Going into college, alumna Monica Vorn, Health Studies \u201922 and Biology \u201922, knew how important her journey at UW Bothell would be to her future. Born and raised in Everett, Washington, Vorn was a first-generation Cambodian American college student. Her parents, who placed a deep value on education, instilled in her the belief that college could open doors \u2014 to opportunity, to stability and to a future that honored their sacrifices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was part of the AVID program in high school,\u201d Vorn said. \u201cIt opened my eyes to what college could mean \u2014 not just in terms of income but in what kind of life I could build.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That drive led her to UW Bothell, where she embraced the challenges of being a first-gen student. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to waste what my parents had given up,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, I made the most of every opportunity. I asked for help when I needed it, and I built strong relationships with people who believed in me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of those relationships changed everything: Professor Deborah Hathaway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe was my sunshine,\u201d Vorn said. \u201cHer classes helped me express myself and find confidence \u2014 especially in her voice and movement class. It pushed me outside my comfort zone and helped me embrace who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What started as an academic requirement became a turning point for Vorn. Hathaway\u2019s mentorship helped Vorn build more than just skills \u2014 it built a new mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe taught me that it\u2019s OK to feel uncomfortable,\u201d Vorn said. \u201cThat\u2019s often where growth happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vorn\u2019s journey into health and manufacturing began before college. Her first job was at an orthodontist\u2019s office where she had her braces done. What started as a volunteer gig \u2014 helping make impressions and putting rubber bands on brackets \u2014 became a hands-on introduction to health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After college, that early curiosity led her to a role as a Manufacturing Associate at Bristol Myers Squibb, where she now contributes to life-changing treatments on a global scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy background, my culture, and my family \u2014 they\u2019re all a part of what motivates me,\u201d she said. \u201cIn Cambodian culture, family is everything. And my parents were involved every step of the way in my education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At UW Bothell, Vorn learned to bridge her past and future \u2014 finding balance between discipline and self-expression, hard work and healing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was taught to be tough and to work hard,\u201d she said. \u201cBut college also taught me how to breathe, how to ask for help, and how to grow in ways I hadn\u2019t imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, as a young professional in the biotech industry, she continues to carry those lessons with her \u2014 honoring her roots while forging her own path forward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Monica Vorn shares how family, mentorship, and determination shaped her path from first-generation student to biotech professional.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":599,"featured_media":20063,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_is_archived":false,"_archived_contact_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31,25,20,21,17,18],"tags":[],"school":[],"class_list":["post-20062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-30-seconds-with-an-alum","category-alumni-profile","category-husky-student-experience","category-regional-workforce-development","category-school-of-nursing-health-studies","category-school-of-stem"],"acf":{"related_links":{"toggle_visibility":false,"link_1":"","link_2":"","link_3":"","link_4":"","link_5":""},"highlight_box":{"toggle_visibility":false,"title":"","content":"","button":"","button_style":"angled-purple-button","button_screen_reader_text":""},"contact_type_1":{"toggle_visibility":true,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"contact_type_2":{"toggle_visibility":false,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"social_media":{"toggle_visibility":false,"facebook_url":"","instagram_url":"","linkedin_url":"","twitter_url":"","youtube_url":""},"blog_archive_sidebar_visibility":false},"yoast_head":"\n