This strategy was on display during a spring student/faculty
trip to Vietnam
fusing service, athletics and academics. Nourished by our ongoing
relationship with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education, the
University was able to launch a multi-pronged agenda. The Psychology
Department laid the groundwork for establishingVietnam’s first
training program for school psychologists to meet a need for better
mental health services for inner city children. The Biology
Department entered into dialogues about future collaborative
research and faculty exchange programs.
While the Dr. M.T.
Geoffrey Yeh Art Gallery Curator Parvez Moshin finalized plans
for an exhibit showcasing emerging Vietnamese
artists, the women’s
volleyball team toured Vietnam serving as good will ambassadors
for the University. They competed against national, university and
club teams breaking down cultural barriers through the universality
of sports. In addition, students performed service at a local
orphanage and at schools for street children and children with
disabilities and raised and donated $6,000 to the orphanage.
“Students had a first-hand opportunity to see how they can make
a difference. They also had the chance to see Vietnam, taste it,
smell it and experience things that can’t be taught in a
classroom,” says Assistant Dean and Director of Vietnam Initiatives
Hung P. Le who was instrumental in creating St. John’s ongoing
collaboration with Vietnam. Reflecting the transformative impact of
the trip, psychology graduate student Kimberly S. Kassay says: “By
visiting a mental health clinic and the schools, we were able to
understand how important education and the quality of school
psychology is in changing lives. We all were strongly influenced by
this experience and we are continuing our relationship with
them.”