One of the most mysterious figures in the Bradford house is the ever-intelligent Thai scholar Vasawat Rawangwong ’24. Arriving at Concord Academy at the beginning of this academic year, Vasawat has become an integral part of the community. But, this International Math Olympiad Gold medalist is more than just his brains.
Becoming an International Math Olympiad Gold medalist is an inspiring feat, and it might make one question how much math means to Vasawat. During an interview, when confronted about his incredible intellect, both his humor and intellect were on full display. In response to the question “How do you do math?” Vasawat replied, “Good luck bro.” Though the jokes around his intelligence are funny, you can often find Vasawat helping people with their Advanced Topics math courses, along with being a general force of goodwill and academic excellence. Vasawat is always willing to help and also appears to be capable of helping with anything math-related.
But Vasawat is not just a math kid, he is in fact an inspiring guitarist with an incredible backstory. Vasawat found his love for guitar when he was lied to about a band with an open spot for a guitarist. Vasawat says, “I started guitar when my mom lied to me. When I pulled up to the music class, so many people were guitar players. In fact, the band already had a guitarist.” Though initially demoralized with his guitar endeavors, playing guitar is something he has learned to love. He remarks, “It’s not that I am playing for a band anymore, I am playing for myself.” He has been delighted to perform at Concord Academy’s various performances, and it has been his first true experience playing in front of a large audience. Some of his amazing performances include the Winterfest talent show, the Senior Holiday Chapel, and Coffeehouse.
Vasawat has made a particular impact on the Bradford House. You can often find Vasawat playing Minecraft on the Bradford Minecraft server, or playing the Brawl Stars among other Bradfordians. Surprisingly, contrary to the consistent gaming in his routine, when asked about his favorite things to do in Bradford, Vasawat replied, “It’s really fun to chat with people here, and they make me truly feel at home.” When the topic of Brawl Stars came up in the interview, Vasawat interjected, “That [stuff] took my life away from me.” Regardless, Vasawat has been a source of fun and intelligence within the house, strengthening the bonds of the community.
Vasawat has led many adventures in his journey before CA, but in his time here, he has flourished in Bradford House, expanded his passion for guitar, and continued to exercise his brain. Though he has only been here for a year, Vasawat has become an integral part of the CA community and profoundly impacted all he has befriended.