R-MC Student Experience: Heang Sok ’10

Heang Sok '10 chose his majors with an eye on the future.

Randolph-Macon College may be a long way from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the hometown of Heang Sok ’10, but the computer science and accounting major feels right at home. “R-MC is a very friendly community,” says Sok. “It’s my second home.”

Sok, who will graduate in December 2009, decided to come to R-MC for several reasons. “I came to Randolph-Macon College because of the generous financial aid I received from the school, as well as the small class sizes,” he says. “I especially like the professors here; they are very approachable and knowledgeable in their fields of expertise. For example, Dr. Lowry (economics/business) is not only my professor, but also my mentor when I need advice about business graduate schools and my future career.”

Sok chose his majors with an eye on the future. “Business and information technology are closely related and are some of the fastest- growing fields in today’s economy,” he says. “I hope to take the excellent skills I’ve acquired at Randolph-Macon to the next level at graduate school so that I can contribute to the development of my home country’s economy.”

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Getting Involved
Giving back to the community is important to Sok, who is a member of R-MC’s Habitat for Humanity. In the spring of 2009 he traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi in conjunction with the college’s “alternative spring break” trip. There, Sok and his fellow students built houses for victims of Hurricane Katrina. “It was such a wonderful experience for me to learn about the culture and traditions of that part of the United States, and I was delighted that we were able to make a difference in people’s lives,” says Sok.

Sok is also a member of R-MC’s International Interest Group (IIG), an organization whose aim is to increase awareness about the cultures of other countries. “We meet every Wednesday evening and organize activities to get students involved on campus, and to help them understand the differences between U.S. culture and other countries’ cultures,” says Sok. In addition, Sok is a member of the Student Honors Association (SHA), an academic organization that helps students to succeed in their academic careers, and Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society.

A Memorable First Year
Sok remembers fondly his First-Year Experience (FYE) course, Far From Home: Immigrant Children and Families in the U.S. The course, which explored the social, cultural and psychological implications of immigration on children and families, was taught by Professor Susan Parker, Ph.D. (psychology) and Professor Maria Jose Bordera, Ph.D. (Spanish). “I volunteered for one academic year at Skipwith Elementary school in Richmond as part of the course. During that time, my classmates and I helped the teacher with various class activities,” says Sok. “Through observation and interaction, I was able to better understand how immigrant children might experience life in the United States. The FYE course was one of my favorite classes at R-MC.”

Preparation for the Future
Sok was one of the first students to participate in the R-MC Career Center’s Access CEO Program, which was launched in the fall of 2008. Access CEO is a unique team-based mentoring program for juniors and seniors that provides an opportunity for students to learn from seasoned top local executives and from one another. “The program gave me a lot of insight about the business world,” says Sok. “We had wonderful opportunities to meet and interact with several executives in the Richmond area. I would recommend this program to any student who is interested in learning about the business world and career options.”

During his academic career at R-MC, Sok has made the Dean’s List every semester. He has also been the recipient of the Presidential Scholarship and the R-MC Recognition Grant. He was awarded the Douglas W. Foard Phi Beta Kappa Sophomore Award in 2008 and the Wills Wray Morse Citizenship Award and the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award in 2009.
Sok particularly enjoys his work as a tutor in the Higgins Academic Center. For more than three years he has tutored students in Chinese, accounting, computer science, economics and writing. “I like helping other students to succeed academically,” he says. “Also, it is an opportunity for me to practice and improve my English, which is my third language.”

Sok also finds the time to work as a Web assistant in the Marketing & Communications department, something he’s done since September 2008. He is primarily responsible for editing and updating information on the R-MC Web site and he assists in Web site development projects. “I like working with my supervisor, Webmaster Brent Hoard,” says Sok. “He has really taught me a lot in the area of Internet programming.”

Sok looks forward to a career in which he can utilize his impressive computer skills. “I hope to get a job in the field of software engineering at a computer-software company, or work as an auditor at a public accounting firm,” he says.


For information on R-MC’s accounting department, please visit http://www.rmc.edu/Academics/Accounting.aspx  

For information on R-MC’s computer science department, please visit http://www.rmc.edu/Academics/computer-science.aspx  

For information on R-MC’s Habitat for Humanity organization, please visit 
http://www.rmc.edu/student-organizations/social-service/habitat.aspx  

For information on R-MC’s First-Year Experience program, please visit http://www.rmc.edu/why-rmc/FYE/index.aspx  

For more information about the breadth of programs and opportunities available at Randolph-Macon, contact our Admissions Office at (800) 888-1762 or at admissions@rmc.edu