After coordinating Orientation 2009, Reunion & Commencement Weekend 2010, and now this year’s Homecoming and Family Weekend, Cuong Nguyen ’12 is a recognizable face on campus. Recently back from a year abroad in London, the impeccably dressed Math and Economics double major is settling in at the housing lottery’s much coveted Pine Palace, and already submitting job applications on top of his busy schedule.
The Argus: Why do you deserve to be a Wesceleb?
Cuong Nguyen: I’m very active in a lot of groups around campus, like the Wesleyan Vietnamese Student Association. I also volunteer at the Office of Community service. It’s a good chance for me to tell people about that. You may not have heard about me. I spent a year abroad last year.
A: You only have one year left. What are your plans?
N: I’m a senior interviewer at the admissions office. The job lasts up until WesFest and I’m really looking forward to welcoming the new class. I want to reconnect with people again, through classes, jobs, different activities.
A: What were you doing abroad?
N: I spent the year studying at the London School of Economics (LSE). I took four in-depth classes that spanned the year. I had a lot of opportunities to be in the involved in the LSE community—I got involved with the Finance Society. So I got to work with two companies and bring them to campus and connect employers and students.
A: What’s been the hardest thing about coming back from a year abroad?
N: They always say you have reverse culture shock, and I completely agree with that. I came back to Wesleyan actually from my last day of work in London within 20 hours. The biggest shock was seeing everyone again. It’s just so overwhelming at first. I didn’t know what to say to anybody.
A: What seems to have changed the most since you’ve been gone?
N: I have a different perspective on Wesleyan now. Before, I loved Wes, but I didn’t feel I was going to miss it or that I was truly connected to it. But coming back, I have a new-found appreciation for our community.
A: What do you miss about London?
N: I wish I could bring to Wesleyan the hustle and bustle of a busy city: the attractions, the tour sites, pubs, and museums. There are an endless amount of activities to do. When I was in London, going out was always such an extravagant ordeal. I would normally go out in a suit-you wear slacks, button-up shirt tucked in; you try to look as posh as possible. Here, I try to dress up a little bit, but then I end up going a little bit over the top because my perception of “casual” is completely different from everyone else’s.
A: As a senior interviewer, what would you ask a WesCeleb?
N: I would ask what his/her favorite experience is. If you were to ask me that, I would talk about how, being a math and economics major, I need something completely out of my comfort zone to make me well-rounded. So performing in Terpschiore was probably my best experience on campus. I didn’t think I’d be able to go up before a stage of 120 people and perform modern dance.
A: So on top of all this, you’re also doing a thesis…
N: I’m not going to lie, I don’t know exactly what I’m doing yet–but I have a rough idea. A lot of firms tend to merge or acquire another firm. One of the main schools of thought is that mergers and acquisitions can lead to diversification of your company. The other school of thought is why should corporates do it, because private investors can do it themselves. So I’ll be looking at the legitimacy of mergers and acquisitions as a means for diversification.
A: You also live in Pine Palace. How does that balance out with everything?
N: Let me preface that by saying that I am an old man. I go to bed at 11:30 or 12:00 at the latest and that’s me being wild. I wake up at around 7:00 everyday. I’m just a very productive person in the morning. But living in Pine Palace is an incredible opportunity—it’s a huge house with good friends. My room is not completely furnished. (Interviewer’s note: his room is impeccably organized.)
A: How do you de-stress from everything on your plate?
N: To be honest, I don’t get that stressed out. I do once in a while. I’m a very busy person and I try to keep myself busy. So I guess that’s how I de-stress—I just keep myself busy and give myself more things to do. In the end, I just look at the grand scheme of things.
A: If you could go back in time, what time period would you go to and what modern device would you bring back with you?
N: I would love to go back to medieval times. I remember studying about heraldry and knights. I would love to go back and see everything in action: the tournaments, the fairs, the knights in battles. I would bring back my camera and relive the moment.