June 30, 2014 Issue 2

Warmly welcome alumni of Fulbright Economic Teaching Program to the U.S. Gov-ernment-Sponsored Exchange Program Alumni community.

U.S. Embassy & Consulate General support various efforts to network current and past participants in the Department of State’s exchange programs (International Exchange Alumni or State Alumni). Our goal is to have a strong community of Vietnamese State Alumni that is active in efforts to contribute to Vietnam’s development and promote U.S.-Vietnam relations.

State Alumni living in Vietnam have a number of opportunities to be involved in post-exchange activities, as well as receive access to specialized resources such as:

• The State Alumni website: www.alumni.state.gov

• The annual Alumni Project Competition

• The online Alumni Community, Research Center, Grants & Career Opportunities

• The U.S. Embassy & Consulate General’s public events such as speaker programs, cultur-al performance programs, scholarship/fellowship programs

• The Embassy’s alumni focused events such as Ambassador’s receptions, Ambassador’s Q&A with alumni, alumni gatherings, and alumni workshops/conferences

• The U.S. Embassy’s American Center, Rose Garden Tower, 170 Ngoc Khanh Street, Hanoi

For any questions, please contact:

Mr. Le Thuy Duong, Alumni Coordinator; Tel: 844-3850-5000 Ext. 6002

Email: LeDT@state.gov

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Trang, Alumni Coordinator Assistant; Tel: 844-3850-5000 Ext. 6044

Email: NguyenTT1@state.gov

CONGRATULATIONS to alumni team of project EMPOWER JUNIOR SCIENTISTS EJS for their successful application for the 2014 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2014.

Out of more than 1,000 project ideas submitted worldwide and 187 finalists selected, over

50 strong alumni-led programs was awarded.

The project aims to bringing hands-on and fun science programs to primary stu-

dents from orphanages or low income families. A number of science classes and camps will

be offered to more than 1000 children in Hanoi and 4 nearby provinces to awaken kids’

interests in science and enrich their personal development.

W E L C O M E F E T P A L U M N I !

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

Welcome Ful-

bright Economics

Teaching Pro-

gram (FETP)

Alumni

Vietnamese

Alumni Partici-

pate in YSEALI

Workshop in

Honor of Presi-

dent Obama’s

Trip Through Asia

YSEALI Seeds for

the Future Com-

petition

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Alumni Activities 2

Alumni Connect 7

Alumni In the News 8

Alumni Stories 10

Grants and Scholarships 11

A E I F 2 0 1 4 W i n n e r s A n n o u n c e d

This newsletter is published by the Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. The views

expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of State.

Alumni Newsletter

June 30, 2014 Issue 2

n April 18, 11 Vietnamese

alumni of Fulbright,

Humphrey, IVLP, and YSEALI

programs had a roundtable for

congressional delegation

(CODEL) led by Senator Leahy at

the American Center in Hanoi.

The alumni group consisted of

key business leaders from the

alumni community, NGOs, gov-

ernment agencies, and winners

of previous AEIF. The

roundtable was a great oppor-

tunity for the delegation to

learn about the efforts and

achievements of Vietnamese

alumni in fields such as rule of

law, women empowerment,

human rights, trade promotion,

SME, and entrepreneurship de-

velopment. The CODEL and

alumni shared their perspectives

on current issues in the social

and economic development of

Vietnam. They also shared

hopes for deeper collaboration

between the U.S. and Vietnam.

Concluding the roundtable, Sena-

tor Leahy expressed his opinion

on the rapid development of

Vietnam, and emphasized the

significant role of alumni as

young leaders who foster mutual

understanding between the two

countries, and drive the growth

of Vietnam towards the future.

Vietnamese International Exchange Alumni’s

Roundtable with CODEL Leahy, April 18

P a g e 2

Alumni role in driving the

growth of Vietnam

towards the future

A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

AS Hanoi held a roundtable for visiting Assis-

tant Secretary Daniel R. Russel and seven dis-

tinguished alumni working on youth empower-

ment, education, media, rule of law, business, and

international affairs. The event took place at the

newly renovated American Center. There the Assis-

tant Secretary had an open about U.S.-Vietnamese

relations, the rebalance to Asia, and the importance

of building people-to-people ties. He also stated

that the alumni’s role is very significant in fulfilling

that goal. A/S Russel concluded by thanking the

alumni for their efforts and encouraged them to

stay engaged.

Roundtable with Assistant Secretary Daniel R. Russel

P

O

attracted nearly 100 audi-

ence members, many of

them young alumni running a

start-up. They were

given knowledge and

experience on how

companies grow in

different categories

of industry, the five

phases of growth,

n May 20, Fulbrighter Bui Tuan Linh

conducted a program on Organiza-

tion Structures & Systems of a Start-up

for young people. Designed to build

professional knowledge and skills, it

and how to position their

start-ups to be best posi-

tioned for success.

