Anh Dao Truc Lam

Summer Takeaway: High Road inspired me to apply my knowledge and skills to real life. I began my college journey. Most of my classes surrounded reading, writing, and discussing, which I didn't have any problems with! :) but I was feeling I lacked something greater. Then, I got into the fellowship program and finally had a chance to apply what I learned to the community in Buffalo. It is true that sometimes, the actual life is not similar to what I read in textbooks or learn in class discussions. However, it was more relatable and powerful. This once again reaffirms my decision to get a Ph.D. program. Before the fellowship, I had always wondered why we had to research while working directly with the community would better address the issue. However, after this summer, I realized that we research BECAUSE OF the community. Doing research is not just about getting your research published, but it’s about getting your community well-informed and making knowledge more accessible to the general public. Research enters people's lives in different ways, and I truly believe in the power of knowledge.

Career Path: 

Since I just finished my freshman year at Cornell, I'm still figuring out what career path is the most suitable for me. it's a very tough decision. Right now, I am considering between management consulting and going to a Ph.D. program in Education.

Favorite Memory

I think that my favorite memory during this summer was the first game night that I hosted. I have to admit that I am not a creative person when it comes to online group gaming. I did try to look up on the Internet but still couldn’t find any exciting games for groups. Fortunately, I was able to remember about Tien Len, which is a Vietnamese traditional game that can be played virtually.

The app was entirely in Vietnamese, so I helped the other fellows to navigate through the app. I must admit that our fellows are such fast learners, since they were able to beat over a Vietnamese that has been playing this game since the age of 5. Another memorable moment is when we were able to together construct a poem with the help of our wonderful guest speaker Aitina Cooke. I had not written any poems since high school, so this activity provided me with a space to once again be creative, to play with words, and to collaborate with other students.