Daniel’s Success Story

In his own words, CSF Alumnus Daniel explains how CSF helped shape his passion for creating cross-cultural connections and providing access to higher education. Daniel shared his story at the Donor Appreciation Party on May 17, 2018, with his family in attendance.

My story began in April 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War long before I was born.

My parents had planned for three years to escape their war-torn country. My grandmother gave up all the gold she had to secure a place on a boat for them, and they left in secret in the middle of the night. They hoped that they would eventually make it to America, a land that promised freedom and opportunity.

The journey wasn’t easy. Once my parents left Vietnam, they knew they couldn’t communicate with their family out of fear that the government would punish them. They left behind all that they knew so that their children could have a better life.

After miraculously evading pirates, shark-infested waters, disease and starvation, the boat’s engine failed. Then my mom saw a helicopter fly by, so she gathered her clothes, doused them with gas from the engine and set them on fire as an SOS beacon. The helicopter contacted a nearby ship which rescued them and took them to a refugee camp in the Philippines. Months later, my parents’ prayers were answered when a church in Bellevue sponsored them to resettle in Seattle, where I was born.

As a student at Franklin High School, seeing my family’s challenges lit a flame within me to excel in school. The trouble was, I was motivated but directionless. Because my parents never went to college, there wasn’t an expectation for me to go. I was also the youngest of 6 children, and it didn’t seem possible financially. My parents worked hard, learned English and eventually opened a mechanic shop and daycare.

Initially I thought I would be a mechanic and follow in my father’s footsteps. Then my older sister Sandy and I heard about the CSF Leadership 1000 scholarship, which we both applied for and received. The application allowed me to reflect on my passions for the first time. CSF helped me realize that not only was college possible, but it was also a vital step in my journey to success.

Earning the L1000 scholarship was the first time I felt other people believed in me. It also connected me to other CSF Scholars and Alumni. As I shared my story with others and listened to theirs, I learned my story was unique but not uncommon. Realizing there are many other students who are struggling motivated me to focus on academics, encourage others and support them like family.

CSF guided me on how to be successful. They taught me how to navigate financial aid and connected me with a mentor, Yong Lee, who worked for Microsoft. Yong taught me priceless lessons I couldn’t find in my textbooks, such as how to set goals and prepare for life after college. With the support of our CSF scholarships, Sandy and I became the first and only members of our family to graduate from college.

We received a world class education at UW, and I excelled academically. I was elected for student office, interned for the Seattle mayor’s office and mentored incoming freshman. I took history classes on the Vietnam War that helped me understand my family’s history on a global scale. I also took Vietnamese language courses which allowed me to connect with my parents.

During my sophomore year, CSF gave me the opportunity to study abroad in Vietnam. Armed with the knowledge I learned from my classes along with family photos and unwavering determination, I was able to find my lost grandparents and connect them on Skype to my parents. A few weeks ago, my family surprised my dad with tickets to Vietnam so he could see his mother for the first time since they left over 40 years ago.

I never would have thought this was possible. But CSF opened up the door for a special kind of education. This education helped shape my passion to create cross-cultural connections and provide access to higher education for students around the world.

After graduation, I taught English at a school in Tokyo that was very similar to Franklin High School. The students came from low-income families but excelled in academics. I loved mentoring students to help them apply for universities and scholarships. After 3 years, I’m back in Seattle with a desire to continue helping students access higher education as a CSF alumni and donor in my hometown.

I am grateful for the generosity of Microsoft, my scholarship benefactor, and the impact it had on me and my family. I also can’t thank CSF enough. They have treated me like family and helped shape the person that I am today.

Many students have dreams, just like I did, of having a better life. Education is the great equalizer, and CSF makes those dreams a reality.