Students, faculty and staff to share life stories on the Hill at “˜My Last Lecture’

Draco Chu spent his summer teaching sixth- and seventh-grade children in a rural community on the outskirts of Shanghai, China.

One of his students biked 45 minutes every day to get to class.

“It broke my heart,” he said.

Having spent years as both a student and staff member for the Office of Residential Life, Chu will say goodbye to the university this year, but not before leaving some parting words about the educational inequality that he witnessed in China and how it relates to the United States.

The assistant resident director and UCLA alumnus is one of several students and faculty members who will participate in tonight’s “My Last Lecture” event on the Hill. The program offers Hill residents and ORL staff members the chance to share their stories and life lessons before the school year ends.

Some of the speakers will return to UCLA next year, but for others, including Chu, this is their last chance to leave parting words at the university before they leave permanently.

Students and university staff on the Hill have put on similar events before, but Cristina Chang, a fourth-year communication studies and political science student, decided to bring back the event this year after hearing a last lecture from a fellow student with a brain tumor two years ago.

“She was in a wheelchair and had a brain tumor, but she spoke about how she was grateful for the simple things,” said Chang, a former Daily Bruin news writer. “I wanted to bring these types of stories to residents.”

Chang, who will also be giving a speech tonight, said she wanted to give people the opportunity to pass on their stories and advice before leaving UCLA.

Chu said he wants to share his own experiences involving social justice and privilege before he leaves UCLA to start working for the national Teach For America corps.

Chu’s speech is inspired by “Titanic,” the Harry Potter book series, as well as his own experiences, he said.

Both Harry Potter and “Titanic” show how class systems define people’s lives. According to Chu, the socioeconomic classes in “Titanic” and the magical orders of hierarchy created by J.K. Rowling depict themes that form the basis of his speech.

“The order that passengers evacuate the sinking ship in “˜Titanic’ literally determined their life prospects,” Chu said, about why he chose to share this topic with his peers.

Some speakers, however, are not planning to leave UCLA anytime soon.

Elissa Lappenga, resident director of Rieber Hall, plans to speak about interpersonal relationships, both her own and those she has witnessed develop in her building.

Lappenga, who earned a master’s degree in education at UCLA, has worked with ORL for five years.

Lappenga said the students have become a big part of her life because she lives in Rieber with her husband and two sons.

Living in the dorms with students has influenced her and her family’s life for the better, Lappenga said.

“I love living here,” Lappenga said. “My 7-year-old son is already talking about going to college, and there are definite benefits of having (my sons) grow up around high-achieving students,” she said.

When she heard about “My Last Lecture,” she wanted to give her students some final words of advice before they leave the Hill, she said.

Huong Pham, a fourth-year English student, is also among some of the speakers who will leave UCLA this year. Like Chu, Pham will join Teach for America as a special education English teacher after she graduates.

“In a large university, it’s easy to just become a statistic, but this event will allow a different array of people to give their own personal stories,” Pham said.

“These stories can tie us together despite our difference(s). It makes us realize that our morals transcend any superficial traits.”