It’s been six years since Augsburg senior Chau Nguyen last saw her mother. Six years since she last set foot in her native Vietnam. Six years since Chau arrived in the United States and worked her way — with Mom’s help — from an exchange student to graduating from Augsburg College on May 3 with a degree in International Business and Math.

Chau Nguyen grew up in Dalat City, Vietnam with her mother, stepfather, grandmother, sister, and brother. Her travels through the streets of Dalat gave Chau a constant reminder of the poverty in the city, especially among its many homeless children. As a girl, she remembers being scolded by her mother for stuffing her backpack full of rice and giving it away to less-fortunate children. Continue reading “Mom's help + determination = degree” →