PSU receives $3 million sustainability grant Grant will be used to fund new ecosystems Ph.D. program
NEWS 3
’69 is worth a go!
Not all fun and games
Triangle Productions scores with its latest original musical
University recreation spending is beneficial to students
ARTS & CULTURE 4
OPINION 6
www.dailyvanguard.com
Portland State University ESTABLISHED 1946
Wednesday, August 4, 2010 Second cohort of Intel Vietnam Scholars begins at PSU
VOL. 65 NO. 6
Job security in Vietnam
By Tamara K. Kennedy Vanguard staff
P
ortland State University is currently conducting a summer program for the second cohort of Intel Vietnam scholars. Recipients of the competitive scholarship are required to work in the Intel factory in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for at least three years after graduation. After rigorous rounds of competition, only 22 scholars were selected from a pool of over 300 students from six technical universities across Vietnam. During the process, the contestants were only allowed to speak English, according to Marcia Fischer, director of the Vietnam Intel Scholars program and assistant dean of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at PSU. Although Intel Vietnam scholar Tan T. Thoi practiced his English skills intensely for about a month to prepare for the scholarship competition, he was still a little nervous when he was asked questions during the final round in a behavioral and technical interview. Thoi said the Intel Vietnam Scholars program is one of the most prestigious in his country. “I was extremely happy when I got this amazing scholarship,” he said.
MICHAEL PASCUAL/VANGUARD STAFF
Adjusting to PSU: Marcia Fischer welcomes a handful of young scholars from Vietnam last month. Another scholar, Duc Nguyen, 21, felt challenged when the technical tests required sketching out real engineering problems on the board. The test also required him to display his cumulative knowledge of three
years of college in Vietnam and the Test Of English as a Foreign Language [TOEFL] for English proficiency, Nguyen said. The scholars attend PSU’s summer term for a concentrated program to get them
ready for their junior year at PSU. According to Fischer, the style is much different at PSU; unlike PSU’s more hands-on curriculum, many Vietnam-based universities are exam-driven.
After completing their summer program at PSU, the students will then return to Vietnam to intern for the rest of the summer. In the fall, they will come back to PSU to finish their final three terms before graduation, Fischer said. Commenting on her impression of Portland, scholar Khoa A. Nguyen said, “There are two words I think everyone would say about Portland: nice and green.” Fischer and other PSU faculty and staff have learned a lot about working with international students and Vietnamese culture through the program, she said. Fischer indicated that PSU has a history of activity and partnerships with six universities in Vietnam, including the University of Natural Sciences in Ho Chi Minh City and the University of Danang. PSU began discussions with Intel in Vietnam in 2007 concerning the plan to build an assembly and test manufacturing location there and the need to educate engineers. At that point, open request for proposal went out to a number of universities to find the program that would best meet challenges for the Intel Vietnam workforce. After a long series of discussions, PSU ■ INTEL CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
English instructor leaving PSU Aside from teaching, Gwartney also helped establish the MFA creative writing program at PSU. Support from local organizations and the PSU community have kept Gwartney busy on her writing. BY Amy Staples Over the past two to three years, she has been engaged Vanguard staff in research for her current project. She said much of the support comes from a fellowship she received from the At the end of fall quarter, Portland State will lose a American Antiquarian Society and a PSU faculty grant. successful writer and professor; Debra Gwartney, an “I’m ready to concentrate on writing, the structure assistant professor in the English and development of ideas,” she said. Department and a National Book Critics Her interest in frontier history and her Circle Award finalist, is leaving after six “She puts in a lot of family’s role in it will be incorporated years to work on her writing. time with her students into her next book. Gwartney has primarily taught MFA graduate student Steve Beaven said and is a great advocate nonfiction writing during her time at he has taken several classes with Gwartney PSU, along with some literature classes. for their work. This is over four years. However, the memoir genre interests really a loss for the “She is, without a doubt, the best teacher her most. writing program.” I’ve ever had,” he said. “She puts in a lot “The memoir writing courses of time with her students and is a great STEVE BEAVEN I’ve taught have been particularly advocate for their work. This is really a loss popular—they’ve been inspiring and for the writing program.” fun for me, too,” she said. “Every time I teach a course... Gwartney’s plate is full for the foreseeable future, with I learn something new about myself as a writer.” invitations to panel the NonfictionNow Conference at During her career at PSU, Gwartney received two the University of Iowa this fall and a fellowship from the nominations for the John Eliot Allen Excellence in Writer’s Center in Washington, D.C. She is also finishing Teaching Award. an essay for a book about the American West, edited by “This makes me think that the sense of satisfaction and excitement I get in the classroom is happening for students, Lynn Stegner.
National Book Critics Circle Award finalist plans to work on new book
too,” she said.
■ GWARTNEY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBRA GWARTNEY
Debra Gwartney