ASIA MEDIA INTERNATIONAL REPORTS – The LMU and AMI family is proud to pass along the very happy news that Michelle P. Nguyen has accepted Columbia University’s invitation of admissions to its internationally prestigious School of International and Public Affairs.
SIPA sits in the very top tier of public policy graduate schools globally. Centered in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights on the upper west side, this famous institution of high-level policy education draws on all of the extensive internationalism that New York has to offer, especially from its special relationship with the United Nations. Like other global giants in public-policy pedagogy – including Princeton’s School of Public Policy, Harvard’s Kennedy School, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Singapore National University’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, the London School of Economics and the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) – SIPA is well known for its very low admissions acceptance rate, dynamic and globally involved faculty, and impressive international student body. Late last year, Columbia’s School of Social Welfare accepted Michelle into its elite MSW program as well. She will begin her graduate studies in fall 2024.
Michelle graduated from LMU with a B.A. in Political Science – and with minors in Philosophy as well as International Relations (under Professor Jennifer Ramos). “My passion lies at the intersection of policy, advocacy, and social justice for vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, I hope to serve as a voice for underrepresented groups and to empower them to speak up as well. Those like me aren’t often encouraged to venture into politics.” At LMU, Nguyen’s senior thesis advisor was noted Political Science Professor Richard Fox, who teaches in the subject areas of U.S. Congress, elections, and media and politics. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation.
At the moment, Ms Nguyen has served the federal government as Special Projects Manager in the U.S. House of Representatives, for the last few years working out of the U.S. Congressional Office of Rep. Katie Porter – the nationally known law professor/attorney and U.S. Representative for California’s 47th congressional district. Michelle’s Asia Media International advisor was Clinical Professor Tom Plate, founder and President of AMI. Commented the clinical prof: “Michelle is a brilliant young professional with outstanding work habits, sincere commitment and endless drive. When she was a student at LMU, and our AMI Curriculum Coordinator, she was known for incisive reasoning often laced with wit and gentle but firm judgment. You knew where she stood. She would tell you. And usually she was right.”
(Photo courtesy of Michelle Nguyen)