JAY RATTANAVONG first became involved in the St. Olaf Educational Talent Search program as a 9th grade student at Minneapolis Washburn High School.  Jay enjoyed participating in many program workshops and activities.  He especially enjoyed seeing that TRiO Programs existed at other schools as well when he participated in Saturday ACT preparation classes and attended the ETS senior banquet with students from Minneapolis North and St. Paul Humboldt High Schools.  These experiences helped Jay see that TRiO was much bigger than the program he participated in at Washburn. He actively continued his participation with TRiO at St. Olaf in the Student Support Services program.

Jay felt that ETS made a difference by helping him prepare for the ACT, explore a variety of careers, and complete the college and scholarship application process.  He enjoyed working with his TRiO ETS Academic Advisors in high school and says they made a great team.  Katie kept him focused on what he needed to do and Dan made the whole process entertaining and fun. 

Jay is now a St. Olaf College ’06 graduate, who majored in Family Studies and American Racial and Multicultural Studies. Jay found college to be both challenging and rewarding.  His biggest struggle has been finding time to pursue all if his interests, academic and extracurricular.  While at St. Olaf, Jay organized and participated in the TRiO Allstars Relay for Life for cancer survivors, worked as an office assistant in the ETS office, volunteered to mentor ETS students and tutored for Hoops and Homework. 

Now a college graduate, Jay would like to get a job working with families in the Lao community and would like to find ways to educate others about Lao language and culture.  As Jay prepares for his future, which includes graduate school, he plans to continue mentoring and advocating for TRiO.

 

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