Hard work, perseverance and resilience.

Those are the three values that have guided Brendan Thammarath and led him to success as a a first-generation American as well as the first in his family to get a college degree. His mother immigrated from Mexico, his father from Thailand; they met in Colorado and started their culturally blended family.

“I didn’t have two different perspectives,” Thammarath says. “That was just how I grew up; it was just what I was used to.”

Thammarath knew that getting an education was important and that “any knowledge is good knowledge.”

After graduating from Wheat Ridge High School, he decided to attend Colorado State University with the hope of becoming a chemical and biomedical engineer. After realizing he was not passionate about those subjects he switched to Health and Exercise Science with a focus in sports medicine and went down a pre-med road.

He was a part of the Honors Program for three years and also tutored student-athletes his sophomore year.

In addition, Thammarath tutored children in grades K-5 through the Triunfo after-school tutoring program, where he helped them with homework and serve as a role model.

His guidance for young children did not stop there. Thammarath has spoken to classes in elementary schools, sharing his story and explaining his three keys to success. He also worked at a student-funded kids summer camp that was geared toward teaching science to elementary school students.

Having three younger siblings, the oldest of whom is 10 years younger, contributed to Thammarath’s love for working with children.

“I really enjoy being with the kids,” Thammarath says. “And most of them share the same story. I want to motivate them to be hard workers and to persevere and to be resilient.”

After graduation, Thammarath hopes to continue working with children and shadow doctors in the Fort Collins community to gain medical experience.