Jimmy Nguyen
University of Nebraska at OmahaJimmy Nguyen is a leader in service to his community. Mr. Nguyen, a freshman in the Biochemistry-Pre-Pharmacy program, is an outstanding campus and community leader who is fully committed to addressing barriers to student success. Mr. Nguyen is remarkable for his dedication to service activities on and off campus and for his advocacy for service to his fellow students. Over the years he has devoted his time and talents to establish and lead the South Sioux Student Association, which exists to help students from his hometown who come to the university persist until graduation, and has grown this organization by over 200% since 2015. As an English Language Learner and a young student he recognizes the importance of a strong educational foundation and works tirelessly to ensure his peers have access to the support and resources they need to be successful. In his hometown of South Sioux City, Mr. Nguyen has invested in the success of his peers by helping to establish Kids' Café (a local book bank), and has served on the Sioux-land Youth Advisory Council and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative. He continues his work with these organizations today while also continuing his efforts on campus.
Personal Statement
"Let the light that is inside of you be 'brighter' than the light that is shining 'on' you." That is my life's motto. By far, one of the toughest challenges of our society today is "inclusiveness." We alienate those we do not fully comprehend. My upbringing has made me experience this personally. Growing up as an immigrant child, I had to assimilate into a drastically different culture. This created a huge social barrier that caused me loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Therefore, in order to help others, I advocate against "social exclusion." I first addressed this issue in high school by motivating myself and others to become more involved in our community. These activities included boxing a goal of 375 canned goods at Hy-Vee for "Cardinal Christmas Basket" to give to those in need over the holidays, playing with kids for an after-school program called "Kids' Café," and promoting a coat drive. I may be a leader for some but a role model for many. To me, service is important not only because it contributes to our world, but it also strengthens the "character" of those around us, and with this, I believe we can hope to bring people closer together.