Alumni Speaker Program: Organization Structures

P a g e 3

& Systems of a Start-up

A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

youth aged 18-35. YSEALI alumni took

the lead in introducing this initiative to

nearly 500 people. These alumni also led

a fantastic flash-mob performance which

attracted over 60 people. Together with

their project members, they encouraged

advocacy for four thematic pillars of

YSEALI, and organized many other

games, providing YSEALI with significant

growth and an all-around fun day.

ver 150 young alumni of differ-

ent U.S. Government Sponsored

Exchange Programs along with

their project members converged at the

ASEAN Pride Music Festival on May 24,

and joined Young Southeast Asia Lead-

ers Initiative (YSEALI) Booth’s activities.

The YSEALI booth was conducted to

further promote President’s Obama

initiative on ASEAN toward Vietnamese

Young Alumni Join YSEALI Booth at

ASEAN Pride Music Festival

O Nearly 500 young people

Young students from Viet Bac take photo with PAS

Staff on occasion of their Youth Empowerment Camp

In Hanoi

Tien Tran, and other YSEALI Alumni are leading a

flash-mob dance - drawing attention of a large crowd

in the ASEAN Pride Music Festival

O

n March 21, an Alumni Speaker Program on

Gender Sensitivity for Media students was

held at the Academy of Journalism and Communi-

cation in Hanoi. The program started with remarks

by PAO Terry White who told a brief history of the gender

equality process in the United States. Then, three IVLP

alumni speakers: Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Nguyen Thi

Thu Thi, and Le Thi Hong Giang held a spirited discussion

to raise awareness on the issue of gender equality

through writing articles and making advertisements. So-

cietal biases that have been deeply engrained in the

minds of many people resulted in a lively debate. Con-

cepts— and attempt to dispel them— such as men having

inherently better leadership skills, and women being

better cooks were discussed. Students were then given

time to share their own ideas, and to discuss with the

alumni.

ASEAN. They worked and came up with regional

projects on four thematic pillars: civic engage-

ment in ASEAN, education, economic develop-

ment, and the environment. They also ex-

changed experiences in project writing and

management, such as proposal writing and ele-

vator pitch. They even had an opportunity to

gather in the town hall with President Obama

who believes ASEAN youth will “shape the fu-

ture of your countries and the future of this re-

gion”.

en Vietnamese alumni age 35 and

under from a variety of USG ex-

change programs attended the IDEAS

INTO ACTION workshop in Kuala Lumpur

from May 24 - 28. The workshop is part

of the Young Southeast Asia Leaders

Initiative created by President Obama

and launched December 2013. During

the workshop, the participants were

given a chance to establish a network with

young leaders and leading experts across

Alumni Speaker Program: Gender Sensitivity

P a g e 4

Vietnamese Alumni Participate in YSEALI Generation Workshop

in Honor of President Of The United State Trip Through Asia

O

T IDEAS INTO

Action

A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

concepts and processes in the commerciali-

zation of academic and scientific research,

specifically through business incubation and

technology transfer. The sessions were run

by Fulbright scholars Dr. Ngan Nguyen from

Nha Trang University and Dr. Greg Emery

from Ohio University.

n May 14 and the 18, workshops enti-

tled: Entrepreneurship in Transitioning

Economies: Vietnam and Ohio, USA took place

in Nha Trang and Hanoi respectively. This

workshop is one the four winning projects in

the Alumni Small Grant Competition, 2013.

The workshop engaged Vietnamese academ-

ics and university students in exploring the

P a g e 5

Workshop on Business Incubator

O

A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

his workshop, on April 16, focused

on workload management, planning

skills, “office shock” management, and

how to rise into management at a global

organization. Among the panelists was

Fulbrighter, Mr. Bui Tuan Linh. Other

panelists were the HR consulting manag-

er of Manpower Group Vietnam, and two

outstanding newly graduates. The work-

shop was useful for those who were ex-

cited about hitting the job market, but

not sure of the challenges ahead.

Alumni Provide Soft Skills for Recent Graduates

T

earning English from Movies and TV Shows (May

14), English Presentation Skills, and Vocabulary

Art (May 18). These are three workshops that English

teachers and UGRAD alumni Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Trang

and Ms. Nguyen Nhue Giang brought to young people

at the American Center. They held spirited discussions

and energized activities to help people get more out of

movies and shows, increase insight into the right pro-

cess for preparing a speech, language use, vocal varie-

ty, and expand vocabulary by drawing and telling sto-

ries.

UGRAD Alumni Provide English Skill Sessions for Young

P a g e 6 A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

L

completion of the training course, a Business-

women’s Club will be established to provide

mutual support for participating members, and

to make a positive contribution to the prov-

ince’s social and economic development.

