Erika Nguyen has had a lot of help getting to where she is today. Now she wants to give back. Whether through her work at The Garden, a youth center in the Gulfton area, or with student leadership activities at the University of St. Thomas, Nguyen is determined to lift people up with her as she climbs to her own highest heights.
Nguyen was attracted to UST after learning from a close friend about the Rising Stars Program, a University initiative that connects low-income and first-generation college students with internships with businesses and community organizations throughout Houston. She also was excited about hearing how faculty and staff members were committed to helping students grow in their formation and achieve their career goals. She decided to apply and was accepted into both UST and the Rising Stars Program.
“Rising Stars is there for you from the moment you apply,” Nguyen said. “They have monthly check-ins, and pair you with an internship.”
For her internship, Nguyen was placed with United Way Greater Houston and was given the opportunity to do tech research, helping to build a program database that allows community members to access resources on their own while still having the support of the United Way organization.
“I think back to when I was younger, I didn’t always have access to the right resources, and my community is what really pushed me, built my foundation and gave me resources,” she said. “My eyes were really opened to all of the things around me that I could use to build myself up. I’m recognizing now that I have the tools and skills to help other people as well.”
On campus, Nguyen lives this out by participating in the Celt Student Association, helping to plan recreational outings and other opportunities for her classmates to get involved.
For more of Nguyen’s story, watch her episode of BOLD where she sits down with Host Edgardo Giron and shares more about the role community engagement plays in her life and how UST continues to push her to grow.