The 37-year-old sergeant with the Outagamie County Sheriff’s department is a graduate of both Fox Valley Technical College’s Criminal Justice Law Enforcement (now known as Criminal Justice) and Recruit Academy (now known as Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement 720 Academy) programs.

What first brought you to FVTC?

My parents were immigrants from the Southeast Asia peninsula and displaced war refugees with very limited education. I am the oldest of eight kids, and we could have been the poster children of poverty. I was up against the odds with the great responsibility of parenting my parents and siblings with no direction or knowledge. I was expected to be a teacher before becoming a student.

From those experiences I realized an education would shape my future. That led me to Fox Valley Tech in 2000 where its then-named Multicultural Center helped me hesitantly get through the main doors on campus to discover my career path.

What did you enjoy most about your training at FVTC?

The instructors and staff at Fox Valley Tech always made me feel welcome. They encouraged me to excel as part of a very current and rigorous curriculum. I still train at FVTC to keep my skills sharp at its newer, high-tech Public Safety Training Center.

Why are your skills so valued in the workplace today?

Training at FVTC was crucial in my personal and professional growth in areas like social skills, problem solving, decision making and technical skills. These skills continue to be valued 15 years after graduating and serving for the Sheriff’s department.

Situations will arise in law enforcement where split-second decisions must be made. FVTC equipped me with the knowledge to make key decisions wherever I go and under any circumstance.

What made your FVTC education special?

Failure is not an option at Fox Valley Tech. Toward the sunset of my career I want to help someone muster up the strength to walk through FVTC’s main doors with nothing and walk out with endless possibilities.