Hung Nguyen
Drexel UniversityHung has been a strong student leader with the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement since October 2017. He has served consistently as a Drexel Community Scholar providing 5-15 hours per week of direct service and capacity building with organizations including the Beachell Family Learning Center, Beat the Streets, and the Mantua Civic Association. Through long-term engagement with multiple organizations, Hung has supported and learned about fields including adult education, sports-based-youth-development and mentorship, and community building. During the 2018-2019 academic year, Hung was awarded a mini-grant to construct a compost system at the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnership’s community garden. This has been a tremendous asset to the community. Hung actively participates in the Civic Learning and Engagement Certificate Program in which students complete various workshops focusing on civic literacy. Hung has served for two years on the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement’s Student Leadership Board and has recently accepted the position as student co-chair. Hung truly represents what a civically-engaged student can be.
Personal Statement
I have had the pleasure of experiencing both sides of our education inequality. Throughout my early and middle childhood, I attended a fantastic city school. We had everything from damaged furniture, overcrowded classrooms, and lunch in a bag. It was paradise, until I attended a suburban high school. The contrast was infuriating. At my high school, we had pristine furniture, normal-sized classrooms, and fresh lunch. It was shocking to see my education, my future, dictated by my wealth. From then on, I promised myself that I would fight against education inequality.
Fortunately, I was given numerous opportunities with help from Drexel’s Lindy Center for Civic Engagement. They connected me to Beat the Streets. This non-profit provides tutoring and mentoring to city youths, so they can reach their full potential. I am having an amazing experience giving these students the support and guidance I never had. Though I may be fighting against education inequality, I am only curing the symptoms. This social issue is extremely complex. There are numerous factors like economic disparity and lack of school funding contributing to this injustice that it would be impossible to face it all. That’s why, I better get started.
