Jenny Le
Age: 21
Year: 4th Year
Hometown: Falls Church, VA
Major: English
What school did you transfer from?
I transferred from SUNY Stony Brook, which is located in Long Island, New York. I actually attended NOVA for a semester as well before making my way down here.
Why did you choose to transfer to VCU?
The main factor was money. I was born and raised in Virginia and sadly out-of-state costs were getting difficult to handle up there. I chose VCU because my best friend goes here; it was a good distance from home, not too close or too far, and I liked the city lifestyle that VCU offered after experiencing the campus lifestyle.
How are you adapting to VCU?
I love it here! I’m studying what I love, got myself involved on campus and made some great friends.
In what ways are you involved on campus?
I am currently Vice President External for the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) and Vice President Internal for my sorority, alpha Kappa Delta Phi International Sorority, Inc. Those two organizations basically take up my whole life.
What is the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA)?
The Vietnamese Student Association, or VSA for short, is a cultural organization on campus focused on promoting, educating and bringing awareness to the Vietnamese culture on campus and to our community. I’m a first generation Vietnamese-American with my parents coming here as boat-people after the Vietnam War. Growing up, my culture was and always will be a part of who I am and I want to continuously spread the beauty of it to everyone I know. I absolutely love VSA, not just for what we do, but for allowing me to meet some amazing, hardworking and dedicated people. It’s not exclusively Vietnamese students! We encourage everyone to join, as long as you are interested because we hope to also give you a family, not just an educational lesson. Our VSA at VCU is actually part of an umbrella organization Mid-Atlantic Union of VSAs (MAUVSA) which is actually part of the bigger umbrella known as Union of North American VSAs (UNAVSA). It’s seriously a large network of people, a large family that is working to keep the Vietnamese culture in our younger generation as we slowly become second, third, fourth generations. We do things ranging from community service, to raising money for different charities, to leadership conferences. If you can’t tell, I’m really passionate about it all and I can go on and on if you keep asking me, but I’ll stop here.
What are your hobbies?
Jogging, weight training, Internet surfing, watching Netflix (I’m hooked on Criminal Minds right now), hanging with my sisters and friends and taking pictures of my dog.
Why did you choose English as your major?
I honestly really love the subject. I think English and literature in general is fascinating because there is always something new; another angle to look at things rather than one set answer. Not only that, but the English language is the base structure to everything we do in life, our key form of communication. Reading and writing are basic essentials that everyone seems to forget are necessary in our lives. It’s sad to see so many people dislike the subject because of how it is taught and proceed to forget how important it is. I’m actually aiming to proceed into the graduate/teaching program here at VCU to come out with a Masters in Secondary Education, as well as getting an ESL promotion. I want to be able to teach future generations how enjoyable the subject is, and not only that, but help those who learn it as their second language, to find comfort in learning the language.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I actually don’t. I’m pretty much an open book with things I can and can’t do, so I really just don’t hide any talents (if I even had any). I wish I did!