2024 ICAN INSPIRE Scholarship Cohort

Hello! My name is Jaclyn, and I’m a first-generation freshman at UC Berkeley, majoring in Data Science. I grew up in San Jose, where I was raised by my incredible Vietnamese immigrant parents. My passion lies in utilizing machine learning to improve healthcare, with a focus on creating systems that are more robust, equitable, and impactful. My experiences volunteering in hospitals and engaging with professionals in the field have highlighted significant gaps, especially affecting minority communities. My goal is to bridge these gaps through AI, enhancing medical diagnosis and treatment.

I learned about the ICAN Scholarship through an Instagram post from last year’s cohort, which featured alumni from my high school, Yerba Buena. I admired these students as role models during my high school years and was inspired to apply after reading their motivating advice. When I received the scholarship, I felt a mix of shock, excitement, and hope. This scholarship will alleviate some of the financial burdens of college tuition, and I am eager to give back to my community in the future, much like how this support has helped me.

I aspire to inspire young Vietnamese Americans, particularly women, to explore and pursue their interests in computer science and data science. The Vietnamese community has been instrumental in helping me connect with my roots, and I hope to give back by eventually establishing a non-profit organization dedicated to helping young Vietnamese women explore their passions and opportunities.

As a first generation Vietnamese American student at UC Berkeley studying Computer Science, I have experienced the isolating feeling that is tied to being an underrepresented minority, coming from a low income background, in this industry. I’m extremely grateful for the valuable connections and to be a part of the ICAN impact. This scholarship will allow me to focus more of my time on my Software Engineering internship this semester without worrying about finances. The ICAN mission of empowering the next generation of Vietnamese American students is deeply personal to me. I’m actively teaching full stack web development to female identifying minority students for the Society of Women Engineers chapter at my university, hoping to empower students who were in my shoes.

Moving to a new country as a teenager was a transformative chapter in my life. I was in the midst of learning Vietnamese and embracing my identity as a traditional Vietnamese girl while simultaneously adapting to a new culture, language, and the challenges of life in America. This experience taught me the immense value of support from one’s psycho-ecological system — the family, friends, and community around you — in fostering growth and resilience. Inspired by this realization, I developed a passion for social work, driven by a desire to support families and children in navigating hardships, overcoming obstacles, and building stronger, more resilient communities.

In the summer of 2023, I first learned about ICAN through a family member and decided to join as an intern to learn more about the community. Being the sole intern that year allowed me to grow in ways I never anticipated, deepening my understanding of service and advocacy. Inspired by this experience, I decided to apply for the ICAN Scholarship, believing that it will open up new opportunities, provide invaluable support, and help me build a brighter future.

My name is Leanne and I am an incoming freshman at UC Davis, majoring in Chemistry. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the medical field, specifically in the pharmaceutical industry. With this career, I can combine my love for learning and applying science with my passion for helping people around me. I love providing for others when they need it and often go out of my way to support my family, friends, peers, and, boldly enough, my community. Growing up as a youth singer, performer, volunteer, and active member of the local San Jose Vietnamese community, I've worked with many people who taught me how to be a leader and confident person. Over the years, I've led young children at temple youth retreats, taught Vietnamese at my local Vietnamese school, provided musical entertainment at local events with my singing group, and held leadership roles in my high school clubs.

Having so many amazing opportunities and connections as a first-generation Vietnamese American student motivates me to be optimistic and inspires me to continue giving my all in any task. My parents have shown me how far hard work can get you, therefore I aspire to never give up on my aspirations so that I can make them proud of their sacrifices and use my strength to its full capacity. 

I learned about ICAN through bác Tuấn (the dentist and an ICAN board member) and his work of raising money to help blind people in Vietnam with eye surgery. He encouraged me to apply and funnily enough, I saw the notification for my scholarship acceptance when I was working at his office. I was grateful for the news that the ICAN team was happy to support me on my academic journey.

