Naree Philavanh knows firsthand the life-changing impact philanthropy can have on a person’s life.
Philavanh, a Lincoln native, grew up with dreams of attending college in her hometown. Her parents, both immigrants from Laos, had already established roots of their own within the city. They owned a business in Lincoln — a local store named Jung’s Oriental Food that catered toward immigrants in the city for the last two decades.
“I knew I always wanted to come here because it was the Huskers,” she said. “My dad loved the university, and it was just the perfect match for me.”
Growing up, the expectation was for Philavanh to pursue higher education, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln was always at the front of her mind. However, those plans derailed during her freshman year of high school.
That year, Philavanh’s mother was seriously injured in a four-car accident. The accident left lifelong injuries and prevented her mother from continuing to work at the family business. Between the sudden transition to a single-income household, along with medical and legal expenses, Philavanh’s family was forced to sell their business and file for bankruptcy.
Philavanh’s dreams of attending UNL suddenly seemed out of reach as she entered her final two years of high school.
“That’s when college, which seemed within reach growing up, didn’t seem possible because of my circumstances,” she said.
Thanks to her hard work as a student at Lincoln East High School, Philavanh was awarded the Susan T. Buffett scholarship as well as a scholarship through the Inclusive Business Leaders program through UNL’s College of Business.
Thanks to these scholarships, Philavanh was able to make her dream of attending UNL a reality. Now, she is a junior business marketing and management double major who is already making a positive impact in the Lincoln community.
This spring, Philavanh participated in the Strive to Thrive Lincoln project offered through the College of Business’ Philanthropy and Leadership course. Strive to Thrive Lincoln provides students with a firsthand look into the nonprofit world and grant-awarding process.
Philavanh, who currently serves on the board of directors for the nonprofit organization Leadership Lincoln, said she was able to take the information from the course and project and directly apply it to her work.