Alumni’s Entrepreneurial Teaching Classes in Ha Giang.

group of woman alumni from

the IVLP and Volvis programs

continued their training sessions to

build entrepreneurial capacity for

25 women from ethnic minorities

in Ha Giang Province. This was the

second of three training courses

from the women empowerment

project, which is among the four

winners in the 2013 Alumni Small

Grant Competition. Deputy Public

Affairs Officer Michael Turner attended the class

on March 20 as part of a provincial outreach trip

to five northeastern provinces. He commended

the alumni group for their time and dedication

towards the project, and encouraged the partici-

pating women to do their best in becoming role

models for success in their communities. Upon

A

Social &

Economic Development

n April 27, the upcoming Vietnam-

US Alumni Club (VUS Alumni Club)

organized a Peace Holiday for members

and friends at the Eco-villa of Volvis Alum-

na Tran Thi Truong. It was not only an

enjoyable alumni networking event but

also was used to discuss the inauguration

plan of the VUSAlumni Club and its key

events in 2014.

Group (Ctrl + Click). Below are some pic-

tures of them and the alumni cheering team

in a Soccer Tournament held by the French

Alumni Association this May.

lumni of different U.S. Govern-

ment Sponsored Exchange Pro-

grams and other U.S. Alumni have found-

ed a new Soccer Team to further

strengthen the alumni network while en-

hancing their health. Please join them at

U.S. Alumni Soccer Team_Facebook

Alumni Connect

P a g e 7

U.S. Alumni Soccer Team Establishment

A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

O

A

Alumni Family Get-together on Peace Holiday

By Mr. Le Huu Duc – an alumnus of Fulbright Economics Teaching Program (FETP) on

VNExpres.com

Alumni in the News

P a g e 8

One Access Student Awarded UNIS Scholarship

A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

Vietnam’s responses in case of China’s economic retaliation

Available at: http://vnexpress.net/lam-gi-neu-trung-quoc-tra-dua-ve-

The United Nations International School of Hanoi (UNIS) has offered a 100% tuition scholarship until graduation for Lam Luu, an alumnus of English ACCESS Micro-scholarship Program. He’s one of four scholars in the cohort to receive this rare schol-arship.

Available at http://UNISHanoi.org/

IVLP Alumna share about woman em-

powerment activities.

Available at: http://missoulian.com/vietnamese-activist-visits-

missoula-for-ideas-to-help-empower-women

Photo: Missoulian.com

Dzung Nguyen and His Team Selected to Receive National Award

Fulbrighter Dzung Nguyen (2010) and

his team have been selected to receive

a national APA (American Planning Asso-

ciation) Student Project Award for Con-

tribution of Planning to Contemporary

Issues for the Fall 2012 studio: Tracking

the Effects of Sea Level Rise in Georgia's

Coastal Communities (Ctrl +Click)

This is an extraordinary accomplishment: only

three student project awards are given each

year. The project, completed with support

from the Georgia Conservancy’s Blueprints

program, investigates likely impacts of sea lev-

el rise and outlines adaptation opportunities

in Chatham, Liberty and McIntosh counties

with focus on low-income communities.

By Ms. Nguyen Anh Thu – Humphrey Alumna

Alumni in the News

P a g e 9 A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

Ton Nu Tuong Vy’s summer course at the United Nation

“Từ ngày 12-15/5, phóng viên báo chí Nguyễn Anh Thư của tờ Wall Street Journal là

một trong số 8 phóng viên nước ngoài được lên tàu của Cảnh sát Biển Việt Nam để

theo dõi những diễn biến căng thẳng trên Biển Đông sau khi Trung Quốc ngày 1/5

đưa giàn khoan Hải Dương-981 vào sâu trong vùng đặc quyền kinh tế của Việt Nam”.

Available at: vov.vn/Nhat-ky-cua-mot-phong-vien-nuoc-ngoai-tren-Bien-Dong/

Diary of a foreign reporter on the east sea

Tuoitre.vn interviewed Ms. Ton Nu Tuong Vy—Alumna of ASEAN Youth Volunteer Pro-

gram 2013 on her successful application for UNAOC -EF Summer School 2014 in New

York co-organized by he United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and EF Ed-

ucation First (EF) . She is one of 75 participants chosen from 15000 applications

worldwide.

Available at: tuoitre.vn/khoa-hoc-o-lien-hiep-quoc-cua-vy

Alumni join ASEAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS' NETWORK

Fulbrighter Thao Griffiths, Dzung Le, Thuy Nguyen, and Volvis Alumna Nghi Doan at the event.

Available at : http://vietnam.usembassy.new-asean-women-entrepreneurs-network

Alumni Stories

P a g e 1 0 A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

YSEALI Generation workshop: IDEAS INTO ACTION

Dear Mr. President, What Question

Should I Ask You?

