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E-Scholars Journey to Vietnam
Author: Paul Marsnick
In January 2023, ten students from the E-18 cohort embarked on a special adventure: a two-week trip to Vietnam. The expedition provided them with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in Vietnamese culture, traditions, and business.
“The primary goal of this international trip is to get students outside of their comfort zone,” said Paul Marsnick, director of the E-Scholars program. “It’s when they’re outside of their comfort zone that the greatest learning happens.”
The trip began with a flight from Minneapolis to Seattle. During a layover in Seattle, an unexpected problem was discovered: the three students’ Vietnam visa information did not match the information on their passports. The students were told they could not board the international flight. For these students, their international trip was over before it even began.
“Our flight was scheduled to depart in two hours, but our incorrectly printed visas would not let us on the plane,” says David Durenberger, E-18. “So we put Paul’s mantra ’embrace ambiguity’ into practice and began searching for a solution. After about 20 minutes of searching, we found a website that promised to issue a ‘visa on arrival’ within 60 minutes. We sprung into action and within the hour we had the documents we needed on our phones.”
After a good night’s sleep at Saigon’s famed Continental Hotel, the E-18 group engaged in a long-standing E-Scholars tradition: a scavenger hunt. Teams of three or four E-Scholars were given five hours to complete a series of tasks and create a five-minute presentation. Tasks included:
- Buying small items at Ben Thanh Market
- Rickshaw ride and video
- Visit the War Remnants Museum and take photos
- Get videos of your teammates eating local snacks and fruits you’ve never seen or tasted before.
Most of the time in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang was spent on business visits that the students had planned weeks and months in advance. Small groups of students visited technology companies, local artists, a soccer training facility, a surf shop, a real estate investor, a craft brewery, and more. One small group of students visited a 3M facility in Ho Chi Minh City. One of the highlights of the trip was the full group’s visit to Everfit, a technology company founded by E-9 Long Nguyen.
“Ron was planning a grand opening of his new office in Da Nang and invited E-Scholar,” said Paul Marsnick. “Ron and his partners gave speeches, there was music, food and drinks, and government officials were in attendance. It was spectacular and inspiring to see E-Scholar graduates become hugely successful global entrepreneurs.”
Of course, the trip wasn’t all work. There was also time for sightseeing and cultural visits on weekends and during breaks. The whole group participated in a food tour guided by a Vietnamese university student throughout the afternoon and evening. The E-scholars traveled by scooter to the city’s most popular food stalls and hidden alleyways, sampling delicacies that locals really love to eat. The whole group also took a day trip to Hoi An Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Da Nang.
The success of this unforgettable trip would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of many different people and companies. Special thanks go to Long Nguyen (E-9), who welcomed us at Everfit’s headquarters in Da Nang, Tran Pham (E-7), who served as our Vietnamese translator and guide, and Vinh Ho (’98) and Patrick Leung (’73), who were essential guides throughout the trip. Their contributions were essential to the success of this trip and the unforgettable memories created by the E-18 cohort.
College of Saint Benedict St. John’s University
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Donald McNealy Entrepreneurial Center
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Paul Marsnick
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320-363-2033
Becca Brzezinski
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320-363-2065
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