This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UH chapter.
Meet Mai-Anh Vu! This weeks Campus Cutie has a combination of intelligence, motivation, and passion! She will win your heart over with her inviting smile and infectious personality, and she has everything it takes to become a future physician! Read more in our exclusive interview with the President of Delta Omega Chi!
Q: Age?
A: “19.”
Q: Year?
A: “I’m a senior graduating in December.”
Q: Major?
A: “Biology.”
Q: Hometown?
A: “Austin, TX.”
Q: Height?
A: “5’2″ & three quarters. Basically 5’2″ on my license.”
Q: Zodiac Sign?
A: “Scorpio.”
Q: Relationship Status?
A: “Very committed relationship with my GPA.”
Q: What has been your favorite class during your undergrad?
A: “Microbiology because the professor was very passionate about his own field of work, and also because there were no clickers in that class.”
Q: What is your favorite type of cookie?
A: “The little mint chocolate chip Milano cookies they sell at H.E.B, and ginger snaps. Oh, and those lemon cookies from Girl Scouts!”
Q: If you could watch one show for the rest of your life, what show would it be?
A: “Parks and Recreation.”
Q: How would you describe your clothing style?
A: “My clothing style is literally Nike shorts and t-shirts, and DOC (Delta Omega Chi) shirts all day!”
Q: What organizations are you a part of at the University of Houston?
A: “I am involved in Delta Omega Chi, which is a medical service society actually founded earlier in March this year. In Delta Omega Chi, basically it is our mission to train future and aspiring health professionals to be involved in the community, and also be involved in volunteering with patient interactions. So really being exposed to what health and medicine is all about, which is getting to know people from different demographics, different backgrounds and adversities. So yeah, Delta Omega Chi has been a huge part of my undergraduate career. It’s my second family, is it my home, and be sure to follow us @uh.deltaochi on all our social media platforms! And also throughout my undergrad I was previously a leader for Alpha Eta Alpha which is a pre-health society for non-science majors as well as American Medical Women’s Association.”
Q: Do you consider Pluto a planet?
A: “Unfortunately, I’m not an astronomer but everyone needs a friend, so hopefully Pluto can be reconsidered as a planet.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?
A: “I see myself as a medical physician serving those in the underserved areas, and I also hope to be able to be the proud owner/mother of around 10-12 pugs.”
Q: If President Barack Obama just offered you a position to be his accountant, would you drop everything you’re doing and take the job? A: “Unfortunately I’m very bad at math but I can try.”
Q: What is something you’re passionate about?
A: “I’m really passionate about helping others. Not only people in the community, but also my family and friends. Family and friends are something that I’m very passionate about, and also being really involved in student health organizations at U of H. Just being able to impact lives, not only students but people around me is something that really drives my motivation to want to pursue medicine, and want to do something that would be able to change someones life even in the smallest way.”
Q: Would you name your future child Spongebob for 3 million dollars? Regardless of gender.
A: “I’m leaning more towards Squidward.”
Q: Who is your biggest role model?
A: “My biggest role model would actually be a fictional character from my favorite show ‘Parks and Recreation.’ It’s the main character, and her name is Leslie Knope. She’s my role model because she’s very passionate about everything she does. She loves very unconditionally, she’s a selfless individual, and she puts all of her hard work and everything she has into everything she does. But in real life my role models would probably be my parents, both my mom and dad. They have sacrificed pretty much everything for me to provide me a life where I could actually go toward my passion and go towards something I really love. My parents are my biggest motivators, and I will always be thankful for them.”
Q: What is a deal breaker for you in a significant other.
A: “Not liking ‘Parks and Recreation,’ and not counting potatoes as a separate food group.”
Q: If you were given a large amount of money to give to any charity of your choice, which one would it be and why?
A: “It’s not really a charity, it’s more like a foundation or organization that really impacted my own life. Its called International Science and Engineering Fair or Intel ISEF, and it’s basically this international science fair where they invite aspiring scientists, and high school kids from all over the world to come and compete, and present their research. Growing up in high school I was really interested in science but the kids weren’t as interested as me in the field that was kind of more nerdy or something that wasn’t as cool as going to football games and other things like that. So being able to compete in science fair, it gave me a lot of confidence in really understanding that my passion for science can lead me somewhere. It can lead to a profession where someone really cares about my passion to want to do science. Just being able to compete in science, I met so many people who were so passionate about their work. They really motivated me to also say that science is worth it, and worth my time. It basically gave me a home and a place where I was able to share what I loved with people who love the same thing. And also, Intel ISEF opened a lot of doors for not only myself but a lot of my peers as well. They give scholarships to kids going to universities in order to study science or the field that they’re really passionate about. They give a lot of recognition to kids who spend their weekends in the labs, and working on their posters or conducting experiments in their garage. So it not only gave me a lot of confidence, but it also gave me a lot of motivation to want to pursue science, and pursue the field of health.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about the University of Houston?
A: “My favorite thing about the University of Houston probably has to be about the people. I’m from Austin, TX, and I transferred after my freshman year from UT. I remember coming to UofH knowing no one. Houston was a completely new place for me. I had no friends, I had very little family here so it’s kind of like you being thrown into a sea of know one, like you’re very anonymous. I just remember going to my first class, everyone sitting around me was really nice. They never really asked me where I was from or what year I was, they just accepted me into their friend group. Also I really love the student involvement at the University of Houston. I think the clubs, and the student organizations especially one of that of health is very enriching. It’s very welcoming and it’s basically a place where you can come and no really one cares about who you are or where you come from. All they really care about is that you are here now, and they want to help you succeed.”
Q: How did you feel when you were asked to be Campus Cutie?
A: “I was really really honored. I remember Mahak (friend) was reaching out to me. She is one of the most dedicated officers on Delta Omega Chi’s team, and it’s such a privilege to have her. It’s such a tremendous honor just being able to share what I love, which is Delta Omega Chi and student involvement in science and medicine at the University of Houston. It’s really a privilege, and thank you so much for your time!”