Commentary

Miracles in Our Midst: An Ode to the Trees of Hanoi

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , , , ,

This expanded version of an essay I wrote last month was published by Soha.vn in its new WOW VIETNAM series. The translation of the title, 'Niềm tự hào Ấn Độ' trên vỉa hè Hà Nội is 'Pride of India' on the sidewalks of Hanoi. Here's the teaser: All a tree requires is that we create … Continue reading Miracles in Our Midst: An Ode to the Trees of Hanoi

An Excerpt from “Then The Americans Came”

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

Then The Americans Came: Voices from Vietnam is a 1994 book written by Martha Hess that consists of over 100 interviews conducted by the author in Viet Nam during 1990-91 involving atrocities committed by US forces above and below the 17th parallel. The eyewitness report below is about Khâm Thiên Street in the Đống Đa … Continue reading An Excerpt from “Then The Americans Came”

International Student Inclusion and Success: Public Attitudes, Policy Imperatives, and Practical Strategies

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Survey , , ,

According to the results of a survey conducted by Robin Matross Helms and Sarah Spreitzer on behalf of the American Council on Education (ACE), The American public has high expectations for international student success. They recognize international students’ academic, cultural, scientific, and economic contributions as vital members of their communities—on campus, locally, nationally, and globally—both … Continue reading International Student Inclusion and Success: Public Attitudes, Policy Imperatives, and Practical Strategies

Capstone Vietnam (Hanoi) & Lê Quý Đôn: Honor by Association

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , , ,

Photo courtesy of the Le Quy Don High School in HCMC It’s fitting that the Hanoi office of Capstone, one of Viet Nam’s premier educational consulting companies, is located at 2 Lê Quý Đôn Street in the Hai Bà Trưng District of Hanoi. There are many streets, schools, and even a university named after him … Continue reading Capstone Vietnam (Hanoi) & Lê Quý Đôn: Honor by Association

Vietnamese Secondary Enrollments Record Modest Increase in US

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , , , , ,

Like most people, I welcome good news whenever and wherever I can find it. In this case, I noticed that Vietnamese enrollments in US secondary boarding and day schools experienced a slight 4.71% increase from December 2020 to March 2021, exceeding the figure from last September, which represented a 33.15% decrease since the beginning of … Continue reading Vietnamese Secondary Enrollments Record Modest Increase in US

Missing in Action

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

This poem was sent to me by Gabriel Rosenstock, who lives in Dublin. It's based on a recent essay of mine entitled Of Class Rings, Bone Fragments and Fish Ponds: the Interminable Search for US MIAs in Vietnam published on 21 May 2021 by CounterPunch. Look below for information about Gabriel and his work, including … Continue reading Missing in Action

Marianapolis Preparatory School Establishes Branch Campus in Viet Nam

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

An artist's rendering of the school. Courtesy of NH Group. I believe this is the first example of a US boarding school setting up a branch campus in Viet Nam. Marianapolis Preparatory School, a Catholic boarding school in Thompson, Connecticut, has forged a partnership with Nguyen Hoang Group to establish the SNA Marianapolis International School. … Continue reading Marianapolis Preparatory School Establishes Branch Campus in Viet Nam

“PhD Production Plan: Will Project 89 Go a New Way?”

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

Ph.D. diploma. Image courtesy of VietNamNet Global A question and a suggestion. 1) Why does Viet Nam need so many new Ph.D.s? It's a research degree. Many faculty positions focus almost exclusively on teaching undergraduates. In those cases and in most fields, a Master's degree will suffice. A Ph.D. is only necessary if the individual … Continue reading “PhD Production Plan: Will Project 89 Go a New Way?”