by David DeKunder
Tri Ma and Nguyen Phuong Thao “Katie” Pham are two students from Vietnam who have taken different paths to get to St. Mary’s University.
Ma and Pham, who are both sophomores, are students in the University’s Greehey School of Business. While they come from different areas in Vietnam and found their own way to St. Mary’s, they have one thing in common: They believe St. Mary’s is helping them pave the way for success in their future careers.
“International students are vital to campus life, bringing fresh ideas, diverse cultural traditions and new worldviews that significantly enhance learning, build empathy and enrich the overall student experience at St. Mary’s,” said Anne Faucett, Director of International Admission and the Center for International Programs. “Tri and Katie are no exception. They are brilliant young students. We are fortunate enough to have them part of our international Rattler family.”
Small classes, big picture
Ma, who is from the Dong Nai province in southeast Vietnam, is majoring in Accounting. Before arriving at St. Mary’s, Ma was a high school exchange student, attending high schools in Oregon and Arkansas.
Since he has family members living in San Antonio, Ma applied to several schools in the area before choosing St. Mary’s.
“St. Mary’s is a bit unique because it’s smaller than the other schools,” Ma said. “I like the small classes. I do have time to connect with my professors and help them do research, and I feel like it’s a bit easier to make friends. That’s why I like St. Mary’s.”
Already, as a sophomore, Ma said St. Mary’s is providing him with a clearer career path than he had when he started at the University. He credits his strong relationships with his professors, who have helped him as he decides his career path, as he has changed his major to Accounting to become a CPA.
In addition, Ma said that college life in the U.S. has allowed him to become more independent, enabling him to do certain things he had never had a chance to do before.
“I’ve had to learn how to drive on my own, so it is a whole new experience,” Ma said. “It’s small things like this that add up to a life-changing experience.”
Catholic connection
Pham was born in Ho Chi Minh City and came to St. Mary’s after graduating from high school in her native country. She has family in Texas, and attending a University with a Catholic identity was important to her.
“I wanted to go to a Catholic school with strong values, and I prefer a smaller community because I feel like we can actually connect with professors, like they really care about students,” Pham said. “They really support you, which I really love about St. Mary’s.”
Pham is a Finance and Risk Management major with a minor in Business Analytics, whose goals are to earn her master’s, work as a business analyst, and then start her own business. Business is in her bloodlines, as her family members are business owners in Vietnam.
Pham has become a mentor to fellow business students. She added that becoming a member of the Gamma Iota Sigma business fraternity has opened doors to further her career goals through networking opportunities, internships and activities that build her résumé.
At St. Mary’s, Pham said she has become part of a culture that has allowed her to become more independent — from going to the store to buy groceries to making friends on campus.
“I’m really shy when I’m talking to a stranger,” Pham said. “But here, I have a lot of friends. I have a lot of connections.”
