By Khanh Vu, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers
When you walk into the room, you will not normally notice Richard Nguyen. He is humble and reflective. However, if you spend any time in the room to listen and see the interaction, you will notice that Richard is a thoughtful and perceptive young man. Other students who know him will usually seek his opinion.
Nguyen’s family immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam. He has strived to take advantage of the opportunities that are provided to him. Nguyen states about school and life, “School is definitely important to me. It allows me to learn more about various things to expand not only my perspective, but also my direction in life. On a daily basis, I always learn something new that makes me grow as a professional, as a student, and as an individual. School gives me a chance to learn about different things as well, sometimes even shifting my interests and direction for my future.”
Currently in his last year of school, Nguyen will be graduating from the prestigious and difficult Colorado School of Mines (CSM) in Mechanical Engineering. As rigorous as CSM is, he has excelled academically, but finds time to participate in many organizations and hang out with his friends.
Nguyen has many hobbies, but two that he was able to turn into a professional passion are his love of car and technology. His previous summer internships with Toyota (his dream internship) and other companies have helped him gain valuable work experience, and he will be highly sought after at the career fair.
Beyond his academic achievements and professional experience, he cares about the people around him, particularly the people who look up to him. Since he has led various campus organizations early in his collegiate career, he is able to be around to mentor the leaders who follow him.
“As a leader of multiple organizations, one of my main inspirations is when I am able to see others grow and become amazing individuals. Often times as I play the mentor role, I will also learn many things as if I was a mentee,” reflecting on his collegiate
leadership experience.
Being an immigrant, he is aware of his roots. Nguyen states, “In many cases, being an Asian American has given me a diverse background that allows me to approach things differently. Having a different perspective definitely helps in many cases. In some cases, however, growing up with certain values has hindered me as well; I am very humble, a trait that does not help my actions and
achievements get noticed by others.”
He values seeing people develop to their full potential. Some leaders love the spotlight, but Richard Nguyen would rather shine that spotlight on others.
About Richard Nguyen
School: Colorado School of Mines
Involvements: Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, Multicultural Engineering Program, Society of Automotive Engineers, Daniels Fund Scholarship Recipient
Quote he lives by: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky
Richard in three words: Spontaneous, distinctive, leader
Hobbies/interests: Playing music, photography, working on sports cars, snowboarding, and keeping up with electronic technologies or gadgets
Dream job: Chief automotive design engineer
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