In the News · WMUK (NPR)
“They want you to suffer:” Rohingya WMU student recounts escaping Burma amid mass killings
WMUK (NPR) · May 18, 2026 · By Michael Symonds
Summary
What the story covers
In a long-form interview with WMUK, Western Michigan University’s public radio station, I describe growing up Rohingya in Burma, where my community faced forced labor and mass violence.
The story follows my journey as a child: 11 days at sea on a traffickers’ boat, six days in the Thai jungle, more than a year in detention, and resettlement by the United Nations to Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2016.
It ends where I am today: an electrical engineering student at WMU, set to graduate in 2027, and a recipient of the WMU/AAUP First-Generation Scholarship.
It’s going to be an example for other people.
Shofi Alom, in WMUK (NPR)
The original includes an 8-minute audio interview.