September 30, 2009 – Someone You Should Know

Jeffrey Thongsawath.

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Thongsawath

Jeffrey Thongsawath
Meet OWU’s Senior Class President

Jeffrey Thongsawath is always willing to lend a helping hand to his fellow classmates and listen to their ideas, which is an important quality in a class president.

“I think the best part about being class president is getting to represent all the awesome seniors in our class,” Thongsawath says. “I also have fun working with Debbie Lamp, Meggie Feran, and my Senior Class Advisory Council, planning class events!”

As the senior class president, Thongsawath is in charge of setting up class events, such as the Welcome Back Dinner and Toast with President Rock Jones. He also is responsible for picking the Commencement speaker, working on the class gift, and working with Young Alumni to bridge the gap between current seniors and alumni. Thongsawath also has a spot on WCSA.

Thongsawath, whose parents are immigrants from Laos, grew up speaking Lao. “I didn’t learn English until I was five,” he says.

He has visited Laos and Thailand twice, but he says he would love to go back. However, when he is at school, he says his favorite place to travel to is home, located in Groveport, Ohio.

Thongsawath, who is a sociology/anthropology major and zoology minor, is trying to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a doctor. After graduation, he plans to get his masters in public health administration and then go on to medical school. “I would love to be the CEO of a hospital and a physician one day,” he says.

Thongsawath says that if he could eat lunch with any figure from history, he would choose Paul Farmer, a medical anthropologist and physician who created clinics in Haiti.

He says his biggest accomplishment in life thus far has been reaching his senior year of college. “I know that it might not seem like a big one to others, but it is big for me and my family because I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college,” he says.

Thongsawath knows there is no rest for the weary. As if he weren’t already busy enough, he is also a resident assistant, SOAN Student Board member, and a member of the Pre-Med Club.

Whenever he has any spare time, he enjoys playing tennis and going skiing. He also enjoys all Disney movies. “The last movie I saw in theaters was Disney/Pixar’s ‘Up,’” he says.

Thongsawath doesn’t have much time for television, but he admits that he loves watching “American Idol.”

A little bit extra:

• If you could have any super natural power, what would it be? – Invisibility
• What is your favorite breakfast cereal? – Honey Nut Cheerios
• If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be? – A panda—I just like them!
• What music are you listening to these days? – Kings of Leon

– Emily Hastings ’10