International Student Profile: Tan Cheeranont
Photo by: Cristy Hernandez
By James Ensor, News Editor //
B
eing a student athlete on a college campus is no easy task, however being a student athlete and an international student makes Tan Cheeranont even more unique.
Cheeranont is a junior at High Point University from Bangkok, Thailand. She is majoring in actuarial science and minoring in finance and statistics. Outside of the classroom she is a member of the Women’s Golf team.
“I started to think about coming to the United States when I was in high school,” Cheeranont said. “I decided to spend my junior year in Indiana to see what it was like.”
After completing her junior year of high school in Indiana, Cheeranont returned to Bangkok to finish her senior year.
“My host uncle in Indiana was helping me search for colleges in the south,” Cheeranont said. “He found HPU for me.”
Although she is 24 hours away from home by airplane, Cheeranont has found HPU and the golf team to be her home away from home.
“While transitioning to the United States during high school and college I found that joining the golf team has helped ease the transition,” Cheeranont said. “My teammates introduced me to new people and became my best friends.”
No matter if she is on or off the course, Cheeranont excels in all that she does. Not only has she made the Dean’s List at HPU every semester, she has also made the Big South Presidential Honor Roll and is a Millis Scholar Athlete.
In addition to her academic achievements, Cheeranont has set the all time single-season stoke record in women’s golf at HPU and was named the Most Valuable Player her freshman year.
“I got interested in golf through my grandfather,” Cheeranont said. “I grew up next door to him so we spent a lot of time together.”
“One day I followed him to the golf course and decided to try it out,” Cheeranont said. “I went back home and asked my parents if I could take lessons.”
Both of her parents live in Thailand, however her older sister lives in Chapel Hill.
“We are really close as a family,” Cheeranont said, despite physcial distance.
After graduation Cheeranont plans to either find a job in the U.S. or go to grad school.
“I love the environment at HPU,” Cheeranont said. “It’s like a family and you’re welcome no matter what background you have.”