. How the program works is you join the club and then ->> What's it called, the club?
>> Alpha Phi Omega.
>> Alpha Phi Omega?
>> Uh-huh. They have that also at Berkley. It's a coed fraternity.
>> What's the mission statement for that one?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Community service.
>> Oh, okay. Community service. Excellent. I will look at up. You don't happen to know if we have that at Fresno, do
you?
>> I don't know.
>> That would be great if we did.
>> I'm pretty sure they have maybe a national community service.
>> I'll look that up.
>> They have that at UC Berkley.
>> Okay, great. Delving deeper into your friends who did not graduate, do you look at the reason they didn't graduate
probably financial I'm assuming but do you think that it was they didn't find the college a warm environment or do you
think it was just financial, educational, didn't ask questions or didn't ask for help?
>> Obviously didn't ask for help, you know, I know that with my Cambodian friend that went to Davis, I recently got in
contact with her during Cambodian New Year. She said she's going back for nursing.
>> Great. But not back to UC Davis?
>> Not back to UC Davis.
>> Okay. Where is she going to?
>> City College.
>> Okay, great. Okay, excellent. Do you think of anything else that I might not have asked you about barriers? Do you
think your life would be different if you were male or it would maybe be easier?
>> I think it'd be different because I think as a female they're more hindering to ask for help, not wanting to ask for help
in their academics and doing it on their own.
>> It does seem a common sentiment a lot of the Southeast Asians in particular or Asians in general don't ask for help.
Why do you think that's true or why do you think that's so because that's a major detriment to academics? Obviously we
all need help. Why is it that Asians don't ask for help?
>> You know, I figure they want to do everything on their own.
>> Do you think their parents tell them or some engrained cultural thing?
>> I think more themselves. I know that my mom like personally say go get your education but I don't understand why,
you know, they don't go ask for help because there's nothing wrong with that because you're learning.
>> Right. And why do you think that it's more women, Cambodian women who are graduating versus Cambodian men?
I mean, there's a stark difference.
>> I think it has to do with nowadays more women are going to the workforce. They're more not afraid to get their
degree. I think with males they probably just think working just fine, working is fine. Maybe that's just enough.
>> Interesting. So do you think I didn't ask you, did I cover all the barriers?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Uh-huh.
>> Okay. So now we're going to move to the last part is success. So Miss Steffanie, you're very unique in that a) you
went to the military. For an Asian woman, that's quite unique. Also, you went to UC Davis, which is, you know, a world
class university. Also, you're the Cambodian Club's president, right, and you did a lot of community service. Why did
you make it? Do you think as a personal -- We talked about kind of nurture, do you think like biologically nature they're
something genetic, why did you make it when so many people didn't make it, particularly Southeast Asians?
>> You know what? I made it a priority. It was a priority in my life to achieve. It had to do with I like to give back to
my community. So that's the reason why. When I say give back to community, not just a service to myself, a service to
others. So and that's why.
>> You think that's why? Okay. Well, is this your personality you had in third grade?
>> In third grade?
>> Yeah.
>> You know, I, you know, was involved in sports. I was involved in my community doing volunteer work and I'm
currently doing volunteer work right with UC CalFresh.
>> What's that?
>> University of California Cooperative Extension [inaudible] program
>> Oh, what is that?
>> So we serve those who receive CalFresh, like food stamp services and you give nutrition education. But I want to be
able to and also I'm volunteering at Catholic charity.
>> Wow. Why are you so giving? You seem very giving.
>> I think it has to do with my faith.
>> Are you -- What faith are you?
>> Christian.
>> Oh, wow. Okay.
>> I know that most Cambodians are ->> Right, you're the first Christian I ever met Cambodian.
>> My faith has strengthened me to pursue, to go back, I guess kind of go back to college to boost up my GPA status
and a different mindset. I say, okay, Steffanie, go to office hours, do what it takes to boost your GPA, to become a
dietician. [Inaudible] but I think my faith has a lot to do with encouraging me to go back to school.
>> How does it encourage you?
>> Believing that I'm not alone. Sometimes when I think people don't go to school because they feel alone.
>> Oh, interesting.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> I think it has going alone because it's taking that first step. I think being Cambodian American ->> You mean being alone as a Asian in college or a female or Cambodian or which one?
>> I want to say being Cambodian American, as a female, like when I went to college and I had, I joined club and I
wasn't alone but now I'm okay, I'm starting over and there's a fear of being alone but my faith have me feel I'm not
alone, that it's always possible. I think maybe many Cambodians feel that they're alone, they don't finish college.
>> Interesting, that's insightful.
>> So that's why when I have the Cambodian club in Davis there's probably like ten Cambodians there and I post fliers
for [inaudible]. So I think it's one to be alone and I think my friend that didn't finish Davis went back to be with her
family.
>> Interesting. So that kind of like psychological. Is your friend a female or male?
>> Female.
>> Interesting. Okay, do you know that if she ever continued on or is the one who went to nursing now?
>> Nursing now.
>> Okay, what about the other one you said [inaudible] didn't finish?
>> Yeah, she, you know, she didn't join the Navy but she married to someone that's in the Navy. It wasn't -- I'm not sure
was it pushed upon her to finish her degree but it's, like I say, it has to do with the history because the genocide took
place in the late '70s, mid '70s, so my mom came in the '80s. So we're the first generation to go to college.
>> That's pretty amazing if you think about it. Genocide to college, one of the best colleges in the world. That's a huge
jump. That's a huge jump. That's tremendous. Thinking back, do you think that they had -- You talked about your
personal life, your family, do you think that there was any bridges that helped you graduate college? You talked about
you had the mentoring program. You talked about office hours, asking for help, anything else do you think? You talked
about faith.
