Supharak Pathammavong (Su) at home

[You've got to] believe in yourself. Just try to do it. Just give it a try. Believe in yourself and set a goal for yourself and go forward.
--Su Pathammavong

Su was born in Laos in 1966. Su’s father was taken to a concentration camp by the communist government in the late 1970s, and the rest of the family escaped to the United States where Su’s oldest brother was already studying. Until her whole family, including her father, was reunited, the family went through difficult times in this new country. Su began her high school education right after she arrived in the United States. Even though in the beginning she had much difficulty in communicating in English, she successfully completed her education, earning a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Capital College in Maryland. After working for several companies, she became a system engineer and technical trainer at Sprint International.

Su thinks Asian females are still minority in her field, and sometimes that makes things difficult for her but she works hard and stays successful as a professional engineer.

In 1996, she married an American with both Lao and American wedding ceremonies. They have two children.

Quotes from Supharak Pathammavong:

For my mother, [leaving our country and our father was a difficult decision.] We waited for our father a couple of years, and then we finally found ways to communicate with him. My mother wrote [to him,] ‘We're going to move to a different city where most of our relatives live.’ She figured that he would know that she really meant the United States. So he wrote back and said, ‘Whatever will be better for your future and the future of the kids, then I'm happy you have a choice.’  So then we decided to leave the country.

It was rough at first. I came here and then the next month I went to high school, to Washington-Leel. With no English. It was a rough time because of the English barrier thing. I was scared. But I was lucky. .  At Washington Lee, they have what they call ESL program, English as a second language for foreigners, so I stayed in that program for six months. At that time, there was a lot of refugees who came here. Some people just looked at you just like, ‘You foreigners. You can't speak English. Why are you here? Go back to your country.’ But some groups, they understand why we're here, and they try to help out as much as they can. I have all kinds of friends—American, Asian, Hispanics.

American culture helped me to be independent and to pursue higher education to become a successful, well-rounded individual, [while my background from Laos taught me] discipline, how to work hard in what you do.

[When I graduated and got a job,] I felt really good. At the company, people treated me nicely because it's a small company, an engineering consulting firm. But when I went out to the field and worked with customers, their first impression when you walked in there was, ‘Are you an engineer?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ It's like they have negative impressions, like ‘What can she do?  Why is she here?’ I think it’s because I was a female minority, female and Asian. It's like being a double minority.

Of course, in this field it's male dominated.  If you're a female, you have to work twice as hard to be at their level.  That's the impression I have, that I have to work as hard to be at their level or compete with them.  I always have negative thoughts about myself, like I'm not as good as them.  So because of that feeling, it always makes me to work as hard. 

My way of life is American, but I still have that Laotian culture in me. I still speak my language. I can read and write. I love the food, of course. So I still have the Lao traditions. When I meet people, I tell them about my culture, what we do.”  I tell [them] the things that we do in our community and our traditions.

I feel great to have this opportunity to set a good example for the younger generation or for a person who just came from another country. [My message is] that there are a lot of opportunities out there waiting for you. Set up your goals and achieve your goals. You can be anything you want to be as long as you believe in yourself.  Set your goals, and set your heart on it, just go out and try it. Don't be afraid.

Supharak Pathammavong (Su)

Supharak Pathammavong (Su) training systems engineers at Sprint International

Supharak Pathammavong (Su) playing volleyball

Supharak Pathammavong (Su) with her mother and niece.

Supharak Pathammavong (Su) watching sports on T.V.

Supharak Pathammavong (Su) on her wedding day. She married an American and had a traditional wedding ceremony before her American one.

Supharak Pathammavong (Su) on her wedding day. She married an American and had a traditional wedding ceremony before her American one.

American wedding ceremony