Alumni Spotlight: Edika Amin

Throughout my childhood, I was constantly moving. All in all, I have lived on three continents spanning more than five different countries. I was born in France, raised in Vietnam and then I started my early education in the United States. I went on to continue my schooling in Malaysia and Croatia before returning to the United States in 2011. Although on the surface it may seem like a privileged life, constantly moving meant that my life was completely shaken up each time. For me, extended family has been non-existent, friends have been temporary and countrymen are few and far between. Even though my parents constantly keep me grounded and in touch with my roots there has always been a sense of instability in my personal relationships. One will not realize how important it is to have a permanent support group in life until they are in a situation where they have none to call their own. Losing common environments, a circle of people that are known to me, surroundings and culture meant I constantly needed to start from scratch in each new place I moved. It wasn’t until I joined Los Angeles City College (and the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program in particular) that I finally got the sense that I belonged to a community.

I have a great deal of gratitude not only for the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program, but also for all the professors who accepted me with open arms and made my time in LACC perhaps one of the most enjoyable periods of my life. The Ralph Bunche Scholars Program provided a challenging curriculum that prepared me for my transition to UC Berkeley. The community service requirement helped me build long lasting friendships with my fellow volunteers. In addition, and most importantly, the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program introduced me to undergraduate research, which is a big part of who I am today as a student at UC Berkeley. Special thanks to Dr. Muller who introduced me to the concept of undergraduate research and encouraged me to participate in events such as Southern California Conference on Undergraduate Research (SCCUR) and the HTCC Research Conference.

Currently, I am in my final two semesters in UC Berkeley majoring in Economics. My experience in undergraduate research not only built a solid foundation in the study of Monetary Economics, but it also helped me acquire a full scholarship and a future job in the Central Bank of Malaysia after I graduate. I’m happy to say that LACC has truly played a prominent role in shaping the direction of my life, and for that I will forever be thankful.