Newsletter 20: Education for Good in Motion
1 November, 2024
TL;DR
Choreographic Diplomacy Dance Residency: A symphony of culture and creativity!
College Essay Writing Party: Helping students in Vietnam for study abroad
Vietnam Changemakers Hackathon: Social impact business pitch competition based on one of 17 UN SDGs!
Getting to know our new team member: Trang Nguyen, Associate Director of Development
We’re Hiring: Exciting roles available — Co-Founder/Co-Director and Associate Director of Finance & Operations
Spread the Word: Share our work and help us grow.
Choreographic Diplomacy Dance Residency
In anticipation for next year’s Festival for Good, fourteen dancers from three nations, South Chicago Dance Theater (SCDT), directed by Kia Smith, and Choomna Dance Theater in Korea, led by Joseph Kim, came to Saigon to work with Alexander Tu Nguyen, director of LYRICÍST Dance Company. This residency was a unique opportunity for artists to spend time with each other, exploring new techniques and approaches while exchanging the styles that define each company’s work.
The two-day residency created space to delve into each other’s backgrounds and methods, allowing the dancers to connect beyond movement alone. Through both structured classes and free-form collaboration, they found common ground. It was a powerful reminder of the connections that inspire our work and why we’re so committed to sharing this spirit at the upcoming festival.
The residency was in part made possible through SCDT’s Choreographic Diplomacy™ program, launched in 2018 as an ongoing project to build partnerships and break down cultural divides across borders through dance. We can’t wait for next year!
College Essay Writing Party
Sam Jeong, along with a dedicated team of 13 incredible volunteers, recently hosted an open College Essay Writing Party at CTY Kitchen and Bar for students navigating the complexities of university applications.
We highly appreciate the students’ engagement and participation at the Party!
The impact of meeting with such passionate and talented volunteers and students were profound.
“I was inspired through the discussions that I had. My horizons and knowledge for University Applications as an international student have widened a lot!” - a student who participated in the College Essay Writing Party!
We are grateful to the volunteers for offering thoughtful and impactful advice for studnets, making a real difference in the students' academic journeys.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the following volunteers for their generous contributions:
Josh Hong
An Luong
Danny Nguyen
Trang Nguyen
Tu Ngo
Vincent Pham
Le Phan
Jon Richter
Adam Thompson
An Truong
Minh Vu
Victor Wang
Thank you to everyone for spreading the word and sharing this opportunity with students in need. Your support is instrumental in empowering the next generation of changemakers!
Vietnamese Changemakers Hackathon
As part of our ongoing efforts to bring high-quality educational opportunities to Vietnamese students, we’re thrilled to introduce the Vietnam Changemakers Hackathon 2024 on November 16, co-created by the team behind the UWC-Inspired Vietnam Campus Project. This event is a great opportunity to learn how businesses can create real-world solutions to some of today’s biggest challenges. It’s designed to help you gain practical skills, build connections, and understand the role of social impact in business.
💡 Curious about how future businesses can do well and do good? Register now to:
🌟 Participate in a startup pitch workshop led by real-life founders
🌟 Learn from a panel of social entrepreneurs and investors
🌟 Gain hands-on experience in a hackathon and pitch competition
📅 Early Bird Applications are open until 11:59 PM on November 1, 2024. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this transformative event!
While early bird applications close on November 1, we will continue to accept applications leading up to the event, so there’s still time to get involved!
Know students who might gain meaning learnings from this event?
Please share this information with them!
To register, scan the QR code on the poster or click the link: Register Here.
Introducing the Associate Director of Development
We are thrilled to introduce Trang Nguyen, a Mahindra UWC India alumna and a Saigon native, as our Associate Director of Development! 👋 Trang brings an impressive blend of international experience and a deep commitment to social impact work, particularly in education and sustainability. Having recently returned to Saigon from Singapore, she is excited to make a positive difference in her hometown, applying her expertise in market research, consulting, and tech operations. Trang earned a degree in Economics and History from Wellesley College, and holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the National University of Singapore.
Trang has a strong passion for mission-driven and foundational work ✌️🌎
On the personal side, she has a wide range of interests: she loves food, sleep (who doesn’t? 🦥), budget travel 🚆✈️, and exploring history, cultures, and languages. She’s also a fan of board games, especially for team-bonding, sci-fi/thrillers 🕵️, hiking, yoga, and dance (with some past experience in Salsa and Zumba), and is always up for karaoke or a musical night 🎤✨
We are hiring!
Currently, we are on the lookout for the following positions:
If you or anyone you know might be looking for new and exciting opportunities to become a part of our project, please have them reach out directly via sam.jeong@uwc.vn!
Please help us spread the word
Please forward on our newsletter to three people in your life who you know will be interested in what we have been working on.
Looking for more ways to support us? Consider making a donation, volunteering your skills, or hosting a fundraising event. Thank you for your time, treasure, and talent!
Warmly,
Education for Good (UWC-Inspired Vietnam Campus Project)