Texas A&M biology majors and brothers Kyle ’24 (left) and Henry Nguyen ’25 credit the chance to be Science Leadership Scholars as a single of their deciding aspects in picking out to attend Texas A&M.
Chris Jarvis/ Texas A&M University College of Arts & Sciences
When the Nguyen brothers opted to grow to be Science Leadership Scholars (SLS) at Texas A&M University, they simultaneously laid claim to a exceptional distinction: the initial-ever sibling pair in the program’s history.
Kyle Nguyen ‘24 and his younger brother Henry Nguyen ’25, who describes himself in his SLS biography as “the tiny brother of the guy on my appropriate,” grew up collectively in Sugar Land, Texas. Currently, they share their Aggie status, the Texas A&M campus, a biology main, a passion for medicine and an exclusive array of possibilities afforded to them even though the SLS System.
Influence Of Former Students
SLS was launched in 2016 with generous underwriting from dozens of Texas A&M former students, donors, and faculty to deliver assistance to initial-generation, higher-performing students from low-earnings households who are majoring in science-associated disciplines. For Kyle and Henry, the chance to be SLS Scholars was a single of their deciding aspects in attending Texas A&M.
“I owe a lot of my selection to be an Aggie to SLS,” Kyle mentioned. “I do not feel I would be right here without the need of SLS, and it surely helped guide me by means of receiving into college.”
A different issue, Kyle and Henry mentioned, was the assist of former SLS academic advisor Victor Castillo ’13.
“Going into freshman year and not figuring out something and getting your personal private advisor that aids you is possibly the most valuable factor,” Kyle mentioned. “He surely led by way by means of freshman year and set me up for the subsequent couple of years.”
For Henry, Castillo helped him navigate by means of his initial year on campus — figuring out registration and resolving problems with Sophisticated Placement (AP) credits.
Castillo, at the moment an assistant director in the Workplace of Diversity and Inclusion at Mays Enterprise College, also recalls his time with the Nguyen brothers positively.
“They have been my best-notch youngsters in the plan, and they’re each performing wonderful points,” Castillo mentioned. “It’s surely a testament to their parents and how they have been raised that they are two students in the exact same plan performing wonderful points at Texas A&M.”
Loved ones Help
In terms of their parents and the rest of their loved ones, Kyle and Henry’s connection with them is a single of the factors they function so difficult, they mentioned.
“A element of striving to do effectively in common is to give back to our loved ones and folks that have helped us along the way,” Kyle mentioned. “Our loved ones has sacrificed a lot for us to be here — our parents had the life, and they chose to give it up.”
Henry, age three (left) and Kyle, age four, in their hometown of Sugar Land, Texas.
Courtesy photo
In truth, Henry mentioned his selection to pursue a profession in medicine with his biology background stems from its relevance inside their household.
“I’ve normally been surrounded by human anatomy considering that I was young, and I wanted to go into it mainly because a lot of our loved ones members are in medicine, so I wanted to dive into it as well,” Henry mentioned.
Elite Scholars
Kyle’s academic profession at Texas A&M started in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, inhibiting his capability to connect with his classmates and make close friends about campus. This posed an concern for him in his freshman year — and SLS was a welcome answer.
“With COVID year, not getting in a position to meet anyone…it was surely the pathway for me getting right here and receiving began,” Kyle mentioned.
Like his brother, Henry also located solace by means of SLS in terms of acquiring a group of close friends.
“I believed it was going to be difficult to meet new folks and make new close friends through my freshman year, and meeting with the members in my year surely helped me,” Henry mentioned. “Five folks from SLS have been my close friends considering that then, study buddies and all that stuff.”
Castillo notes that the scholar choice procedure is rigorous, governed in element by achievements as effectively as SAT/ACT scores. When Henry was selected a year following Kyle, it was completely by possibility.
“The truth that they’re coming from the exact same household, each higher-attaining students, initial-generation, low earnings — it is crazy how they each got into this elite plan,” Castillo mentioned. “We only choose about 20 youngsters every year out of the 800 incoming freshmen, so the truth that they each got in was wonderful. They’re each funny, excellent youngsters. I enjoy them to death.”
In addition to crediting Castillo and SLS, Henry mentioned his older brother’s leadership and assistance have also been valuable.
“I definitely appreciate my older brother for paving the path for me,” Henry mentioned. “We’re the exact same main, we take the exact same classes, so any queries I have, I can just ask him.”
To find out much more about supporting initial-generation students in the College of Arts and Sciences, get in touch with the improvement group.
