Year: 2011

‘Tis the Season: Celebrating the Founding of the Chu Van An High School International Club

Mark A. Ashwill Events , , ,

I had the pleasure of spending part of Christmas Eve at Chu Van An High School to celebrate the founding of the International Club.  In addition to delivering some remarks (my company, Capstone Vietnam, is a major sponsor of the club in 2012), presenting flowers and a sponsorship certificate, and participating in a lucky draw, … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season: Celebrating the Founding of the Chu Van An High School International Club

High School Completion Programs in Washington State: Off to a “Running Start”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Programs , , , ,

It is well-known that the majority of Vietnamese students begin their US higher education at a community college (two-year school) as a gateway to a four-year college or university to complete their bachelor's degree.  A community college program in Washington state that allows student to earn a Washington high school diploma and a university transfer associate degree in just two years, … Continue reading High School Completion Programs in Washington State: Off to a “Running Start”

Emerging Markets for International Student Recruitment: Thinking Beyond China and India

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , , , , ,

Thanks to Rahul Choudaha for permission to repost this insightful commentary...  With more than 260,000 students from China and India enrolled in the US, many American institutions are over-reliant on these two markets for meeting their international student recruitment goals. With the budget cuts, self-financed students are becoming increasingly important and Chinese undergraduate students are … Continue reading Emerging Markets for International Student Recruitment: Thinking Beyond China and India

Dancing in the Park

Mark A. Ashwill Announcement, Commentary , ,

For as long as cities have existed, people have needed spaces where communities can gather and individuals can meet, find diversions, and conduct business.  In various times and places, public markets, city parks, wide sidewalks, village and city squares, malls around national monuments, and other organized and unorganized public spaces have filled these roles.  In … Continue reading Dancing in the Park

“Students prefer jobs in foreign firms: poll”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , ,

Fifty-five percent of students wish to work for foreign-invested companies, making these institutions the top choice of working environment for graduates, according to an annual survey conducted by human resource consulting firm Nhan Viet Management Group. The one question that this article did not address is WHY?  Below are some comments from Vietnamese university students … Continue reading “Students prefer jobs in foreign firms: poll”

Columbia Southern University Strikes It Rich in Vietnam

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , ,

Columbia Southern University (CSU), a nationally accredited (NA), for-profit online university based in Orange, Alabama, USA, is probably the most profitable US institution of higher education in Vietnam.  CSU has 28,000 students in 22 countries and territories around the world with significant concentrations in Vietnam, China and Hong Kong.  As its website notes, it “offers 23 … Continue reading Columbia Southern University Strikes It Rich in Vietnam

Is Imitation the Sincerest Form of Flattery?

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , , , ,

The Global Institute of Strategic Management (GISM), which has close ties to Akamai University, a Hawaii-based school that appears on my list of unaccredited US institutions, has a logo that bears a striking resemblance to the Great Seal of a certain US federal executive department charged with implementing that country's foreign policy.  Compare the above logo with that on the US … Continue reading Is Imitation the Sincerest Form of Flattery?

AmCham Scholars Program

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Events ,

I spent an afternoon last week interviewing candidates for the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam - Hanoi Chapter (AmCham Hanoi) Scholarship Program.  My fellow panelists and I were charged with evaluating their interpersonal skills, achievement orientation, analytical skills and problem-solving skills through a series of questions.  In addition, the students had to respond to a pre-assigned topic about … Continue reading AmCham Scholars Program

Study Abroad Opportunities in Vietnam for US Students

Mark A. Ashwill Updates , ,

By Elaine Hirsch, Guest Blogger Vietnam offers a multitude of experiences for U.S. students who want to go off the beaten path.  Most programs range from a few weeks to a semester and involve a variety of fields of academic study.  US students who choose Vietnam as a study abroad destination are members of a rather exclusive … Continue reading Study Abroad Opportunities in Vietnam for US Students