Minh Pham holds 19 degrees and 9 certificates

(Santa Ana, CA) - Santa Ana College (SAC) alumnus Minh Pham has been accepted into the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Pre-Law Outreach Program (POP). One of only 40 students chosen for summer 2020 entry, Pham has made his mark for having earned 19 degrees and 9 certificates – seven degrees and two certificates from SAC.

The son of a Vietnamese refugee, Pham knew very little English when he arrived in the United States at the age of 16. With the help of community service programs, he began to thrive and obtained multiple associate degrees from both SAC and Santiago Canyon College (SCC). Pham has also earned a degree in biochemistry from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), cum laude, and received the 2016 Senior-of-the-Year accolade.

“I want to say thank you so much to all of my professors, mentors, and staff from various programs that helped me learn a lot of valuable skills and knowledge in the medical and legal profession, including SAC Paralegal Program, SAC Honors Transfer Program, SAC Medical Assistant Program, SAC Chemistry Department, SAC Accounting Department, SAC Business Division, SAC Theatre Arts Department, SAC Communication Studies Departments, etc.,” said Pham. “I do trust that I wasn't the smartest student out there. However, I am a firm believer that being willing to learn, hard work, and perseverance will continue to be the foundation on which you will build a great future and career.”

The UCI POP program is a prep course meant to provide experiences to inspire students from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend law school, while providing the skills and knowledge about law school admissions and information about how to succeed once enrolled. It consists of six sessions throughout the summer and will provide Pham with a network of aspiring attorneys as he pursues a law degree.

“After graduating from Santa Ana College, I plan to use my degree and my knowledge to advance further in my career in both medicine and law, and in the future to advocate for our patients and our community,” concluded Pham.

For more information about Santa Ana College, visit sac.edu.

About Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College (SAC), which turned 100 years old in 2015, serves about 18,000 students each semester at its main campus in Santa Ana. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions, and provides invaluable workforce training and customized training for business and industry. In addition, another 11,000 students are served through the college’s School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center. Ranked as one of the nation’s top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students, the college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and other medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.