Personality profile search

Which profiles did you consider?

I looked at "The 'been there, done that' English professor," "Preventing career Khat-astrophy," "From struggling student to mentor of many," "Yee haven't seen anyone like her" and "A Prince with the heart of a king."

I chose "Preventing career Khat-astrophy" and "From struggling student to mentor of many."

Why did this profile stand out over the others?

The first profile is about Cambodian refugee and Pierce College's new Dean of Career and Technical Education, Mon Khat.

I recently watched a documentary about the Khmer Rouge, the brutal Cambodian communist regime responsible for one of the 20th century's worst genocides, and empathized with the thousands of Cambodians who escaped. 

I've met many of those refugees here in California, the majority of who are working-class, humble and kind, but didn't get past high school.

So, I was pleasantly surprised to read about an academically accomplished refugee who shattered at least some of my preconceived notions.

The second profile is about professor and "self-proclaimed advocate for underrepresented youth," James McKeever. 

This profile stuck out to me because of its lead, which revealed that McKeever became a father at 18-years-old while working 50 hours a week and going to school full-time.

That anecdote resonated with me as someone who juggled being a dad at 21 as a fully employed college student.

Both of the profiles spoke of perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds, grit and compassion.

Why did the lead draw you into the story?

In Khat's case, the lead listed his many degrees — including two bachelor's, one master's and a PhD in progress — which was obviously impressive. Mostly I found myself dwelling on the countless time and energy he's invested to improve his life (which made me feel lazy in comparison).

With McKeever, I was awestruck by his commitment. It seems like a given that an 18-year-old first-time dad would struggle in school, but McKeever's story breaks the mold.

What's the focus of the story?

Khat's story is about a lifelong devotion to learning, while McKeever's is about a struggling student turned veteran professor who now fights for at risk youth.

What's your favorite quote?

Khat: "I understood early on that hustling without a large skill set made the work I did more labor-intensive with less earning potential."

McKeever: "It’s hard to concentrate and focus on studying when you’re not knowing how you’re going to feed your kids the next day, actually not even the next day."