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Kenya King
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Perimeter College
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CLARKSTON, Ga.—What are the chances that two young men, previously from Myanmar, would end up thousands of miles from home, attend Georgia State University’s Perimeter College, graduate together and be accepted at the same time at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to continue their education?
Such is the case with Soe Wai Yan and Sut Naw, both of whom graduated from Perimeter in May and will be attending MIT on full scholarships. They are two of only 30 national transfer students accepted at MIT to start this fall.
“We first met during the 2023 fall semester, but we didn’t talk much at the time,” said Yan. “Although we came from the same country, we hadn’t known each other before.”
“Our friendship started to grow when we ran the Perimeter College math club and took related engineering classes together in fall 2024,” Naw said. “These experiences helped strengthen our friendship, and they eventually led us to apply to MIT.”
Yan, 22, focused on computer engineering while at Perimeter College. Graduating with a 4.0 GPA, he won the Dean’s Award, the college’s highest award honoring outstanding student performance. He was presented the award at the annual Perimeter College STAR Awards ceremony this spring. He also won the Student Leadership Excellence Award, an honor he shared with Naw (soon to be 22) in recognition of their outstanding contribution as co-presidents of the Clarkston (Campus) Math Club.
“Yan and Naw’s ability to engage their fellow students in interesting projects was one of the reasons they won,” said Dr. Sahithya Reddivari, assistant department chair and associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. “Their exuberant personalities nourished the dwindling math club back to life.”
Dr. Janna Blum, associate professor of chemistry and head of Perimeter College’s MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) Center for Outreach, Research and Engagement, said it may be unconventional to recognize co-leaders, but Yan and Naw’s partnership has been instrumental in engaging students in activities. The two students’ interest in robotics and 3D printing, and their work to schedule presentations and speaking engagements focused on research, attracted students and generated participation.
“Together they demonstrated remarkable dedication and leadership in revitalizing the math club, Dr. Blum said. “Under their guidance, the club flourished, growing its membership to more than 80 students this year. Their shared vision and complementary leadership styles have transformed the club into a thriving community that fosters enthusiasm for mathematics and its interdisciplinary applications.”
Yan has been extensively involved in undergraduate research, which led to his selection as a semifinalist for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The Jack Kent Cooke scholarship is one of the nation’s top two-year college private awards given to community college transfer students.
Yan also was part of the team that won first place in the inaugural Perimeter Innovation Pitch Competition. The project featured a novel tracking system entitled BusMate that alerted parents when to expect school bus arrivals.
Naw worked on an alarm clock design team competition hosted by Micron, a world leader in significant technology advancements.
Together, Yan and Naw joined the MESA lab as Peer Leeds/Tutors. MESA is one of the extracurricular activities favored by Perimeter College engineering students to help them understand and navigate through computer and engineering assignments.
Yan moved to the United States in 2022 after a military coup occurred in Myanmar in 2021.
“The coup put all education under military control, with the goal to keep citizens undereducated,” he said. “That situation led me to leave my country and continue my education in the United States.”
A Myanmar high school friend who had previously attended Perimeter College encouraged Yan to consider the college, emphasizing how much its professors cared about helping students succeed.
Naw left Myanmar after the COVID pandemic. His reasons were similar to Yan’s.
“Dreaming of becoming an engineer, I searched alternatives to continue my education while exploring engineering programs in Georgia,” Naw said. “I discovered the Regents’ Engineering Pathways Program, also known as REP, was offered at Perimeter College. The college best suited my needs, and I decided to come to Atlanta.”
Naw’s chemistry professor, Dr. Manuela Vanegas, said Naw’s participation in group settings demonstrates his ability to translate theoretical knowledge into practical applications.
“It was an honor to witness his academic brilliance and the extraordinary journey that has shaped him into the remarkable individual he is today,” Dr. Vanegas said. “He displays an exceptional aptitude for scientific inquiry, showcasing a unique blend of creativity, analytical thinking and entrepreneurial spirit.”
The future looks bright for Yan and Naw as they continue their educational journey. There is a community of Myanmar students awaiting them at MIT. Yan’s high school friend and former Perimeter College student, Min Khant Zaw, along with a mutual friend, Mesur Muzyin, told Yan and Naw that MIT was seeking to enroll students with interesting backgrounds and collaborative minds. That helped both of them decide to apply there.
Yan plans to study electrical engineering and computer science with a focus on robotics. Naw is eyeing a degree in civil engineering to achieve his dream of building energy-efficient infrastructures. They’re confident their friendship will continue at MIT.
“Their reach extends far beyond Perimeter College’s borders,” Blum said. “Despite being more than 8,000 miles from their home country of Myanmar, Yan and Naw have come together at Perimeter College to build a lasting and meaningful impact on our community.”
- Story by Barbara Obrentz
- Photo by Bill Roa