Peng Her
Electrical Construction & Maintenance ’16
Fresno, California
Peng Her’s path to Dunwoody was not an easy one—but it most certainly paid off.
Growing up near Fresno, California, Her found himself living a lifestyle he didn’t want for himself anymore. Ready to make a change, he packed his bags, moved to Minnesota, and decided to apply to Dunwoody.
“When I was younger, my dad told me that I was a smart child. If I would pay attention and put my heart into what I wanted to do, I would succeed,” Her said. “As we grew up, I got distracted and was conformed to the world around me. I ended up taking the wrong roads to satisfy my needs and did not realize what my dad meant.”
“Before I started Dunwoody, my dad told me the same thing. My dad hoped that since I had grown, I would take his advice and [do] my best at Dunwoody.”
And do his best he did.
Just weeks into his first semester of Dunwoody’s Electrical Construction & Maintenance program, Her was already at the top of his class.
“Peng’s performance set the bar high for his fellow classmates,” Senior Instructor Jeff Chase said. “As a leader in the classroom, his skills created and maintained a culture that allowed students to strive for excellence.”
But Her didn’t set that bar just for himself—he wanted his classmates to reach it too.
“He never hesitated to assist his fellow classmates,” Chase said. “He always had time to explain concepts, share lecture notes, and even just give a word of encouragement to a peer.”
Her’s drive to succeed earned him a spot on the Dean’s List for every semester he attended Dunwoody. Her was also inducted into the College’s Honor Society, Phi Theta Kappa, and is the 2017 Academic Excellence Award recipient for the Construction Sciences & Building Technology department.
“[Winning the award] is an honor,” Her said. “It made me recognize that hard work pays off. It does not matter who you are or what you have done. Work hard and someone will recognize you.”
Her graduated Dunwoody in December of 2016. He has since been working as the Corporate Director of Maintenance for Lancer Hospitality, a national organization that provides food and beverage services to a number of venues including corporate cafeterias, schools, and public attractions such as the Minnesota Zoo and Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.