Newsletter 2: UWC Vietnam's Campus Project Continues–The Team is Growing!
1 May 2023
Greetings, UWC Vietnam Campus Project Villagers!
Early last week, I received a message from a student who was recently awarded a UWC scholarship through UWC Vietnam’s National Committee:
"Hi Sam, it's been a few weeks since I received your phone call. I know that I worked so hard for this scholarship but somehow I feel like I don't deserve it because there are a lot of students who are so outstanding and they deserve it more than me… I don't really know why the NC believed in me and gave me such a big opportunity like this.":
I was touched by the student’s honesty and willingness to share her thoughts with me. In response, I assured her that she deserved the scholarship and that I remembered her application vividly. "I will live a life surrounded by kindness rather than acquire money and fame," she had written. One does not easily forget an application like that. We witnessed her kindness throughout the applicant's weekend and her interview, and I appreciated the fact that she intentionally made the decision to be kind every day. We were confident that she would thrive at a UWC due to her love for nature, defying labels, positivity, and kindness. I assured her that there would be challenging times—living away from her parents, going to an unfamiliar place, and making new friends, but with her qualities, that she would thrive. I reminded her that we were very proud of her and had faith that she would cherish her two years at UWC and beyond.
She responded to say thank you, and promised to return to her hometown in the future to support students in gaining access to the opportunities that she had.
I thank the good Earth for these wonderful, impactful, and, above all, kind, students. I feel so grateful to be continually working with, and for, them—they inspire me every day. As I have said before, this project is dedicated entirely to the Vietnamese youth.
Lunch with Shawn Steil (PCUWC '91), The Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam
In early April, I had the opportunity to visit Hanoi with a few members of the board of advisors and friends of UWC Vietnam's campus project. We were invited to attend a luncheon with Shawn Steil, the Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam and a UWC Pearson College graduate from 1991. The Ambassador graciously hosted us for lunch at his residence after hearing about the launch of the UWC Vietnam Campus Project. During our conversation, the Ambassador shared how attending a UWC expanded his understanding of the world, coming from a small town in Saskatchewan, which eventually led him to pursue public service in Canada after working in the water and environmental policy sector. We also discussed how a country like Vietnam, known for how much emphasis and value families place on education, could greatly benefit from a high-quality and intentionally diverse educational community like UWC.
We are grateful to the ambassador for his support. Thank you for having us, ambassador!
Introducing the UWC Vietnam Campus Project Advisory Board
While we are still accepting nominations or expressions of interest for the board from individuals who have a strong commitment to UWC's mission and values, we are thrilled to introduce you to the first Advisory Board members for the UWC Vietnam campus project.
Thuy is a successful Vietnamese entrepreneur who has made significant contributions in the fields of finance and investment banking. After co-founding Vietnam's first private foreign investment consultancy firm after graduating from University of Hanoi, Thuy received a Fulbright Scholarship to study management and finance at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. Her expertise in investment banking led her to join the Australia New Zealand Bank, where she helped set up the bank's investment banking business in Asia. She was later appointed as the head of ANZ's Vietnam operations, making her the first Vietnamese citizen to lead an international bank in the country. Thuy believes that education is a journey of intellectual discovery and encourages Fulbright students to explore alternative fields of study during their time in university. She is thrilled to be joining the UWC Vietnam campus project as an advisory board member.
Before stepping into his current role as the Director of the Vietnam-Oman Investment Fund, where he oversees the investment portfolio in agriculture, renewable energy, pharmaceutical and consumer retail, Nam was the Director of Development and Strategic Initiatives at Fulbright University Vietnam, where he was responsible for building the university's fundraising capacity and leading special strategic projects. With a passion for social impact, Nam has worked on various projects related to youth and female employment, education, innovation, sustainability, and economic development for disadvantaged regions. Nam also worked at Boston Consulting Group for six years and worked on strategy and operations projects across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. As a recipient of Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training scholarship, Nam holds dual degrees in Mathematics and Civil & Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Rocky Lee is an accomplished international business executive with a diverse range of experiences spanning various industries and geographies. He began his career at Corporate Decisions Inc. and Bain & Company before moving on to Lehman Brothers, where he worked with mortgage-backed derivatives. Later, he held executive positions at several Fortune50 and FTSE100 companies in health tech and technology commercialization. Dr. Lee has also served as a consultant to the World Bank Group and the Asian Development Bank, as well as an advisor to multiple technology start-ups, two of which he co-founded.
