October 14, 2005
Queens, NY – St. John’s University President Rev. Donald J.
Harrington, C.M. welcomed a Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy
General Secretary, Nguyen Van Quan and Vietnam’s Ambassador to the
United Nations, His Excellency Minh Le, to the Queens campus this
week. The high-level, weeklong government visit by the Vietnamese
delegation in New York began with a tour of St. John’s University
where the honored guests met with University officials to develop
more academic programs offered abroad and in the United States as
well as an athletic initiative for future consideration.
“We believe in St. John’s University and what they are doing.
They have a renowned reputation, offer a diverse lifestyle being in
the middle of New York, have quality facilities, and their leaders
give students the knowledge, skills and confidence that is
important in one’s life” said Van Quan. “Our Vietnamese students
have enjoyed their experience here, and we hope to continue
relations so that more students have a chance to come to St. John’s
University in the future.”
The Vietnam Sports Ministry is interested in having the
University organize St. John’s coaching clinics and training
seminars to be held in the United States for a select group of
Vietnamese coaches.
The University began its partnership with the Ministry of
Education and Training (MOET) in Vietnam in 2002. MOET designates
their best and brightest scholars to be formally educated
throughout the world, and St. John’s was rated their first choice
among American universities. Assistant Dean, Graduate Division of
Arts and Sciences, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,
Hung P. Le has been very active in the process.
“This has been in the works for three years,” said Le. “St.
John’s has sent students to Vietnam to study abroad and has
recruited 21 students to attend classes in the United States at St.
John’s. These students have developed a close bond with the
University, and this is the essence of what our partnership with
Vietnam is all about.”
Duong Trinh, a Vietnamese student in her second semester at St.
John’s, is in the graduate program in government and politics. She
has relied on the support and family atmosphere the University has
provided since her arrival in January.
“It has taken some time to adjust to a new environment, and New
York is much different from Hanoi or where I come from,” said
Trinh. “My main objective here is to study, and St. John’s has
become my family, helping me with the language and surroundings.
Dean Le has been like a brother to us (the Vietnamese students). We
all have new family here and have enjoyed learning new things
together.”
An opportunity for a continued strategic partnership is in the
works with Foreign Trade University (FTU) to sign a Memorandum of
Understanding with St. John’s The Peter J. Tobin College of
Business for an inaugural “One-Week Institute for International
Managers and Executives” to be held in the summer of 2006. This
would be an annual program that would bring between 10 to 15
business managers to Manhattan for advanced training. FTU
representatives would also like to explore possibilities of an
articulation that would allow transfer students into the St. John’s
B.S., M.S. or M.B.A. programs.
The Institute for International Relations (IIR) is also looking
to develop a master’s degree in “American studies.” This proposal
was presented to and fully supported by the U.S. Ambassador to
Vietnam, Michael Marine.
For more information, contact Dominic Scianna, Director of Media
Relations, St. John’s University at (718) 990-6185 or e-mail
requests to sciannad@stjohns.edu.