Hi, I'm Kimberly, and I am a first-generation Vietnamese American from Duluth, Georgia. I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor’s degree in neuroscience on the pre-med track. Currently, I am working as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Hoa Binh at Hoang Van Thu High School for the Gifted.
My desire to become a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Vietnam stems from finding purpose in teaching students and my aspiration to connect with my heritage. At the peak of COVID, I began volunteering as an online tutor for preschoolers. In college, I continued tutoring, working with high school students on SAT/ACT preparation and volunteering at Allegheny County Jail to help students complete their GEDs. It was extremely rewarding to see the light-bulb moment in my students’ eyes when the things they were working on finally clicked.
I am most excited about fostering relationships with my students and helping them build confidence in speaking English. I am also looking forward to celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year) in Vietnam for the first time.
In the future, I hope to return to my community and serve as a physician. Growing up in a largely Vietnamese immigrant town, I believe that living and working in Vietnam will give me a firsthand look at the culture and lived experiences that have shaped my patients’ lives.
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
