Author: Mark A. Ashwill

US Student Visa Issuances to Vietnamese Students Resume Their Upward Trend

Mark A. Ashwill Updates ,

Below is a graph with information about F-1 (student) visa issuances from 1998, the early days of Vietnamese studying in the US, to 2017, which ended on 30 September last year. These data are from this Excel file on the US State Department website:  Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances by Visa Class and by Nationality.  Just download … Continue reading US Student Visa Issuances to Vietnamese Students Resume Their Upward Trend

An Open Letter to the People of Viet Nam

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Letter , , , ,

The open letter below, an initiative of Veterans For Peace (VFP),  is further proof that the US has yet to overcome its participation in the American War in Viet Nam ("Vietnam War") in the spirit of Vergangenheitsbewältigung, a German term that means the "struggle to overcome the [negatives of the] past". VFP is "an international … Continue reading An Open Letter to the People of Viet Nam

Of Intercultural Incompetence & Chutzpah

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

My wife and I recently had lunch at a restaurant in downtown Hanoi.  It was after the 12 noon rush and there was only one other guest where we chose to eat, a middle-aged white expat man who was eating, drinking, and reading a book.  So far, so good, right?  After a couple of very … Continue reading Of Intercultural Incompetence & Chutzpah

Vietnamese Student (Mis)Perceptions of the USA

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Updates , , , ,

I recently talked with a Vietnamese student who had studied in the US and was back home.  When I asked him about the experience of living there, one reply really stood out:  people are free and equal.  That answer jump-started my interior monologue, which quickly went into overdrive.  The first reply was Which people, in … Continue reading Vietnamese Student (Mis)Perceptions of the USA

Vietnamese Students Contribute Over $1 Billion to the US Economy

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Reports, Updates , ,

In 2016/17, Vietnamese students enrolled in US colleges and universities contributed $818 million to the US economy, according to the Open Doors 2017 report.  (Source:  US Department of Commerce)  Keep in mind that those data are from fall 2016 and are limited to higher education. Let's update and extrapolate using SEVIS data from December 2017.  … Continue reading Vietnamese Students Contribute Over $1 Billion to the US Economy

“International Students Contribute to Our Economy & American Innovation”

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

This image, created by NAFSA:  Association of International Educators, a "non-profit professional organization for professionals in all areas of international education including education abroad advising and administration," was recently posted on Facebook by a US higher education colleague.  All compelling points with which I agree 100%.  In fact, they could create another graphic that lists … Continue reading “International Students Contribute to Our Economy & American Innovation”

R.I.P. Michael Cull: A Life Well-Lived

Mark A. Ashwill Announcement , , , , ,

I received a very sad but not totally unexpected message last night from my friend, Chuck Searcy, informing me and many others that Mike had died at 8:50 EST (8:50 p.m. Viet Nam time) of pancreatic cancer, after slipping into a coma almost four hours earlier.  Here's what Chuck wrote, which best sums up the … Continue reading R.I.P. Michael Cull: A Life Well-Lived