Archive for June 2012

VietAbroader Study Abroad Conferences: Be There or Be Square!

27/06/2012

VietAbroader (VA) is a student-run, nonprofit that provides Vietnamese students with training and guidance to encourage them to study abroad, primarily in the U.S.  The VA Study Abroad Conferences (VAC), the organization’s flagship program, were launched in 2005.  (I had the honor of speaking at the first Hanoi conference.) 

The VACs include a seminar in the morning, which provides prescreened attendees with general information about U.S. education, and a fair in the afternoon that is free and open to the public, where students and parents can meet face-to-face with students, alumni and official representatives of more than 80 top U.S. schools. This year, the conferences will be held on July 21 and July 22 in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, respectively. 

Capstone Vietnam, of which I’m managing director,  is proud to be a corporate sponsor of the VACs.  I’m also proud to be one of two advisers to VietAbroader, a role I assumed shortly after the organization was founded in 2004 as an online forum by Khoa and Trang, both undergraduates at Bates College at the time.  I remember when VA had 400 members; it now has over 40,000. 

Every year, I help VA’s leadership reach out to potential institutional sponsors, including some of you reading this post.  Why should US colleges and universities that welcome Vietnamese students to their campuses consider becoming a sponsor of the VACs?  Because it’s one of the hottest and most widely publicized events of its kind, and will help you brand and market your school to a very targeted audience. 

1:  Former US Ambassador Michael Michalak and I at the 2009 VAC in Hanoi after delivering our opening remarks (Photo courtesy of Kenh14.vn)
2:  Capstone staff, interns and yours truly at the 2011 VAC in Hanoi

Vietnamese Students’ Love Affair with Business/Management

18/06/2012

According to this information from the 2010/11 Open Doors international academic mobility report, 41.3% of all Vietnamese studying the US last year chose to study business/management, by far the highest percentage of any of the top sending countries.  Engineering  and math/computer science ranked 2nd and 3rd at 10.7% and 8.5%, respectively. 

Why do so many Vietnamese choose to major in business/management?  Because 1) their parents tell them to, thinking it’s the best way to get a good job; and 2) many Vietnamese who are unfamiliar with the concept of a liberals arts education believe that you have to study business to “do business.”   (If any other reasons come to mind, please send them my way.) 

The end result is two-fold:  1) too many young Vietnamese are studying something they’re not really interested in and have no passion for; and 2) a likely surplus of business/management graduates.  Vietnamese society and its labor market have many and varied needs, both current and projected, of which business/management is but one.   Personally, I always find it refreshing when a young person here tells me s/he wants to study something other than business

Hai Duong Student Awarded The SJR Excellence Scholarship

15/06/2012

This is a press release about the most generous scholarship ever offered to a Vietnamese student.  Follow this link to read the Vietnamese version (Học bổng Tài năng SJR đã tìm ra người thắng cuộc). 

MAA

Hai Duong Student Awarded The SJR Excellence Scholarship

Hanoi — Capstone Vietnam is pleased to announce that St. John’s-Ravenscourt School (SJR), one of Canada’s leading independent schools, has awarded the The SJR Excellence Scholarship to Pham Quynh Anh, a 12-grade student at the Nguyen Trai Specialized Senior High School in Hai Duong (northern Vietnam). 

“I feel very lucky to have been awarded such a great scholarship to study at a wonderful school like SJR, a school that has long been recognized for excellence in education and a strong foundation for many students to become successful people in life. On this occasion, I want to express my gratitude to Capstone Vietnam, teachers at SJR and especially the school alumnus who sponsors this scholarship,” said Quynh Anh.

Quynh Anh was selected from among a large number of applicants.  The rigorous screening process, which included English testing and a group discussion with other semifinalists at the Capstone Vietnam office in Hanoi, among other activities, concluded with a Skype interview with the SJR scholarship committee. 

Semifinalists in Hanoi and Dr. Ashwill at Capstone Vietnam’s office

 

“We are thrilled to offer this life changing scholarship to a most deserving candidate,” said Lisa Kachulak-Babey, Director of Admissions & Communications.  “Among a group of outstanding applicants, Anh set herself apart with her enthusiasm and preparation. Anh is an extraordinary student and we are confident she will be an excellent addition to our school,” she added. 

About the Scholarship

“The SJR Excellence Scholarship is the most extraordinary scholarship opportunity ever offered to a Vietnamese student,” noted Dr. Mark A. Ashwill, Managing Director of Capstone Vietnam.  The scholarship, which is based on academic excellence, community involvement and demonstrated financial need, covers up to two (2) years of study at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School and four (4) years of undergraduate study at any university in the world.  The donor is an alumnus of SJR who has been successful doing business in Vietnam.  He wishes to give back and award this generous long-term scholarship to a qualified and deserving Vietnamese student.

About St. John’s-Ravenscourt School

Founded in 1820 and locate located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, St. John’s-Ravenscourt School is a university-preparatory school for boys and girls. It offers a day program for students in Kindergarten–Grade 12 and boarding for students in Grades 8–12. As one of Canada’s leading independent schools, SJR has a consistent record of achievement. To date, SJR’s debating and public speaking program has an unprecedented record of 14 out of 25 World Championships. The school has produced 18 Rhodes scholars and numerous athletes who have competed at national and international levels, including the Olympics. SJR’s graduates receive top scholarships and go on to study in prestigious universities around the world.

Top Ten Sending Countries & GDP: Vietnam’s Story

12/06/2012

Below is a PPT slide that I used in a recent presentation at the NAFSA annual conference in Houston, TX entitled Beyond Education Agents:  An Introduction to Diversifying International Student Recruitment Strategy.  The slide presents a comparison of the top ten sending countries, according to the latest (March 2012) quarterly update from the US Department of Homeland Security, their 2011 GDP and their ranking in that category.  (SEVIS data include students enrolled at all levels.)  Given Vietnam’s recent history (e.g., war, poverty, isolation), the fact that it ranks 8th among all countries sending students to the US is an extraordinary achievement. 

 

As you can see, Vietnam jumps off of the screen with a GDP of $299 billion and a world ranking of 43rd, making it by far the poorest country among its peers.  These statistics reveal the following:

  1. the cultural value of education;
  2. the importance of making significant investments in education both in Vietnam and abroad;
  3. the disproportionate amount of income that Vietnamese parents spend on their children’s education; and
  4. the positive prospects for continued growth. 

MAA


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 63 other followers