Lauren

In February 2014, Lauren, a junior from Cypress, Texas, joined the Vietnam Center and Archive in scanning the FVPPA/VAHF Collection’s ODP Application Files. Her friend Alexia, an ODP Scanning Student since October 2013, got her interested in working at the archive. Lauren finds working with the ODP files interesting. She especially enjoys learning the personal points of view from hand written letters, photographs, and other documents within the files.  The personal point of view is a perspective she feels you don’t get from reading about the Vietnamese Diaspora in school.
Lauren came to TTU because her mom and uncle attended, and there is a lot of school spirit and pride at TTU. She is majoring in Nutrition Pre-Dental. She enjoys reading, watching scary movies, running, being at the beach, and outdoor activities.

This October two new students joined the archive in scanning the FVPPA/VAHF Collection’s ODP Application files.

Alexia

Alexia

A Junior majoring in Biology, a Pre-PA (Physicians Assistant), Alexia is originally from Denver, Colorado. She moved to Cypress, TX eleven years ago. She enjoys outdoor activities, especially running and camping. Alexia started working at the archive in February of 2013 as an oral history transcriptionist. Having transcribed Khuc Minh Tho’s oral history interview has given her valuable insight into and understanding of the ODP files. What she enjoys most about scanning the ODP files is the detective aspect of finding the applicants information and making it available online. Alexia finds working at the archive interesting, especially learning history through the people/participants themselves.

Ashley

Ashley

Ashley is a Junior from Premont, TX, majoring in Community, Family and Addiction Studies. Inspired by “To Write Love on Her Arms,” Ashley’s goal is to have her own nonprofit organization that focuses on helping teenagers struggling with addictions, self harm, depression, and suicide by helping them get rehab and support services, as well as educating parents on how to assist their children through the process. Ashley loves to play sports, especially basketball, volley ball, and weight lifting. Ashley started working at the archive in September of 2013. What she enjoys most about working with the ODP files is reading about individual people, their stories, how much they care about their families, and how hard they tried to bring their families with them.

The Vietnam Center and Archive employs five student assistants to scan the Families of Vietnamese Political Prisoners Association/Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation Collection’s Orderly Departure Program Application files. Two new students joined us in September: Corey and Emily.

Corey

A marketing major, with a Global Supply Chain Management Certificate in Energy, Corey is from Meridian, MS. He loves to travel and explore different cultures. Corey enjoys the energy, community, and traditions of Tech, and says Tech “…feels like family.”

Emily

An anthropology major from Laguna Beach, CA, where she worked with and studied Marine life, Emily enjoys video games and sci-fi films and shows, especially Star Trek. Emily came to TTU partly due to a family connection: her grandparents are Tech graduates who met here.

Frances

A history major with a women’s studies minor, Frances is from Bulverde, TX and will graduate in May 2013. She studied abroad in France and enjoys traveling. She is a talented writer and fencer, and a huge Avengers fan. Frances plans future graduate work on Khuc Minh Tho and U.S. Diplomacy.

Quynh

Quynh is from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and will graduate with an MBA in May 2013. She enjoys traveling, movies, surfing the the internet, and going out with friends. Quynh has traveled to Oregon and California, visiting friends and family and historic and beautiful parks like Yosemite.

Trang

Double majoring in finance and accounting, Trang is from Hue, Vietnam’s old imperial city. She is a fantastic cook and enjoys music, movies, and traveling. In 2005 Trang studied English in Singapore. Trang has traveled to several major cities throughout Texas and she spent Winter Break 2011 in Florida.

On February 1st, 2012, five student assistants began scanning the Families of Vietnamese Political Prisoners Association/Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation Collection’s Orderly Departure Program Application files.

Quynh

Quynh

A business (MBA) major from Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon), Quynh enjoys surfing the internet, music, movies, news, going out with friends, and traveling. She has traveled to Oregon and will travel to California this summer. Quynh wants to go to Japan and Korea someday.

Maggie

Maggie

A Vietnamese American from Dallas majoring in nursing, Maggie enjoys working out, playing with her niece, and shopping.

Dai

Dai

A finance major from beautiful Da Lat, Vietnam’s California, Dai loves soccer, and plays intramural soccer at Tech, center and mid positions. He enjoys music, playing the guitar, and drinking coffee.

Trang

Trang

A finance major from Hue, Vietnam’s old imperial city, Trang enjoys music, movies, and traveling. She has studied in Singapore, has traveled to Florida, and hopes to go to Europe someday.

Frances

Frances

A history major, with a Women’s Studies minor, from Bulverde, Frances enjoys reading, writing, traveling, fencing, sailing, scuba diving, and water skiing. She will be studying in France this summer and looks forward to writing a Ph.D. dissertation on Khuc Minh Tho.

Our congratulations to Jake Bitonel, who has been with the Virtual Vietnam Archive as a student scanner for over three years, on his graduation from Texas Tech University.  In May 2010, Jake received a B.S. with a Major in Exercise Sports Science and a Minor in Military Studies, as well as being commissioned  as a 2nd Lieutenant into the U.S. Army.  As part of his ROTC awards, in April he attended the prestigious, three-day General George C. Marshall Army ROTC Awards Seminar in Lexington, Virginia, which is awarded to the top first-class cadet in each ROTC program in the country based on scholarship, leadership, physical fitness and community involvement.  At the TTU ROTC Awards Ceremony in May he was awarded the United Daughters of the Confederacy Saber for outstanding leadership and contribution as a cadet.  In October, Second Lieutenant Bitonel will attend Helicopter Flight School at Fort Rucker, Alabama.  We thank Jake for his contributions to the Virtual Vietnam Archive, both in helping to make documents available for researchers, and for sharing his extensive knowledge to identify all things military. 

To learn more about the effects of the Vietnam War and the Vietnamese American immigration process, Cam Xuan Nguyen (Carrie) volunteered at the Vietnam Archive from October 31, 2008 to April 17, 2009. Carrie helped prepare the Families of Vietnamese Political Prisoners Association Collection files for digitization by numbering folders, removing corrosive materials, and providing help with Vietnamese to English translation.  In July, after receiving her J.D. in Business Law at Texas Tech, Ms. Nguyen took her  BAR exam with the goal of working in International Law. While awaiting the results Carrie decided to tour South America for 3 months, primarily Ecuador and Peru. The Vietnam Archive is happy to learn the exciting news that Ms. Nguyen passed the BAR. Congratulations Carrie!

Jake Bitonel, a student assistant at the Vietnam Center and Archive since 2007, attended the United States Army ROTC Command’s Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) at Fort Lewis, Washington from June 25 – July 23, 2009.  The ROTC Command uses the program to evaluate the leadership skills learned by its cadets.  Every ROTC cadet goes through this 28 day program consisting of PT tests, garrison positions, weapons familiarization, and war games after his or her junior year.  We are proud to announce that Jake finished among the top of his LDAC Regiment.  The Vietnam Center and Archive congratulates Jake on the fine achievement.  You can learn more about Jake by reading his profile in the September 2009 issue of Study Breaks.