I am Hoang Yen To, a Vietnamese immigrant who has called the United States home for over four years. Living in a new country is never an easy journey, but all adversity and barriers have strengthened my mind to pursue higher education for a brighter future. Accordingly, academic dedication is not only a strong sense of my responsibility and motivation but also a testament to what my family has sacrificed for me despite the financial constraints we faced. I’m majoring in Psychology, B.A., at San Jose State University. My academic focus is on earning a Master’s degree in Psychology, a field that deeply resonates with me due to my personal experiences and the influence of mentors like Ms. Hang Chu from Evergreen Valley College’s Counseling Department. Her dedication to helping students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, inspired me to pursue a career in academic counseling. I want to provide similar support and guidance to others, helping them navigate their educational journeys and achieve their aspirations. As a Student Ambassador, Evergreen Valley College’s Counseling is also my workplace where I realized my passion for listening and helping people go through any academic difficulty. I am grateful that I have found what truly inspired me to achieve my career goals.

I first heard about the ICAN INSPIRE Scholarship through the EOP&S program at Evergreen Valley College. The scholarship caught my attention because it aligns perfectly with my values and goals. I was motivated to apply because of its commitment to supporting immigrant students like myself, who are striving to make a difference in their communities. When I found out I was awarded the ICAN Scholarship, I was overjoyed and deeply grateful. It was a significant recognition of my hard work and perseverance, and it reinforced my commitment to my goals. The scholarship provides not just financial support but also a sense of validation and encouragement to continue pursuing my dreams. Honestly, that moment was speechless, all I wanted to do was just hug my Mom and let her know that “Mom, it is your recognition. Without your dedication, I could have given up this journey!”

Looking ahead, I envision giving back to my community by working as an academic counselor. I am passionate about helping students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those who are Vietnamese facing similar challenges to my own. By providing support, experience, and guidance, I hope to empower them to overcome obstacles and achieve their educational and career goals. Also, a stable job would bring me more income to contribute to the ICAN scholarships in the future.

My future plans include completing my Master’s degree in Psychology and working as an academic counselor. In addition, with a deep passion for yoga practice, I will try to achieve the instructor certificate soon. My ideal career pathway would be working as a full-time counselor and a yoga instructor in my free time.

Lastly, I would like to thank the ICAN Scholarship for your support. This award is greatly meaningful to me. More than financial aid, it is an acknowledgment of my resilience. Your belief in students like me truly makes all the difference. I highly appreciate the ICAN Scholarship Committee. The faith you have in me has become a great inspiration for my continued success. Thank you and I wish you all good health.

My name is Gianna Le! I am a Vietnamese-American and an only child. I live with my mom, my grandma, and my dog! I am attending UC San Diego as a cognitive science major.

I was inspired to pursue my degree because it provides an immersive blend between neuroscience, psychology, computer science, and more. The study of the brain has been an interest of mine ever since family members of mine have had brain-related medical issues, namely my father who has passed away. I aim to build my understanding in this realm and hopefully make revolutionary discoveries and innovation. 

I heard about the ICAN scholarship through a friend of my mom. I was motivated to apply because it would make all the difference to my family and education if I were to receive the scholarship. 

When I got the good news, I was in the bathroom but quickly ran out to tell my mom and grandma and while jumping for joy! 

Working in healthcare, I plan to devote my whole life to giving back to the community. I hope to not only be able heal people, but make an everlasting impact on their lives that inspires them to live more ambitiously and passionately. I strive to do this all while having a contagious smile. 

After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to apply to a PA (physician's assistant) master's program, or pursue something similar in the healthcare or psychology field. After that, it is a dream of mine to build a happy family. 

The experience that I gained from volunteering at Goleta Cottage Hospital opened my eyes to how both knowledge and empathy can shape someone’s healing process. It deepened my commitment to pursuing a medical career, where I can actively contribute to improving others’ well-being. I am eager to continue learning and growing in this field, with the hope of making a lasting difference in people's lives.

Hi! I’m Anna, a freshman at UC Berkeley majoring in chemistry. I was inspired to apply for the ICAN INSPIRE Scholarship to connect with a community that provides mentorship and resources for first-generation college students. Receiving this scholarship means so much to me as I continue my academic journey at UC Berkeley. This will help open doors for me to discover new opportunities, support my academic aspirations, and contribute to achieving my academic achievements. I’m excited to contribute to my community in the future through my work in healthcare, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support from the ICAN INSPIRE community.