Uyen Nguyen (she/her) was the Commencement speaker for the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE) at the 2024 University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) Commencement ceremony. Nguyen graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in healthcare management and minoring in finance, and while she always knew she’d go into business, it wasn’t until studying at UMD that she found the right fit.
Nguyen was born in Vietnam, and her family moved to Minnesota when she was just seven years old. Inspired by many of her family members working in the healthcare field, she’s now actively searching for careers where she can put her degree to use within healthcare administration.
Outside of classes, Nguyen has been involved across campus, from leadership roles in Student Government Association (including rep-at-large, financial officer and, most recently, as student body president), to vice president of Omicron Delta Kappa, secretary for the Student Health Care Management Association, and CORE ambassador for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In her spare time, you could find Nguyen at the gym, exploring Duluth’s food scene, curled up with a book, or spending time with friends and family.
Looking back at her time at UMD, Nguyen remembers just how much has changed. From overcoming a pandemic to graduating, “we're super adaptable now,” she says. “You should be proud of that.”