Gustavus Adolphus College

Nhung Le, a Gustavus Adolphus College sophomore, has been named a Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation Scholar for 2006-08. This is the sixth time in six years a Gustavus student has won this award.

Le, a resident of Ha Noi, Vietnam, was among just six students named as Phillips Scholars this year. The Phillips Scholarship supports outstanding students intending to dedicate a portion of their lives to community service. Phillips Scholars are selected on the basis of potential leadership and academic credentials. The two-year scholarships provide $5,000 during each of the junior and senior years, as well as a $4,000 summer stipend to develop and implement a self-designed service project that addresses unmet needs in Minnesota communities.

Le’s project, “Beautiful Cultures and Love is All Around,” consists of activities and workshops planned for first through fourth grade students during the summer of 2007 in St. Peter. The eight-week program will help the children, specifically targeting those of Somali and Hispanic descent, learn about and understand each other’s cultural background.

“The main goals of my project,” says Le, “are to establish an appreciation of different heritages and cultures through community interaction and to enhance close relationships between children from different backgrounds.”