Vietnamese Aviation Program Celebrates at CWU

The first cohort of 30 Vietnamese students studying aviation maintenance completed their program at CWU last quarter and held their degree completion ceremony on March 20, 2009. This program is a joint project of CWU’s Department of Aviation, American Pacific University (APU) in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and Vietnam Airlines (VNA). Also integral to the successful implementation of this program are the College of Education and Professional Studies, the Office of Continuing Education, and the Office of International Studies and Programs.

The completion ceremony was held at the SURC Theater and attended by the graduates, family and friends from Vietnam, fellow students, official delegates from APU and VNA, and CWU faculty and staff. Provost Wayne Quirk, CEPS Interim Dean Connie Lambert, Aviation Department Chair Amy Hoover, APU student Hieu Le Nguyen, APU President Binh Thy Ngyugen Tran and VNA Training Director Nguyen Thi Minh Ha spoke at the completion ceremony about the importance of this project in terms of building bridges to provide professional training, enhanced cross-cultural understanding, and improved international cooperation between Vietnam and the United States. A second, smaller group of ten VNA/APU aviation students started their program this Spring quarter. In addition to the aviation students, we have also received seven additional matriculated students who are not majoring in aviation from APU this academic year. Congratulations to all the students, faculty, and staff who have helped make this important program such a rousing success!