Smith Alumna Receives Fulbright Grant

The Smith community congratulates Parichad "Cherry" Kwunyeun, class of '00, on her recent Fulbright Grant. She was one of just seven U.S. professionals chosen to work and study in Thailand for one full year.

Kwunyeun applied for the Thailand Fulbright Grant program, a national competition where grant money appropriated by Congress is awarded to a select number of individuals who exhibit leadership, language proficiency, academic excellence, and cultural sensitivity, among other distinguishing qualities. She chose to apply for this particular grant program because her family is from Thailand, and she has "never had the opportunity to live there and experience the culture"- something she's always wanted to do.

While at Smith, Kwunyeun double-majored in business information technology and art, two of her personal and professional loves. "Now it's my turn," she says, to effectively merge these two disciplines for the first time in Thailand.

Kwunyeun will study art history and industrial design at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand's most prestigious institute for higher education, while also working in the business office of the SUPPORT (Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques) Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Thailand's Queen Sirikit. The foundation focuses its efforts on uplifting the indigenous communities of Thailand through support of their unique arts and crafts. Kwunyeun is officially "the first Thai-American, non-royalty, 'normal' individual who has ever worked within the foundation" - a tremendous honor and achievement for her.

Kwunyeun attributes her ability to make the necessary connections between theory and real-life application to her experience at Smith. Since graduating from Smith, she's worked as a technology consultant for Deloitte Consulting and in graphic and interior design for a French textile design firm in New York City.

Kwunyeun's business and technology background comes in handy with her design work, most of which is done on the computer. She has a technical and logical approach to the creation and management of her design projects. Kwunyeun has already created some of her own fashion designs and plans to bring them with her to Thailand for production.

Kwunyeun gives the Smith School's QUEST program kudos for being "a really good training ground, giving students a chance to interact with talented peers who are dedicated to working hard." QUEST's team projects "truly prepared me for the work world, because we'd be doing work for real companies, not just case studies," she says. Because of programs like QUEST and the Smith Honors Program, Kwunyeun doesn't feel "intimidated by doing [her] own research," one of the Fulbright Grant program's requirements, "because [she's] done it already."

Further reinforcing her desire to live and fully experience the Thai culture, Kwunyeun fulfilled one of her biggest accomplishments while at Smith. She founded the Thai Student Association and successfully launched the first Thai cultural event that has since become a yearly tradition at the university. The Thai Student Association brought in attendees from area colleges and universities including George Washington, Georgetown, and UMBC. Also in attendance was the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand. Kwunyeun's biggest surprise, however, was seeing Dean Howard Frank and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs Pat Cleveland at the event. Says Kwunyeun, "It just goes to show you that the Smith community is one that fosters and supports growth, culture, and student initiative."

Kwunyeun's advice to current students here at Smith: "If you believe it and verbalize it, and get excited about it, your dream can become a reality." Kwunyeun recently headed to Thailand on October 4.

We wish Cherry Kwunyeun continued success in all of her future endeavors. Congratulations to one of our own!

If you'd like to get more details about Kwunyeun's experience in Thailand or more information about the Fulbright Grant program, e-mail Kwunyeun at CherryFBG@hotmail.com.