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Student Spotlight: Khue (Kate) Nguyen’23 (Psychology and Chemistry)

Traveling the World with An Accomplished Honors Student

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Khue Nguyen, a globetrotting student from Bien Hoa, Vietnam. Her double major in Psychology and Chemistry gives her a unique insight into the world, understanding both the tangible and intangible aspects of patient care.

What is the best thing about studying your major?

In Chemistry, a deeper knowledge and fascination about our world fosters an appreciation and humility for the vast reckoning of creation.

With Psychology, I love better understanding ourselves as people. You start to understand yourself, empathize with others, and help others understand themselves.

When I learned to understand what makes people the way they are, it widened my worldview.

How do you aspire to serve others?

I think I would serve others best as a mental health professional. Both of my majors are important tools to succeed in that position.

Two of my goals are learning humility to serve others and building community relationships, especially with my own people back home in Vietnam.

What are some of your recent accomplishments?

I am a part of the Academic Research and Leadership Honors class. Here is my class (‘23) with President Porterfield. I’m on the bottom left.

My cohort and I built a charity bicycle at a conference in Orlando, FL. It was about athletic substance misuse. I went as a part of my internship, thanks to a grant from the NCAA and East Coast Conference.

Last, this is me, Dr. McPherson, and my friend on our on-site learning trip to Puerto Rico with the Global Honors program.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen?

Do what you want to do and commit to it. You should go ahead and register for that class or major, play the sport even for just one season, or do anything that just cannot leave your mind. Sometimes the idea of doing something is far scarier than actually doing it.

However, remember to give yourself breaks. I think sometimes we strive to make our future self proud by overworking our present self. One thing I started doing is to imagine my younger self as a child and then decide what would make her happy and what would be the kind things to do for her.

Faculty Feedback

"Katie is not only an excellent, well-rounded student, she is also a very warm person who is passionate about the fields of psychology and mental health. She is a role model for her peers and possesses strong leadership skills. In influential positions, she very naturally and with humility and confidence implements her knowledge of psychological and mental health concepts and research to help better the lives of her peers. Katie is a breath of fresh air who will undoubtedly leave her mark on society!"

-Dr. Sonnette M. Bascoe, Assistant Professor of Psychology

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