Author: Mark A. Ashwill

“PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives Harvard University’s professor”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , ,

When I saw this headline, I was curious to see who the Harvard professor was.  It was none other than Thomas Vallely, who is not a professor but an administrator with neither an academic appointment nor a Ph.D.  More importantly, this is the same Thomas Vallely (TV) who made a series of cruel and insensitive … Continue reading “PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives Harvard University’s professor”

Fake News: “Australia ‘first choice’ for overseas Vietnamese students”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , , ,

This is presumably an editor's mistake.  Fact-checking is important and really easy these days.  Is Australia the world's leading host of Vietnamese students, meaning their "first choice"?   As of 10-18, there were 23,803 young Vietnamese studying in Australia at all levels out of a total of 673,296 international students, according to the Australia's Department of Education and … Continue reading Fake News: “Australia ‘first choice’ for overseas Vietnamese students”

“I Love America. That’s Why I Have to Tell the Truth About It”

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , ,

I liked most of this recent Time magazine essay by Viet Thanh Nguyen (VTN).  (The title is the very definition of patriotism, by the way.)  I was, however, troubled by the parts in bold italics in the following statements.  It's as if he's trying to sugarcoat his message in an effort to make it more … Continue reading “I Love America. That’s Why I Have to Tell the Truth About It”

A “Patriotic” Education Study Abroad Program in Viet Nam: God Bless America, Right or Wrong!

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , , , , , ,

This is an essay I felt compelled to write about a US American study abroad program to Viet Nam that reinforces and indeed celebrates US nationalism.  It is a textbook example of how not to structure such a program.  The country of Viet Nam is but a sideshow, a prop that enables students and veterans to … Continue reading A “Patriotic” Education Study Abroad Program in Viet Nam: God Bless America, Right or Wrong!

O Canada! The Vietnamese Student Pivot to the Great White North

Mark A. Ashwill Conferences, Presentation , , ,

It appears that the bloom is temporarily off the red, white, and blue rose for growing numbers of Vietnamese parents and students. For the first time ever, there are almost 15,000 Vietnamese students in Canada, nearly half as many as in the US. Vietnamese students had the highest percentage increase in 2017 at 89%, making … Continue reading O Canada! The Vietnamese Student Pivot to the Great White North

Fewer US Student Visas Issued in Viet Nam in FY18

Mark A. Ashwill Updates , , , , ,

In the 2018 fiscal year, ending on 30 September 2018, US student (F-1) visas issued to Vietnamese students declined by 971, or 5.7%, over the previous year.  Below are the monthly stats starting in October 2017.   October 2017:  275 November 2017:  364 December 2017:  1299 January 2018:  1165 February 2018:  207 March 2018:  207 April … Continue reading Fewer US Student Visas Issued in Viet Nam in FY18

Latest IIE Open Doors Data Reveal Shift in Vietnamese Major Preferences in the US

Mark A. Ashwill Updates , , , , ,

Below is a list of majors - in descending order - that Vietnamese students chose in the 2017/18 academic year.  Interestingly, there was a decrease in the percentage studying business/management, down from 30.9% the previous year.  This reflects growing interest in non-business majors and perhaps, quite possibly, the dawning realization that one doesn't need to … Continue reading Latest IIE Open Doors Data Reveal Shift in Vietnamese Major Preferences in the US

Financial Aid for Vietnamese Students?

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

If your institution awards financial aid to Vietnamese students, I hope your approach is of the "trust but verify" variety.  Not all parents and students are honest, and Viet Nam is no exception.  Many people of means are happy to game the system and accept financial aid, if they can get it. I remember a … Continue reading Financial Aid for Vietnamese Students?