During the Great Chinese Famine of the late 1950s, Bunchung Ly’s grandparents immigrated from China to Cambodia in pursuit of a better life. As a second-generation Chinese, Bunchung was culturally and spiritually raised as a Chinese person. He grew up speaking Teochew, a Chinese dialect, at home and Khmer, the official Cambodian language, with his friends. From a young age, Bunchung “[had] a hard time identifying if [he was] Chinese or Cambodian… [He was] ethnically Chinese, but Cambodian by nationality.” To address this internal struggle, Bunchung often introduces himself as a Chinese Cambodian. This, however, never holds Bunchung back, but helps him become a more cheerful, outgoing, and down-to-earth person.
The education system in Cambodia did not offer many opportunities for Bunchung to explore as he would have wished. Growing up, Bunchung always wanted to pursue higher quality education abroad in order to maximize his potential. He worked hard and continued seeking opportunities that might one day change his life. His perseverance paid off in the spring of 2010.
While in high school in Cambodia, he applied to United World College (UWC) after hearing it from his sister’s friend. According to their website, “UWC is a global education movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future… UWC’s 17 schools and colleges deliver a challenging and transformational education to over 9,500 students each year. They are set in 17 countries on four continents.” See more at uwc.org.
The path was not easy. Bunchung had to go through a rigorous selection process, competing amongst hundreds of his peers. “The first time that I applied I didn’t get selected,” Bunchung remembers. Before going back for a second try, Bunchung reached out to students he knew who had succeeded in gaining acceptance at UWC, and he learned from them. At the same time, Bunchung worked on improving his English by traveling into Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, to take additional English classes several times a week.
“The second time I tried, I succeeded.” Bunchung was offered a full scholarship to study International Baccalaureate at the UWC South East Asia (UWCSEA) in Singapore.
Bunchung spent two years at UWCSEA and graduated in May 2012, but not without plenty of challenges to overcome along the way. Having limited English ability, he found himself taking courses that did not require heavy reading and writing, so that he could preserve his good grades and not fall behind. As a person who has always been friendly and outgoing, Bunchung did not have a hard time fitting in with other students who came from almost 100 different countries and spoke many different languages. “There were moments of struggle,” but he adapted to his new environment quickly and prospered.
Believing in UWC’s mission of uniting people from different backgrounds, religions and nations through education, Bunchung aspired to find a college that shared similar values. He found and attended Macalester College in Saint Paul, M.N. “It was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” Bunchung said.
Bunchung studied psychology and neuroscience at Macalester College, because he is passionate about informing and educating Cambodian society and its people about mental health. Many Cambodians do not believe in mental health issues. More often than not, they regard those with mental health issues as being possessed by evil spirit.
“In school [in Cambodia], they don’t really emphasize the importance of mental health. We don’t have psychology as a subject in high school. And in university, it is not popular as you would have very limited opportunities if you were to pursue that path,” Bunchung said. Even though it makes his life more challenging, Bunchung embraces being different. He is one of the few Cambodian UWC graduates who studied psychology instead of the hard sciences.
Right after graduation, he began working as a research assistant in the psychology department at the University of Minnesota, and later moved to the Institute for Child Development. Bunchung also worked briefly at a nonprofit organization focusing on mental health before returning to research at the Wilder Foundation, a nonprofit organization, in September 2018.
“I do a lot of applied research, more people-centered and community-based type of research. It’s more fast-paced and the impact is more [immediate],” said Bunchung. He feels that academic research, though very important, is slower. It can take a long time to complete each project. This was one of the reasons why he decided to pursue a different path. Bunchung expressed, “I am actually very happy with where I am right now… I’m grateful I had the chance and the time to explore myself.” Bunchung’s favorite part about his current role is interacting with people who are very passionate about what they are doing, and learning about different types of research.
Currently, Bunchung is working on a project related to Teen Challenge in the Dakotas. Oftentimes people who are arrested for drug- or alcohol-related charges have the option to go through a correction treatment program instead of serving jail time. The recidivism rate, or the rate of returning to prison, for people who graduate from the Teen Challenge program is about 10 percent, which is much lower than the national average at almost 50 percent. “Part of the project is to interview people who work very closely with the program. You get to talk to judges, state senators, and chief parole officers. These people are deeply passionate about the program.”
Bunchung is inspired by all those who surround him. “People that I have interacted with shape me in different forms,” he said. “[They] each have a fair share of influencing me to be who I am right now.” He believes in hard work. “Not everything is easily earned. You have to work towards it, but at the same time you have to set realistic goals. Don’t get stuck in the past. Take it as a learning experience… Hopefully you won’t repeat it.” For Bunchung, that is how he has learned to “carry [his] life.”
Outside of work, Bunchung loves playing volleyball. Recently, he decided that he wanted to play beach volleyball. So, he went on his own and played with complete strangers. Those strangers are now some of his closest friends. They play volleyball together twice a week and sometimes travel together. The way Bunchung approaches volleyball is similar to how he approaches life. Bunchung never stops pushing to be better. Once he masters a position, he challenges himself to try to be just as good at a new position.
“My hope is to be someone who helps pave the way for people who have similar background, to be someone people can reach out to.” As a first-generation college graduate, Bunchung understands what it is like to navigate a foreign education system alone. “I tried explaining things to my parents, but they don’t really get it.” He wants to be a helping hand for those who may face the challenges he faced.
“Don’t give up… Keep fighting, and have a bit of faith,” is the advice that Bunchung would give to anyone who may be facing obstacles, and need a little encouragement. “The first time is probably not going to work out the way you wanted. But at the same time, be open-minded. There is more than just one way to move from A to B.”
Bunchung aspires to make his parents proud, for someday he too wants to be a proud parent, who has raised good and respectful children. “This is a good indication of how good you are as a person,” Bunchung said. “At the end of day, there is only so much you can do. For it to be sustainable, the next generation will have to carry through those responsibilities and values that are important.”