Name: Sirinda (Siri) Pairin
Title and Organization: Engagement and Communications Manager at the Wisconsin School of Business
Graduation year and degree: 2015 B.A. in journalism with a certificate in digital studies
J-School alum Sirinda Pairin was named one of the most influential Asian American leaders in Madison this year by Madison365. In Pairin’s current role with the Wisconsin School of Business, she places an emphasis on climate, culture, and belonging. We discussed Pairin’s emotions surrounding this recognition, her advice for current students and her favorite memories in the J-School.
When it comes to this recognition from Madison365, what are you most proud of?
I’m most proud to represent my father’s life and influence in the state of Wisconsin. He was a farmer in Thailand for the first half of his life and then worked for many years in northeast Wisconsin as an electrical engineering technician. It is the highest honor to embody his resilience, hard work and legacy as an Asian American and as a Thai person in Wisconsin.
What’s the best advice you have for a J-School student who wants to do what you do?
Be authentic. Build relationships. Maintain a healthy dose of skepticism. Remember that amplifying marginalized voices is one of the most powerful things we as communicators can help to do.
What is your favorite J-School memory?
Laughing, crying and learning through the J202 lab with Mark Mederson. I was and am so lucky to have benefitted from his knowledge, teaching and sense of humor.