Chia-Chun Chen

When Chia-Chun Chen’s family decided to immigrate to the United States from Taiwan when she was a senior in high school, it left her with few opportunities to apply to college in the United States. But, she was pleasantly surprised to discover that through Delaware Tech’s connected degree programs, she could create a great path to pursue higher education.

“My journey through Delaware Tech has felt like continuous growth,” Chen said. “The accumulation of knowledge and experience has made me more confident and made my future clearer. Besides learning professional knowledge, I’ve learned how to deal with stress and balance different things in life, and that’s made me a stronger person.”

Chen found her passion for chemistry while in high school. She was drawn to how it covers everything from a tiny human cell to the immeasurable universe, and she felt the broadness of the subject would provide her with multiple career paths in the future.

During her time as a student, Chen worked as a student intern in the science department at the Stanton Campus.

“I received extra knowledge about how to deal with different chemical solutions, materials, equipment, and glassware,” she said. “While working in the labs I felt a stronger sense of belonging to the Delaware Tech family and the power of teamwork.”

While she said all of the staff and faculty at Delaware Tech were kind, Chen said she received the most help from the science faculty at the Stanton Campus – Dr. Lakshmi Cyr, Dr. Stephani Davis, Dr. Erika Varner, Tia Gordon, Julie Brady, and Jennifer Schumacker.

“They never hesitated to give me advice whenever I encountered a problem,” Chen said. “They also tried their best to provide all kinds of opportunities to strengthen my professional knowledge and help with my career goals. They gave me the confidence to ask questions and continue on my path, and were there to support me. They made me feel that attending Delaware Tech was the best decision I have ever made.”

After graduation, Chen plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of Delaware before attending medical school to become a physician.