BOONE, N.C. — A group of 10 high and middle school students from Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, reached new heights on a June morning as they walked across the Mile High Swinging Bridge — which sits 5,280 feet above sea level — at Grandfather Mountain. The students are studying at Appalachian State University from June 16–July 14 through the university’s four-week Vietnamese Summer Academy (VSA).
Local host families joined the students at Grandfather Mountain, and later in the evening, the VSA students joined participants in Appalachian’s Upward Bound program for a cookout at Duck Pond Field on campus. The students also visited nearby Linville Falls.
The program is a partnership between Appalachian’s Office of International Education and Development (OIED) and International Development for Educational Access (IDEA), an after-school English language acquisition program for students of Vietnam and Southeast Asia. IDEA was founded by Appalachian alumnus Brian Dockery ’98 and his wife, Huong Nguyen, who also direct the program. Appalachian received a $35,400 grant from IDEA to fund the academy.
“It is programs like the Vietnamese Summer Academy that allow everyone involved to practice their intercultural communication skills and help us become global citizens, which is one of Appalachian’s core values,” said Dr. Maria Anastasiou, director of the academy and executive director of Appalachian’s OIED.
David Brooks, a young host family member, left, and his new friend Kiet Gia Tran, a middle school student in the Vietnamese Summer Academy at Appalachian, each hold up a peace sign atop Grandfather Mountain. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
Other Appalachian faculty and staff members assisting with the VSA include Kevin Delgado-Valentin, OIED assistant; Appalachian alumna Jenny Carlos ’18, who serves as resident hall supervisor for the students during their stay on campus; and Liz Kunkel, adjunct instructor of Spanish in Appalachian’s Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, who provides the students with English language instruction. Additionally, Nga Nguyen, an IDEA staff member, is the students’ escort during the academy.
Learning language, culture through new experiences
“We have a great group of students this year,” Anastasiou said. “They are all committed to improving their English language skills and learning about American culture. They are excited to be exploring and learning about Boone, spending time with their peers through Upward Bound, and spending quality time with their local host families and learning about family life in the U.S.”
During each morning of the academy, the VSA students take an English language class taught by Kunkel, and in the afternoons, engage in social and cultural activities — including several outdoor activities — to learn about Boone and the surrounding region. The students also interact with youth in Appalachian’s Upward Bound program through various activities and spend time with their host families.
Duy Nhat Phan, a high school student in Appalachian’s Vietnamese Summer Academy, kneels atop Grandfather Mountain to have his picture taken with the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
A sample of the VSA activity schedule:
- Volunteering at the Appalachian’s Teaching and Research Farm in Ashe County.
- Partaking in academic sessions on physics, geology, as well as criminology and political science with Appalachian’s Drs. Tonya Coffey, Lauren Waterworth and Phillip Ardoin, respectively.
- Engaging in dance, art, yoga with Upward Bound students.
- Movie nights with students in Appalachian’s Upward Bound program.
- Playing games at Greenway Park.
- A soccer game with the 2018 Mandela Washington Fellows at Appalachian’s Kidd Brewer Stadium.
- Attending the Mandela Washington Fellows Arts and Cultural Festival at Appalachian to learn about the African countries represented by the fellows.
- A game night with host families in the dorm lounge.
- Kayaking and tubing with the RiverGirl Fishing Co. in Todd.
- A picnic at Valle Crucis Park.
- Shopping in downtown Boone.
“I think that the foreign (American) students — they open. They are pretty open with strangers. Every chance they have, they always introduce themselves and make more friends, even though they’re strangers,” said Duy Nhat Phan, a high school student in the VSA. “They talk a lot. They make more friends. I like that.”
Ngoc Minh Uong, a high school student in Appalachian’s Vietnamese Summer Academy, uses binoculars to take a closer look at Grandfather Mountain’s scenery. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
VSA high school student Minh Duc Le commented on how impressed he was with the U.S. education system and explained how this system differs from that in Vietnam.
“I’m impressed by USA education, most, because in the USA, children are allowed to play or to do arts, music, singing — whatever they want — and in Vietnam, we have to learn a lot. We don’t have a lot of time to do something like that, like arts. In Vietnam we just learn, and learn and learn.”
Another high school VSA student, Chi Quynh Nguyen, said she is excited to experience the cuisine and shopping available in Boone, especially those options that aren’t offered in Vietnam.
“I watch a lot of YouTube, and mostly I subscribe to American YouTubers. That’s why, when I watch their videos, I would hear these brand names like Wendy’s or Taco Bell — they don’t have those brands in Vietnam. So, when I came here, I wanted to try all of them out. I wanted to try Mexican food, especially, because they do not have Mexican food in Vietnam.”
Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa, associate vice chancellor in Appalachian’s Office of International Education and Development, far left, and Vietnamese Summer Academy students Ngoc Minh Uong, second from left, Duy Nhat Phan, fourth from left, and Anh Tue Nguyen, far right, as well as IDEA Vietnam staff member Nga Nguyen, third from left, pause to enjoy the views atop Grandfather Mountain. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
High and middle school students in Appalachian’s Vietnamese Summer Academy, along with academy administrators, gather for a group photo after crossing the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain. Academy administrators include Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa, associate vice chancellor in the university’s Office of International Education and Development, far left; Jenny Carlos, residence hall supervisor, second from left in back row; Huong Nguyen, IDEA co-director, second from left in front row; Dr. Maria Anastasiou, VSA director, third from left in back row; Nga Nguyen, IDEA staff member, third from right in front row; and Brian Dockery, IDEA co-director, far right. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
Host family member Samatha Buzan, left in foreground, and Vietnamese Summer Academy student Anh Tue Nguyen, center, enjoy the view from Grandfather Mountain while Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa waves an Appalachian State University banner. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
Vietnamese Summer Academy student Quang Thanh Pham sports a baseball cap that features the North Carolina Tar Heels logo and waves as he crosses the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain. Pham used his smartphone to record the surrounding scenery. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
Adam Jarrell, in foreground, and his wife, Tracy Jarrell, far left, make their way up Grandfather Mountain. The Jarrells are serving as a host family for the Vietnamese Summer Academy students. Resident Hall Supervisor Jenny Carlos is visible to the right in the background. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
Ngoc Minh Uong, far left, and Quang Thanh Pham, far right, pose with Jenny Carlos, the students’ residence hall supervisor, at Grandfather Mountain. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
Kevin Delgado-Valentin, academy assistant, center, and Vietnamese Summer Academy students Minh Duc Mai Hoang, left, and Minh Duc Le take a short break from hiking to pose for a photo on top of Grandfather Mountain. Photo by Chi Quynh Nguyen
IDEA Vietnam staff member Nga Nguyen, foreground, smiles and flashes a peace sign while walking the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain. Vietnamese Summer Academy student Chi Lan Vu, right in background, also walks the bridge with Nguyen. The 228-foot suspension bridge, which was constructed in 1952, offers panoramic views from Grandfather Mountain, and, as its name suggests, is elevated a mile — or 5,280 feet — above sea level. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
High and middle school students in Appalachian’s Vietnamese Summer Academy gather for a group photo atop Grandfather Mountain. Dr. Jesse Lutabingwa, associate vice chancellor in the university’s Office of International Education and Development, and Vietnamese Summer Academy student Duy Nhat Phan hold an Appalachian State University banner. Also accompanying the group are IDEA Vietnam staff member Nga Nguyen, far left, Vietnamese Summer Academy Director Maria Anastasiou, sitting in front at right, Resident Hall Supervisor Jenny Carlos, third from right, and host family member Samantha Buzan, far right. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
‘We’re living a dream’
In reflecting on his experience at Grandfather Mountain and the first few days of the academy, Phan said, “I think the program itself already feels like we’re living a dream.”
Anastasiou asked the students, “Is this what you had in mind about Boone? Is this what you expected of the U.S.?” and high school VSA student Minh Duc Mai Hoang answered for the group: “It’s more than what we expected. The dorm, the food, the people — very impressive.”
The students were unanimous in their answer when asked about homesickness: “No.” And when questioned if any of them would consider pursuing higher education at Appalachian, one student said, “Absolutely,” while another said, with an adventurous grin, “Why not?”
A closing dinner and ceremony for the academy will be held Friday, July 13, in the university’s Plemmons Student Union. The next afternoon, the VSA students will depart Boone for the Charlotte Douglas International Airport to return to Vietnam.
Middle and high school students in Appalachian’s Vietnamese Summer Academy (VSA) arrive at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where they are welcomed by Maria Anastasiou, Vietnamese Summer Academy director and executive director of Appalachian’s Office of International Education and Development (OIED), and Kevin Delgado-Valentin, assistant in the OIED. Pictured from left to right in the back row are VSA students Kiet Gia Tran, Quang Thanh Pham, Duy Nhat Phan, Minh Duc Mai Hoang and Minh Duc Le, and Anastasiou. Pictured from left to right in the front row are Nga Nguyen, an IDEA staff member accompanying the students during the VSA, and VSA students Ngoc Minh Uong, Chi Quynh Nguyen, Anh Thao Tran Nguyen, Chi Lan Vu and Anh Tue Nguyen. Photo by Kevin Delgado-Valentin
About the Office of International Programs
Appalachian State University combines a strong liberal arts foundation with a comprehensive, pervasive and integrated commitment to global engagement. The Office of International Programs assists App State in fulfilling its global engagement mission by working to develop awareness, knowledge, appreciation and respect of cultural differences — in both domestic and international contexts — in the university’s students, faculty and staff, as well as in the surrounding communities. Learn more at https://international.appstate.edu.
About College Access Partnerships
College Access Partnerships (CAP) is housed in the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University and comprises programs in college access and educator professional learning, including Appalachian GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), Upward Bound, Appalachian College Advising Corps, Empowering Teacher Learning, Young Eisner Scholars (YES), GREAT STEM and On Ramp Appalachia. These programs aim to prepare students throughout Western North Carolina to engage in postsecondary learning that provides opportunities for careers in their home region and beyond. For more information, visit gocollege.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
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