1. Could you tell us about yourself?
My name is Rothrithyvong Thay. I am currently a senior Computer Science student at AUPP, studying on a full scholarship. Although my academic background is in technology, my university experience has ended up being much broader than I initially expected.
Outside class, I spend a lot of my time involved in youth programs, volunteering, community projects, and activities that allow me to work with different groups of people. Over the past few years, I have also had opportunities to represent Cambodia through programs in the United States and across Asia and ASEAN.
I would say I am someone who enjoys exploring different things. I like technology, but I am equally interested in education, youth development, international affairs, and understanding how people think and live. Some of the most valuable things I have learned in university have come from conversations and experiences outside the classroom, which is also why I enjoy working with people. Whether I am part of a team, organizing an event, teaching, or simply helping behind the scenes, I enjoy seeing an idea take shape and eventually become something real.
I still do not have my entire career planned out, and I do not think I need to yet. For now, I am trying to make the most of university, learn as much as I can, and figure things out along the way.
2. Could you tell us about the achievements you are most proud of?
One achievement I am particularly proud of is being selected for the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program, which gave me the opportunity to study in the United States.
Global UGRAD meant a lot to me because studying abroad had always been something I wanted to experience. Living and studying in the U.S. gave me the chance to experience a different academic environment, meet people I probably would never have crossed paths with otherwise, and represent Cambodia in a setting completely outside what I was used to.
At the same time, I also consider receiving my full scholarship at AUPP an important achievement because of everything that came with it. Beyond removing the financial burden of tuition, it gave me the freedom to focus on my studies while still having time to explore things outside the classroom.
That freedom has mattered a lot. I have been able to volunteer, work on projects, participate in international programs, and discover interests that I probably would not have found by focusing on academics alone.
So while Global UGRAD is one achievement I am especially proud of, I see my scholarship at AUPP as something that quietly made many of the experiences that followed possible.
3. Could you tell us about one thing or experience you encountered that changed your life?
I would probably say starting university in 2023.
Coming to AUPP changed my routine, but more importantly, it exposed me to a lot of things I had never really considered before. With a more flexible university schedule, I had time outside my classes to volunteer, join activities, meet different people, and explore interests beyond Computer Science.
That same year, I joined ASEAN Seeds for the Future and travelled to China. It was one of my first major international programs, and not long after that I also joined AFMAM Plus Japan.
What changed me was not necessarily one trip or one program. It was realizing how much existed outside the path I originally imagined for myself.
I started meeting young people from very different backgrounds, hearing about what they were working on, and seeing the kinds of things students could actually do while still in university. It made my own university experience much more open-ended.
Since then, I have become involved in areas ranging from volunteering and youth development to project leadership and international exchange.
When I look back, 2023 feels like the point where university stopped being only about getting a degree and became a period where I could actually explore who I wanted to become.
4. Who is the person you look up to the most?
This has always been one of the hardest questions for me because I have never really had one specific person I would call my role model.
There are definitely people I admire, but usually for very different reasons. Some people impress me because of how seriously they take their work. Others because of their discipline, creativity, humility, or the way they treat people around them.
Over the years, I have also met many people through university, volunteering, projects, and international programs who have influenced the way I think. Sometimes it is someone older and much more experienced, but sometimes it is a friend or teammate who simply does something exceptionally well.
I think I tend to look up to qualities more than one particular person.
I admire people who remain grounded even when they achieve a lot, who take responsibility seriously, and especially those who keep their integrity even when taking an easier route would benefit them more.
So I cannot really give one name. I think different people have shaped different parts of me, and I am still learning what qualities I want to carry with me as I grow.
5. What are the steps you took that led you to where you are right now?
I think a lot of where I am today comes from being willing to learn from people and gradually taking on more responsibility.
When I first started university, I was mostly a participant. I joined activities, volunteered, observed how other people worked, and tried to learn from those who had more experience than me. Being around people who were motivated and good at what they did naturally pushed me to raise my own standards.
Over time, I became more comfortable taking responsibility myself. I moved from helping with projects to organizing them, managing teams, and eventually leading initiatives such as Jumneanh during my time at AYC or FUSAAC Major and Career Fair 2026.
That progression taught me that leadership is much less about being the person in front and much more about being dependable. A lot of it is following up, dealing with problems nobody sees, communicating properly, admitting when something goes wrong, and making sure the people around you can do their work well.
I have also learned to ask for help. Some of the most useful things I know came from simply asking someone more experienced how they would handle a situation.
So I do not think one big decision brought me here. It was mostly a combination of curiosity, good people around me, taking responsibility when I could, and learning from each experience as it came.
6. What are the happiest moments of your life?
Some of my happiest moments have come from experiences that were actually quite stressful while they were happening.
Major and Career Fair 2026 is one example. The preparation involved months of meetings, messages, unexpected changes, and a lot of things happening at the same time. But on the actual day, seeing the venue full of students and watching everything our team had worked on finally come together was a really satisfying feeling.
I also have many happy memories from travelling and participating in international programs. What stays with me most is usually not the official part of the program, but everything around it: meeting people for the first time, late-night conversations, preparing things together, sharing food, joking about cultural differences, and somehow becoming close with people in a very short amount of time.
I especially enjoy moments when I get to talk about Cambodia with people who are genuinely curious about it. Representing Cambodia abroad has always felt quite personal to me.
And, of course, there is also the simple happiness of receiving good news and being able to share it with the people who supported me.
When I think about it, most of my happiest memories involve people. The achievement usually matters, but the people I experienced it with are what make me remember it.
7. Is there any advice to the people that look up to you?
I do not think anyone needs to be involved in everything or constantly chase the next achievement.
If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be to make good use of whatever opportunity or responsibility you already have in front of you.
If you volunteer somewhere, actually be useful. If you join a team, be someone people can rely on. If you are given responsibility, take it seriously even when nobody is checking. A lot of opportunities come later because people remember how you worked on the smaller things.
I would also say to stay curious. Some of the things I enjoy most today were not things I originally planned to be involved in. Trying something outside your usual interests can introduce you to people, ideas, and even parts of yourself that you would not discover otherwise.
At the same time, do not feel pressured by what everyone else seems to be doing. There will always be someone with more awards, more programs, or a longer CV.
I think it is more important to understand why you are doing something and what you are actually getting from it.
I am still figuring out plenty of things myself, but I have learned that doing your part well, staying open to learning, and being someone others can depend on can take you quite far.