Meet Zoe Nguyen

Zoe Nguyen (she/her) is a senior with a major in art history and a minor in museum & curatorial studies.

She was born and raised in a small town in Vietnam, where the majority is devoted to Catholicism. Coming to the States, her social and cultural values were undoubtedly opposite to that of most Americans, but this difference triggered her curiosity about multiculturalism.

Zoe understands that art is one of the best sources for illustrating aesthetics, language, religion, and social values, which draws her to study the history of art. Her favorite subjects to study are the cultural exchange between the East and West and the historical events of the Renaissance period.

She is also interested in learning about cultural heritage and its influence on modern society. This curiosity triggered her to take action. Last July, Zoe was admitted to the fully sponsored Andrew W. Mellon Undergraduate Fellowship Program in LA for introductory training in art conservation. Competing with her cohorts from the program, Zoe won an internship at the Cleveland Museum of Art next summer, which is also fully sponsored.

After completing her bachelor's degree, she plans to pursue a master's degree in art conservation. Despite the language barrier and challenges from her family background, Zoe works hard to achieve her goal because she believes in Paulo Coelho's saying, "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."