Dr. Lee has worked on projects across all six continents, and he is a former core faculty member in finance at the Asian Institute of Management. Currently, he serves as an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at the SKK Graduate School of Business in South Korea. He has also served on the Global Alumni Executive Board of The Wharton School and the boards of trustees of the Harvard Club of the Philippines and the Asian Institute of Management. Dr. Lee holds a PhD and MBA from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania and an AB with Honors from Harvard University.
Introducing Mai Nguyen to UWC Vietnam Campus Project's Core Team
I got to meet Mai last year, when we were both selection committee members for the UWC Vietnam’s National Committee, helping select the 10 UWC scholarship recipients from the 300+ Vietnamese applicants. I found myself particularly impressed with Mai when she taught a class titled, ‘Effective Altruism: Is good intention alone enough?’ Mai had the students identify and re-frame the most pressing problems around the world based on their magnitude, impact, allocation of resources, and potential for effective interventions. They explored the qualities that make problems significant, such as neglect and solvability, and students learned how to evaluate different problems and prioritize those that are most urgent and impactful. I loved that she was able to break down a rather complex framework for students, have them rise to the occasion, and ask questions that directed the flow of the conversation to new heights. Mai had been looking for new opportunities, and I am one lucky person to have someone as talented and dedicated as Mai to join the core team for the UWC Vietnam campus project.
Mai is a firm believer in equal access to education and has dedicated over five years to teaching debate to high school students across Vietnam free-of-charge. She founded the Vietnam Academy of Debate and Public Speaking, which has helped spread the value of debate in the country and led to its introduction on national television. Mai graduated from Minerva University with a bachelor's degree in Strategic Finance and New Business Ventures. She has extensive experience working with startups across Asia, Europe, and the US, and has now founded a small consulting company in Hanoi that focuses on bringing innovative, high-impact projects to Southeast Asia. Mai is committed to increasing exposure to opportunities for young people in the region and leveraging the high-quality workforce available there. She is excited to support the UWC Vietnam Campus Project, given her values and background, and is thrilled to be part of such a transformative and impactful educational community.
UWC Vietnam Impact Fellows Program
We are thrilled to introduce the UWC Vietnam Impact Fellows Program, designed to offer graduating university students in their final years of study or recent graduates from Vietnam the opportunity to join the UWC Vietnam Campus Project.
Apart from assisting the team with administrative duties and other assignments, the Impact Fellows will develop and take charge of a long-term project that is customized to leverage their strengths with inputs from the core team. We are seeking action-oriented individuals who demonstrate adaptability and possess multidisciplinary thinking and problem-solving skills. We will begin reviewing applications on 21 May, but will continue to accept applications until the positions are filled.
If you know any qualified candidates who you think would be an excellent fit for the program, please direct them to this job description.
Other Updates
Building a legal entity
Three lawyers from the Vietnam International Law Firm (VILAF) based in Ho Chi Minh City are aiding us in establishing a local legal entity for the UWC Vietnam Campus Project. This entity will handle ground operations and seek to collaborate with United World Initiatives (UWI), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States.
Location Visits
The core team is working with three locations in Vietnam that are currently being considered as potential site locations for the campus. Any leads for lands at this stage are more than welcome!
Engage UWC Vietnam Alumni and the General Public
In May, we will partner with the project coordinator from UWC Vietnam’s National Committee to strategize and work in tandem to build a robust alumni database to spread the word about the project and engage alumni in volunteering, donating, offering specific skills, organizing fundraisers, etc.
It goes without saying, but we welcome engagement from you, our readers and cheerleaders, as well! If you have the capacity to contribute your treasure, time, or talents, or simply by spreading the word or forwarding on this email, please do remain engaged with us. We welcome any feedback, ideas, questions, concerns, or just comments and encouragement, we would love to hear from you. I’ve quickly come to realize that building a school from the ground-up is certainly not an easy feat, but I think of you all, your words of encouragement, and pats on my back, and quickly regain my confidence and zeal for the project. Thank you for being in this with me, fellow villagers!
Wishing you all a delightful start to May.
Yours,
Sam
"There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less." -Kurt Hahn