Student Spotlight: Conversation with Michael Nguyen, Class of 2026

 

Name (pronouns): Michael Nguyen (he/him)

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

Year at Geisel: M2

Career interest: Undecided specialty

The best thing about Geisel is: Our close-knit community

Favorite spot in the Upper Valley: On the Connecticut in the summer

Favorite activity in the Upper Valley: Skiing at the Dartmouth Skiway

Book/poem Recommendation: In Waves by A. J. Dungo

Most treasured travel: Camping on a remote beach on Kauai

Guilty pleasure: All dressed chips. Glad that Canadian treasure made it south of the border!

 

Originally from a suburb outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, Michael Nguyen graduated from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) with a degree in biology. As an undergraduate, he founded the Vietnamese Student Association, volunteered on an urban farm addressing Cleveland’s food deserts, and worked part time. After a year of working for a non-profit, he returned to CWRU to pursue a masters degree in bioethics and medical humanities. This program coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which proved to be a timely reference for his interests in health equity, interdisciplinary healthcare, and research ethics. Michael further explored these while conducting research on the healthcare experiences of Southeast Asian Americans. His graduate studies helped him discern how, as a physician, he aspires to become a health change-maker for both individuals and the greater community. Now an M2 at Geisel, Michael continues his volunteer work addressing food disparities at the Upper Valley Haven and is a Global Health Scholar. 

 

In his free time, he loves cooking, yoga, and spending time with friends. He also loves getting outside to surf, hike, and camp. Skiing has also become a new favorite pastime, which he picked up on the Skiway this past winter. Being from Ohio, he feels especially fortunate to have had the opportunities to pursue these hobbies while traveling, living in Southern California, and now calling the Upper Valley home.