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Phnom
Penh (Ah!)
- A
CALL TO ARMS - CAMBODIA'S FUTURE LEADERS?
D. J. Ken - National Radio Text Service
"Knowledge is power," said Grambling University Executive Director Mahmoud Lamadanie at his recruitment presentation at the Cambodiana Hotel. Will Grambling University produce the fruits of their labor and create some of the future leaders of Cambodia?
Thursday August 27, 2009 GRAMBLING UNIVERSITY RECRUITS IN CAMBODIA It was a blazing advertisement in the Cambodia Daily with Grambling University in America announcing that they were accepting applications May 16th to attend the state of Louisiana based school. If accepted they would be eligible for a partial scholarship package valued up to US $21,400 over a four year period. Two requirements were they must speak English and there was a $50 non refundable application fee. The inference was that only serious candidates should apply. The event took place at the Cambodia Hotel drawing a standing room only crowd of 400. With the heightened interest for an education in America it raised the question could the future leaders of Cambodia be among this crowd? The university's Associate Vice President and Executive Director Mahmoud Lamadanie outlined the schools requirement and the potential students approach to obtaining a US visa. He stressed that students should have $15 thousand for food, tuition and housing. He also noted that to be approved for a US visa that students must show that they can afford their studies. Those accepted must have good grades of 3.0 or a B+. He also stressed the importance of the school's cultural diversity, and advised that the prospective students "Learn time management." For the Khmer applicants it was a learning experience in progress. Two Khmer students who were attracted to the program were Morakot Mamkeo 22 who was interested pursuing a degree in communications which was supported by work experience as a production assistant at TV 3. Oudom Nun 23 intends to pursue a degree in criminal justice. Each had concerns about violence from black gangs in America based on the news reports they saw on television. Both were aware that the school had a primarily a black enrolment. Lamadanie pointed out that the school has an enrollment of 5,500 including 508 International students. The foreigners matriculate from 48 countries with 50% of those being citizens of Caribbean countries. Lamadanie pointed out that from the Asian region Grambling had 10 students from Thailand as well as students from Malaysia. Of all of Grambling's International students 15% were seeking a graduate degrees and 85% bachelor degrees. Sarah from Cameroon who is working in Cambodia as an English teacher at Northbridge University was interested in Grambling. The appeal for her was to be attending a school with other International students for the cultural values and friendships she hoped it would bring. "Don't lose your culture," Lamadanie stressed. "Be proud of your culture your roots will grow." "There's a very strong interest (in Grambling)," Lamadanie said after his presentation of which he pointed out that there were over 100 applications to be processed. Lamadanie a Palestinian is a product of an International education having attended Georgetown University in the US capitol of Washington D.C. the home of the US government. "Knowledge is power," he stated. Attrition will play its part in Cambodia's future leadership. Those who are armed with an education obtained at a Western University will be an advantage given the associations with their schoolmates as well as being abreast of Western concepts and business practices. After UNTAC departed the country the Cambodian government requested those of Cambodian heritage who had business experience and a college education to return and help rebuild the nation. There are several notable Cambodians who did just that. Pok Than became the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Education and Sports. He also ran for the post of Prime Minister. Than who was a Cambodian orphan received a scholarship from the Asia Foundation to further his education in America. He attended the University of Southern California (USC) and UCLA (University of California in Los Angeles). Sok Siphana became a Secretary of State in the Ministry of Commerce. He attended American University in Washington D.C. and later obtained a law degree from a small college in Wilmington, Delaware. He is credited with negotiating the agreement with the World Trade Organization for Cambodia's acceptance into the WTO. Ravy Khek attended UCLA and returned to Cambodia to become a Secretary of State in the Ministry of Commerce. He also reestablished the Cambodian Football Federation. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn attended Ohio University and Baylor University. He returned to become president of the University of Cambodia and is currently an advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen. The question is will Grambling University produce the fruits of their labor and create some of the next generation of Cambodian leaders? Stay tuned… Part 2 - TOP THREE PHNOM PENH STORIES- SHOPPERS GUIDE NATIONAL RADIO PUBLISHED IN 5 LANGUAGES We are published in five languages, English, Thai, French, Russian and Khmer (Cambodian language). Any of our foreign language material and our Roman Wanderaugh columns are legally available ONLY on our National Radio © Copyright: National Radio. Any use of these materials, whole or in part, is prohibited unless authorized in writing by National Radio. Contact: nationalradio@yahoo.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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