This is an article I wrote for Vietnamese parents and students who are concerned about the possible impact of the US presidential election on international students, including those from Viet Nam.  There are a lot of bases to cover, and I hope I covered most of them.

My essay is a heartfelt way to reassure worried students and parents using a mass circulation medium.  Since perception can trump reality, I feel an obligation, as an international educator who promotes legitimate (read regionally accredited) US higher education, to address people’s concerns.  Think of this open letter as truthful PR, a way to jam the transmission of rumormongers, and a reality check for those who lack reliable information.

While most of you are well aware of the effect of this election on international students in the US and around the world, real and imagined, there are some colleagues who seemed to have their heads buried in the sand, at least in the days leading up to the election and shortly thereafter.  Whether you want to believe it or not, for whatever reason(s), I can assure you that this concern, at least in Viet Nam, is palpable, and something we should all take seriously.

Follow these links to read (and share) the article in English and Vietnamese.  The latter version received over 10,000 views within a day of its publication and posting on Facebook, which gives you an idea of how hot this topic is.

MAA