Karina Hermawan

PROFILE: When Karina Hermawan was eight years old and growing up in Jakarta, Indonesia, there was violent rioting across the city.  She recalled with horror how Chinese Indonesian women were forced to strip in public, raped, and in some cases, burned alive.  As a Chinese Indonesian, Karina was terrified, as were her parents. “When I asked my mom to take me to school, she told me that it was not safe for a little girl to go to school anymore.” Soon Karina came to America, but she’ll never forget her personal horrific experience where she witnessed first-hand racial, economic and religious bigotry.  It is her chosen goal in life (and has been for many years) to work in public policy to fight injustice and discrimination, wherever it exists.

INSPIRATION: Karina didn’t hesitate to mention Dr. Patricia Lin, her summer research coordinator at the University of California, Berkeley. “There are many influential people in my life, but Dr. Lin is on of the top on my list because she has dedicated her life to her students.” Karina said she asked Dr. Lin how she could ever repay her, and she replied: “I do not ask for much in return, only that you do the same and help other students.”

ASPIRATION: She hopes to work in public policy, following graduate school.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE:   Her proudest achievement to date has been “giving back to the community.” Karina said “if it were not for this wonderful institution, called East Los Angeles College, I would not be where I am today.” Everyday, she said, “I am happy and proud to tutor at the math lab, to counsel at the transfer center, and to promote and recruit academic honors students in programs such the honors program and Phi Theta Kappa, at my own time. I think that ‘Good Samaritan’ work is truly contagious, and I hope it spreads even broader all over the world.”

ACCOLADES: Karina received the University of California, Berkeley Regents' and Chancellor's Scholarship, as well as University of California, Berkeley Achievement Award, and the Honors Transfer Council of California Exceptional Achievement Award.

INTERESTING FACT: Even though she is the youngest of her siblings that she lives with in California (their parents are still in Indonesia), Karina does the lion’s share of the housework, grocery shopping and cooking. “Even though I am the baby of the family, my older siblings sometimes see me as “the Mom.”