Esther Nguyen currently attends the University of California, Davis and is a graduate of Middle College High School. She will begin her third year at UC Davis in the fall of 2024, and she joined the Richmond Promise Summer Associate program in the summer of 2024.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Is there anything in particular that motivates you as you go through college and prepare yourself for a career?

A: My family has always motivated me to strive for success. Coming from a family with an ambitious mother and a high-achieving brother, I’m always searching to become the better version of myself. Whether that’s through my academics, my well-being, or my passions, I’m always striving to produce results that I can continuously be proud of. Other things that motivate me are my curiosity. I’m always looking to learn new things not just about myself but about the different paths I can take. 

Q: How has Richmond Promise played a role in your education?

A: I believe a lot of people only know Richmond Promise for its scholarship but Richmond Promise does more than provide financial aid. From Near-Peer Ambassadors and Career Hubs to internships and mentoring, RP has many resources to support students. To this day, I still refer back to the materials from the RP workshops to help me in not only my education but my personal life as well.

Q: Why did you choose to be a Richmond Promise Summer Associate and what are you hoping to take from the experience?

A: During my second year in college, I got a better grasp of what it means to connect with your community and give back to it. Along with my identities as a Vietnamese-American, a woman, a student, etc., I also identify as a Richmond scholar. This identity opened the pathway of being a Richmond Promise Summer Associate and I wanted to give back to the community in which I grew up. I also wanted to provide support to those transitioning to college and hopefully inspire high school students to pursue higher education. 

In this position, I’m hoping to take away transferable skills that I can apply to different sectors of my life. I also hope to be able to learn from all of the people I interact with and their experiences. 

Q: What do you want to contribute to Richmond and/or the world?

A: I’ve spent the majority of my second year in college embracing what it means to be a woman and how I can uplift women’s voices at UC Davis. As part of the Davis Women in Business club, I’ve embodied the core values of friendship, diversity, and empowerment and these are values I want to bring into my community. I want to produce game-changing opportunities for the young women (and everyone) in Richmond and inspire the next generation of leaders.

Q: How has your current college experience gone and what has been the best part?

A: Being in college has allowed me to find independence, my voice, and overall become a new person. The best part is finding my community, people I could connect with, and my passions. When it comes to college, we’ll all have our rough patches and stumble now and then but having a great support system and a community helps bring you up and grow as a person. Along with that, having passions has allowed me to set goals for myself and achieve greater heights. 

Q: What are you looking forward to doing after finishing school?

A: Learning new things, going to new places, and building relationships!