The Magic of UWC Connections
It’s always nice to reconnect with people who have walked the same path, shared similar life-changing experiences, and carry the same set of values that shaped your own journey.
This week, I had the joy of gathering with fellow alumni from the United World Colleges (UWC) movement here in Ho Chi Minh City. What started as a casual dinner became a lovely conversation about life, careers, and the values that still guide us years after graduation.
For those unfamiliar, UWC is a movement with a mission to make education a force to unite people, nations, and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. It’s where young people from across the globe live and learn together, building a community rooted in empathy, curiosity, and service.
The Gathering – A Cross-Generational Alumni Dinner
On Monday evening, our group of UWC alumni met for dinner. We represented different campuses, graduation years, and career paths, yet we were united by our shared history.
Around the table were:
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Chi Ngoc, a UWC Pearson College alum.
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Anh Hai, who graduated from UWC in Norway.
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Chi Trang, a graduate of UWC India.
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Two recent graduates from the class of 2022, now pursuing bachelor’s degrees in the United States.
Some of us had graduated many years ago, pursued higher education, and spent years working abroad before returning to Vietnam. The younger alumni, fresh from UWC, were full of energy, ideas, and questions about how to navigate life after such a unique education.
The COVID Generation – A Different UWC Experience
As we talked, I realized just how different their UWC journeys had been from ours.
When I attended UWC, we had the freedom to fully immerse ourselves in school life—cultural nights, service projects, sports tournaments, and countless late-night conversations in the dorms. The COVID-19 pandemic changed all of that for the class of 2022.
They spent months dealing with restrictions, canceled events, and uncertainty about travel. Instead of bustling activity, their campus life often meant online classes, smaller gatherings, and creative ways to connect while staying safe.
Yet despite these limitations, they had still absorbed the essence of UWC—international understanding, resilience, and adaptability. Their stories reminded me that values are not dependent on circumstances; in fact, they often grow stronger in challenging times.
The Big Question – How to Live the UWC Values After Graduation
At one point, one of the younger alumni looked at me and asked:
“How do you make career decisions that align with UWC values?”
It’s a question that many of us, even years after graduation, continue to wrestle with.
I told them that the answer isn’t about finding the perfect “UWC-approved” career. Rather, it’s about how you work, why you do what you do, and how you treat others along the way.
For example, my own career took me into finance—a field that doesn’t always have the best reputation for social impact. But within that space, I sought out projects that matched my values, used my position to advocate for ethical practices, and kept service at the heart of my personal life.
Small Acts, Big Impact – Redefining Change
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned since leaving UWC is that change doesn’t have to be grand to be meaningful.
During my years in London, I volunteered at Bow Food Bank. The charity was founded by a group of local people, including those from Bow Church, Our Lady & St. Catherine of Siena Church in Bow and from the local Synagogue and Gurdwara. Still today, representatives from these groups are involved as trustees. We assembled food packages for families—many of whom had steady jobs but still struggled to feed their children. That experience taught me that even small, consistent acts of service can have a ripple effect.
You don’t need to lead an international NGO to make a difference. You can:
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Mentor a younger student
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Support a local community project
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Listen without judgment to someone who needs to be heard
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Advocate for fairness and kindness in your workplace
These small actions, multiplied by many people, create real change.
Breaking Down the UWC Values in Everyday Life
The UWC mission is supported by a set of core values that can be applied far beyond campus. Here’s how I see them showing up in daily life:
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International and Intercultural Understanding
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Stay curious about other cultures, even if you don’t travel often.
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Make an effort to understand the perspectives of colleagues, friends, and neighbors from different backgrounds.
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Celebrating Differences
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Approach disagreements as opportunities to learn.
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Value diversity in your personal and professional circles.
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Personal Challenge
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Push yourself out of your comfort zone regularly.
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Take on projects or roles that scare you a little—it’s where growth happens.
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Service and Compassion
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Look for needs in your immediate community and respond with kindness.
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Volunteer, donate, or simply be there for people in difficult times.
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Responsibility
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Be mindful of the impact of your actions on others and the environment.
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Take ownership of your mistakes and learn from them.
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Lessons From the Next Generation
What struck me most that evening was the thoughtful curiosity of the younger alumni. They weren’t looking for perfect role models; they wanted honest conversations about how to navigate life in a complex world.
I encouraged them to:
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Experiment with different courses and internships in university.
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Seek mentors who inspire them and challenge their thinking.
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Be open to paths that don’t look “linear” but lead to meaningful growth.
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Stay connected to the UWC network for support and collaboration.
Why Alumni Conversations Matter
Alumni gatherings are spaces for shared reflection, advice, and inspiration.
For the younger alumni, hearing our stories gave them a sense of perspective: that careers are not always straightforward, that values can be lived in many ways, and that it’s okay to take time to figure things out.
For us older alumni, their energy and idealism reminded us why we chose UWC in the first place. They made me feel hopeful for the future and more committed to staying engaged with the movement.
Carrying the Values Forward
Leaving the dinner, I felt a deep sense of gratitude—not just for the people I had shared the evening with, but for the UWC experience itself.
It has been many years since I graduated, yet the lessons from those two years continue to guide me:
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To approach others with empathy
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To embrace difference instead of fearing it
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To challenge myself and grow continuously
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To serve, even in small, quiet ways
The younger alumni I met will, I’m sure, carry these same values forward—into their studies, their careers, and the communities they will one day lead.
The Lasting Power of UWC
The UWC movement has been around for decades, but its mission feels more urgent than ever. In a world often divided by politics, culture, and ideology, the ability to connect across differences is a rare and precious skill.
Whether you’re a fresh graduate or a seasoned professional, UWC values aren’t just ideals to admire—they’re tools for living. They help us build bridges where others see walls, and they remind us that meaningful change often starts with the simplest of actions.
That Monday dinner was a beautiful reminder: We may have left campus years ago, but UWC never really leaves us.