Cultural Exchange Program Grants International Student a Life-Changing Wish
By Muskan LNU
Nguyen presented information about Vietnam during the Muhibbah Sampler Night in November
Wilson College welcomed Dai Vu Nguyen this fall as an exchange student from Vietnam through the Global UGRAD program. Arriving in August, Nguyen joined the campus for a semester-long academic and cultural exchange. For Nguyen, however, coming to Wilson wasn’t just about studying in a new environment—it became a life-changing experience that reconnected him with a longlost family member.
From a very young age, Nguyen often wondered what life would have been like if he had experienced the unconditional love of a grandmother. Listening to his friends talk about their grandmothers made him question: How would her love feel? What would it be like to be spoiled by her? Or, if nothing else, what would it be like to see her for the first time?
After the Vietnam War, Nguyen’s grandmother moved to the United States. Financial constraints prevented Nguyen’s family in Vietnam from visiting her, and she faced similar challenges. Throughout his life, Nguyen had never met his grandmother—not in person nor virtually, as she wasn’t familiar with modern technology. It wasn’t just Nguyen who missed out on seeing her; his father hadn’t seen her either since the Vietnam War. The only connection Nguyen had with his grandmother were the red envelope letters she sent during Christmas, which he cherished deeply. These letters weren’t just communication—they were symbols of her love, that traveled all the way from the U.S. to Vietnam.
Students in the World Learning UGRAD Program received a visit from the program coordinator Melanie Winters. Left to right: Winters, Vu Nguyen (Vietnam), Ivan Kujovic (Montenegro), Catrin Rumondang (Indonesia), and Marta Phillips Montero (Panama).
Life, however, took an unexpected turn. In August, Nguyen was selected for the Global UGRAD program for Vietnamese students, and the number one thing on his wish list was to finally meet his grandmother in the U.S. He promised himself that he would visit her during the fall break. But, as life often goes, things didn’t turn out as planned.
Wilson’s international students checked were excited to visit many area attractions in the fall, including Hershey Park.
Just a month after arriving in Pennsylvania, Nguyen received a call from his aunt, who lives with his grandmother. She told him that his grandmother’s health had worsened and that visiting her would mean a lot. That was all Nguyen needed to hear. The very next day, he booked a flight from Pennsylvania to California. Everyone at Wilson College, from his host advisor to his friends, supported him in every way—from arranging the flight to getting him to the airport, even at midnight. As Nguyen stated, “It wouldn’t have been possible for me to meet my grandmother if my friends and professors here at Wilson hadn’t helped.”
And then, after 19 years, Nguyen saw his grandmother for the first time. Not only was it a reunion for him, but his father also got the chance to speak with his mother for the first time in decades through a video call. Nguyen described it as the happiest and proudest moment of his life. This cultural exchange program didn’t just connect cultures across the world—it brought a family together.
Wilson’s international students checked were excited to visit many area attractions in the fall, including Luray Caverns in Virginia.
Unfortunately, just days after their reunion, Nguyen received the heartbreaking news that his grandmother had passed away. While attending her funeral, he found comfort in knowing that he was able to meet her.
Nguyen’s time at Wilson College has been so much more than an academic experience. It has been a deeply personal journey of reconnection and healing. “You will always be missed, Grandma,” he said, carrying with him the memories of their reunion and the bond that will forever remain in his heart.