>> Sports.
>> Oh, sports. Go on.
>> It made me stay focused.
>> What sport did you do?
>> I did track, soccer, and volleyball. And also in high school I was on the president's SWAT team, Students Working
Against Tobacco.
>> Oh. What's that?
>> We fund raised money for Relay For Life.
>> What's that?
>> Relay For Life is American Cancer Society.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Oh, okay.
>> It's being involved -- It's basically being involved with others that helped me to be successful.
>> And what does it stand for?
>> Students Working Against Tobacco.
>> Students Working Against Tobacco. Okay.
>> And we fund raised money for the American Cancer Society. I did that in high school. And doing this kind of work,
you know, I know that English is not my, I mentioned how English is not my favorite subject because I know it's hard
for me to speak, so that's why. So ->> And you put yourself as president so many times. That's amazing. How do you push through that?
>> You know, it's about being passionate about helping others.
>> And why the leadership position? You could be just a member but you're like the leader.
>> Yeah, the member because -- As a member, I was very committed and my advisors saw that and the previous
president saw it and she asked me to take her positioning when she left.
>> Great.
>> So I want to be able to speak more clearly English composition in leadership position ->> So that position pushed you to do better?
>> Uh-huh. Do better.
>> Okay. Great. So thinking of that, was -- So you talked about your family life. Was college pushed upon you at all in
the family?
>> I wouldn't say push. I know that my sister Christina [assumed spelling] went to college, you know, and then she have
her story and then my story is like, okay, I know that I make school a priority which is why I'm part time military and
full time as a student. It wasn't a priority like, you know, I want a good life but it wasn't pushed upon. It was strictly
pushed upon that I had to do it. I know ->> So it's kind of you just did it by yourself then because that's it wasn't pushed upon, you just, yeah, amazing. Okay.
>> Because I know that I learned in psychology that sometimes stuff [inaudible] if you just push yourself to do it.
>> Oh, wow. Okay. Looking back, did friend groups help you graduate college?
>> Yes. I surrounded myself with peers, not necessarily Cambodian Americans but like Hispanic that were like honor
roll students. My peers had the same talent at doing good in school.
>> Great. So now I'm just going to ask you questions about what would you like in college. You went to a very large
UC. So I guess you can contrast. Did you want smaller classes or makes no difference?
>> You know what? With smaller classes, it's better because with I know when I went to Davis the classes were larger,
so small classes would definitely help out at being successful.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Okay. What about co-ethnic professors, did you want Cambodian professors?
>> You know, it'd be nice to have.
>> Okay, what about Asian professors?
>> That's also beneficial. They could relate more.
>> What about more ethnic clubs?
>> Definitely I think clubs, it's to build relationship connection, to be comfortable in your skin because you're going
through the same struggles to achieve your goal.
>> Okay, great. Can you think of offhand any college success workshops that you think would be helpful for students to
take?
>> College -- Can you say that again?
>> College success workshops such as maybe stress relief or study skills or they're called [inaudible].
>> Okay, I want to say stress relief. I know college can be very, very stressful. When I was the Cambodian club I would
host a stress reliever break, like take a break from your studies and to socialize. So that helped out. And yeah.
>> Okay, great. So my last question is what advice do you have for the third and fourth generation of Cambodian
Americans coming in to college but also Southeast Asians, also Asians or minorities in general who might be first
generation because you're like the first one, so you're like the trail, trail maker, trail breaker. You know, they still have
their own barriers coming in even though there will be a generation before them to have gone. What advice can you give
them to finish and graduate?
>> You can do anything you put your mind to as long as you use your resources. There's a lot of resources out there.
When I say resources, like financial aid. There are resources for scholarship. Resources for getting the help you need
from a mentor like teachers, staff, counselor. So use your resources and use it wisely. It's all out there for you to be
successful.
>> Your path has, it seems like you've taken everything given to you but made it more. So what is -- What is this grit
that you have? What makes you go to the next day then even after failures and struggles, what makes you go to the next
day and finish?
>> You know what? See, I struggle with [inaudible] struggle with biology in Davis. I failed biology and even though I
study and study and office hour, I still failed. So I guess what makes me, like I finally passed [inaudible]. It's just you
never give up hope, you know, like and just to hold on that everything's going to be okay, just work on self
improvement.
>> But then what is it that gave it to you? You failed it, a lot of students will just drop out of school. Like what made
you take it again? That's the thing.
>> You know, I had a professor in Davis and he is biochemistry and he mentioned about I know grades are important.
He said that but he said he failed semester three times and he's like the dean of, you know, of the department. So it
makes you kind of hopeful, like, you know, anything is possible, like you don't have to be [inaudible]. I know I graduate
with 2.49 but it makes me like I endure a lot, I keep trying and trying and so perseverance. Faith. Friends that have the
same goal as you. Family support is very key. Just using those resource to bettering your life like, you know, Upward
Bound has been helpful for me, exposing me to college campus. Sports has helped me. Making a definite impact in my
community has helped me. The scholarship has helped me [inaudible] scholarship. Did that answer your question?
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]
>> Yes, very thoroughly. Thank you so much. That's excellent advice. So I guess if there's not anything else, I guess I'll
close the interview.
>> Okay, just, like I said, for next generation, you can be who you want to be. You just decide. And use those resources.
They're all out there. People are willing to help you because we all need people to grow so just decide I want to say to
make a change in your life [inaudible] other people.
>> Yeah. Great. Well, thank you so much.
file:///C/...sian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/29_Stephanie_Long_Cambodian_F_presof_Cambodian_UCdavis.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:33 AM]