Western Michigan University President Russ Kavalhuna announced the recipients of a $5,000 scholarship for first-generation students Thursday. Western and the faculty union, the American Association of University Professors created the scholarship together.
One recipient was electrical engineering student Shofi Alom.
He told WMU Trustees he’s a member of the Rohingya ethnic group and fled genocide as a child in Burma.
Alom shared his story of escaping the country on what he called a “human trafficking boat” headed to Thailand.
“There was many times when I was close to death. On the human trafficking boat, I almost fell into the ocean, died from starvation, dehydration, and drink salt water to stay alive."
Alom said his troubles did not end once he arrived in Thailand after 11 days at sea.
“In the Thailand jungle for six days I slept on the dirt, eat banana leaves, barks, and other plants to survive," Alom said.
"When I asked a man at a rubber farm in the jungle for food, he called the police on me. And I was arrested on May 8th, 2015. I was then held in detention center, jail, and orphanage for over 17 months."
Alom added that he made it to the United States near the end of 2016 and was moved among different foster care homes until he aged out.
He said the scholarship will lift a financial burden from him, allowing him to better focus on his education.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