By Dang Huynh Mai Anh – SUSI 2013

Kuala Lumpur – Apr i l 25 – 28, 2014

INSPIRING MEETING AND HAND SHAKING

WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA

By Nguyen Nhu Ngoc – SUSI 2009

We had been advised we could have an open discussion

with the President, and that we could ask him any ques-

tion as long as we were lucky enough to be picked. No

preparation. No censorship. We experienced real free-

dom of speech by spending almost two hours of engage-

ment with the determined leader and great politician,

US President Barack Obama.

Read more at: facebook/nguyen-nhu-ngoc/inspiring-meeting

-and-shaking-hands-with-president-obama/ (Ctrl+Click)

“Tôi nhớ đó là cách bài báo bắt đầu. Bài báo cho tôi

hay: SỰ THẬT. CHÍNH THỨC. Tôi sẽ gặp Tổng Thống

Mỹ trong vòng 1 tuần tới đó.

Tôi rất thích câu mở đầu đó. Thích tới mức, nó là câu

duy nhất trong bài báo tôi còn nhớ và hôm nay thì lại

chọn nó để mở đầu cho câu chuyện của mình”

Read more at: danghuynhmaianh.blog.thua-tong-thong

-toi-phai-hoi-ngai-dieu-gi (Ctrl+Click)

Grants & Scholarships

P a g e 1 1 A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

Seeds for the Future Competition

Dear Alumni,

We're pleased to announce a YSEALI grants opportunity! Seeds for the Future Competition is coming soon!

Do you have a project idea that would support economic development, environmental protec-tion, education, or civic engagement in at least two of the ASEAN countries? Do you need fund-ing? Do you need help finding partners?

Then get ready for a great funding opportunity!

WHAT: Seeds for the Future Competition

WHEN: Around July 15 (exact date to be confirmed in separate message)

WHO: You! See below for more details.

PRIZE: Up to $10,000

As a member of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) , you are eligible to par-ticipate in the YSEALI Seeds for the Future program.

If you haven't heard, YSEALI is an initiative recently launched by President Obama for youth be-tween the ages of 18-35 in the ten ASEAN member countries. As alumni of exchange programs sponsored by the U.S. government, and as leaders in your communities, you will have special opportunities under this initiative. This competition is one of those opportunities!

The grants application process will open in July. Around July 15, we will launch a YSEALI Seeds for the Future web page on the International Exchange Alumni website that will allow you to submit a proposal online.

Seeds for the Future will offer grants of up to US$10,000 for each of the YSEALI themes: Eco-nomic Development, Environmental Protection, Education and Civic Engagement in ASEAN. Winners will be announced in September.

Grants & Scholarships

P a g e 1 2 A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

Seeds for the Future Competition Here's what you need to know to get ready:

1. Find and work with other exchange alumni: Similar to the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF), this competition requires that you team up with at least one other alumnus/a. Contact your local alumni coordinator and alumni association to start brainstorming ideas!

2. Find and work with other youth: As alumni of U.S. government sponsored exchanges, only you can submit proposals. However, we encourage you to work with and include other YSEALI members (youth between the ages of 18-35 in the 10 ASEAN countries) in your project team. This is a great way to expand your network and include partners!

3. Find team members in other ASEAN countries: Since this initiative focuses on ASEAN as a whole, your project will need to take place in at least two ASEAN member countries. You will also need to have at least four total team members (between the ages of 18-35 from any of the 10 ASEAN countries) at least two of whom must be USG alumni (also between the ages of 18-35 in the 10 ASEAN countries).

Total: At least 4 between the ages of 18-35 in the 10 ASEAN countries.

Alumni: At least 2 between the ages of 18-35 in the 10 ASEAN countries.

Location: At least 2 ASEAN member countries.

4. Develop your proposal: Team leaders should submit proposals. Between now and mid-July, work on developing your idea into a solid grants proposal. Once the grants application opens online, you will have two weeks to upload your proposal. During that time you can continue to look for other team members, and vote. The grants application closes on August 1.

To help you get started, we will be offering virtual match-ups and/or other activities to help you find other exchange lumni to partner with and/or other team members. We will also offer web-chats with knowledge experts to help you develop your ideas. Stay connected with YSEALI for news about this and other activities by visiting the YSEALI webpage, Facebook, and Twitter.

Also, check out this grants proposal format to get an idea of how to shape your proposal, and read the Frequently Asked Questions. Have additional questions? Please post them to the YSEALI Facebook page, or tweet them to YSEALI. That way, others can see your questions and our answers.

Grants & Scholarships

P a g e 1 3 A l u m n i N e w s l e t t e r

Seeds for the Future Competition We look forward to hearing from you and we look forward to receiving your proposals! Sincerely, Team Exchange Alumni

If you have any comments or would like to send articles to us,

please reach us by email at: Nguyentt1@state.gov

End-Note

Thank you!