On July 8, 2019, the Fulbright Bridge program held its opening ceremony to welcome thirty-seven students from various regions of Vietnam. The seven-week program, from July 8 to August 23, aims to prepare students for their undergraduate career in the upcoming fall when they will be joined by an additional eighty peers for Fulbright’s Inaugural Year of 2019-2023.

With the expert guidance of the Learning Support team, students will learn to become comfortable in Fulbright’s small classroom, active learning environment.  For those less confident in their English language fluency in an academic setting, the intensive Bridge classes target the specific skills expected in all Fulbright courses. Bridge meets students at their level with English as a Second Language expertise and knowledge of the academic challenges ahead.

“The summer program is to prepare the students to start strong,” shares Pamela Stacey, the Director of the Bridge program and Undergraduate Faculty Member at Fulbright University Vietnam.

Initially recognized as an intensive language development course, the Bridge program has a larger purpose of fostering community, an important factor for students’ future academic success at Fulbright.

“We’re here to make the students feel confident, to give them the skills they need, and to make them feel a part of the community. Whether it’s help from a faculty member, help from a peer, or help from a Resident Advisor, students will know who to go to.”

Through the Bridge program, students will discover Fulbright’s many resources, making it more likely that they will seek out help when encountering an obstacle. Furthermore, it seeks to level the playing field among students from different educational backgrounds.

With more than 20 years working in the Creative Arts industry and participating in many roles such as actors, playwriters, directors and producers, Tony helped bring out the best for the Bridge Students.

With 14 sessions over the 7-week Students learned to produce and direct their own documentary film (5 minutes in length) they understood more about production equipment including cameras, microphones and editing software.

Another group of students had a chance to learn about basic acting, they were given practical knowledge about acting and stagecraft, they learnt through games and drama activities and at the end were given a chance to showcase their work.

The students worked very hard in preparation for their final performance. They practiced for weeks to perfect every performance, which featured a series of small music performances, documentaries, and short skits, under the guidance of Director Tony Le Nguyen.

The Erato School of Music and Performing Arts was an ideal setting for this intimate performance. The Bridge students were filled with energy on stage and their extreme talent helped create a memorable show. The showcase kept the audience engaged and at the edge of their seat emotionally, which resulted in a lasting and impactful effect that will never be forgotten.