Where I am now after three and half years residing in Hawaii

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been residing in Hawaii for three and half years. Since I left the East-West Center, I’ve been working at the University of Hawaii, supporting for their international collaboration and exchange programs with the Southeast Asian countries.

Life is peaceful in Hawaii – a common saying by many peoples. However, I feel my life has been flowing with workload in the program administration associated with a lot of paper work and logistic arrangement. Moving from the business environment, my background and work experience in Vietnam, to the field of international education in Hawaii, I’ve been passionate and inspired, first by the APLP, then the UH-College of Education. This has made my major of international relations slightly switching to the international academic affairs. In fact, I have a desire to pursue a master or PhD in student affair administration. Would this be too ambitious at this mid-age? Would this help me to achieve my long-term goals for my career of international affairs? Would this allow me to have time for myself, family, kids, and social activities?  I am still struggling for a final decision.  

Suddenly and recently, I’ve had time to review my short-term and long-term goals as written in my PAPs during our time studying at APLP. Perhaps many of you may remember it J. It’s only recent I have time to think about the PAPs because of the summer break. While many professors and students were enjoying their vocation, as usual, I made a three week-trip to Vietnam to support for the UH faculty developing new partnerships in higher education. Again, I was extremely busy to organize a lot of activities such as conference, workshops, and meetings - a lot of administrative and logistic arrangement. Many times I told myself, the paid-off and reward from my work, is a free trip back to my home country so I have time to visit my family, relatives, and friends.  Well, I am kind of thinking again – is this worth for working in the administration area for 9 months to trade off with a few weeks for both work and fun in Vietnam? Now, I’ve become a dual citizen. I have my own company (www.viethawaiistrategic.com) that was established since March 2013. Haven’t been able to do anything profitable because of the UH workload. And I have quite some project ideas, for example, developing some student exchange (summer) programs between Hawaii and Vietnam. Again, I have not had time to make it happened.

Then I started to hear the opportunity for working with the Federal Government.  One of many other benefits (compared to the State job at UH) to work for the Federal Government is a better income and flexible working hours. Taking a chance, I submitted a couple of application in July.  Just received an offer for a position as a Regional Coordinator for a DOD agency, working remotely with colleagues and supervisors in DC! I have not really accepted the offer yet due to another opportunity with the Hawaii Pacific University. Had two interviews with them early this week for the position as the International Student Advisor. Both of the jobs match well with my career interest.  It would be tough for me to choose which one if I receive offer from HPU as well. Hmmm…..I would appreciate any comments and advice from my dear G-12 fellows. Mahalo! Loan

Welcome Emily for hosting our G12 Blog in December

Please move to Hong Kong where Emily has been performing with her passion at the Mother's Choice to support for babies and children who need perpanent homes, and singles girls facing crisis in pregnancies.

The Blog's floor is yours now Emily! We look forward to reading your first article soon.

G12 Ohana.

Return to Work at the East-West Center

In experiencing the Asia-Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) as participants or fellows, the academic-world part of it was only half the East-West Center experience. We were only on a “stage” performing a lot shows (APLP activities), and we received applause and congratulations from the audience (friends and family members) for our successful completion of the shows (graduation from APLP). Have we ever imagined how much work the program team did to make our APLP a successful performance? Having been a part of the education program team this semester, I have experienced amazing work behind the scenes accomplished by a program team that has made such a program success.

That said, it is not only how I feel about the APLP but also some other programs that I have been directly involved in such as the MARA Leadership Transition Program and ProSPER.Net Leadership Program.

The EWC education program has carried out the MARA Leadership Transition Program in collaboration with and funding by the Government of Malaysia, fostering leadership skills and advancing entrepreneurship and a doing business mind-set for Malaysian government leaders, whereas the ProSPER.Net (Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research Network) was implemented in alliance and support by the United Nations University to develop practical leadership skills and enabling participants from various stakeholders, informed policy-thinking and decision-making, new ways of managing knowledge, and implementing research solutions.

Those are not all initiative and innovative leadership activities at the EWC. The program team consists of the same human resources, as you know, that have been managing many other programs. For example, the Century Leadership Program (CLP), the Pacific Islands Leadership Program (PILP), the Pacific Islands Women in Leadership Program (WIL). In the summer, there is the SUSHI and Brunei program as well.

I have been fortunate to be able to participate in some of those programs’ key sessions as part of their training activities that merged with the MARA (in September) and ProSPER.Net groups (in November). The merging sessions were of a similar format that our APLP class experienced with the Brunei group last year.

 Round table discussion - merged activities between MARA and APLP, September 2013

My workday normally starts at 8:00am and ends at 5:30 or 6:00pm.Sometimes I leave much later and work during the weekend, mostly facilitating outdoor activities or site visits with the fellows - for example joining the fellows to visit Pearl Harbor or hiking to the top of Diamond Head. Working and having fun with them is just fantastic! It always brings back nice memories, many of them, of my time as a fellow with all of you with the APLP program last year.

Hiking to Diamond Dead with ProSPER.Net fellows, November 2013

In short, my main role is training operations and facilitation. They considered me as a “glue” to help everything come together, putting all parts of the puzzle in the right place. The puzzle picture is the training program that has been designed. The puzzle pieces are international fellows, guest speakers, training venues, site visits, transportation, training materials, best photo collection, etc. The job requires the ability to handle many different tasks at the same time, requires special attention to detail, and especially to be on time. Sometimes, in order to accomplish multi-assignments, I run around like crazy, resulting in my rarely being in high heels! Hence, I guess my long legs and quick reaction and adaptation have helped a lot to perform this job :-)

Although I consider 6pm late for me, I always see Lori still sitting at her desk, and many times with a tired expression on her face. I don’t know how she can manage such a range of backdrop tasks supporting different programs while still also active in her Hula training activities which, I believe, is her talent and passion. She can even find a time to teach a weekly Hula class at Burns Hall for a group of fellows. Although working in such busy environment, everyone can hear and enjoy her really inspiring laugh. That is an amazing lady. I wish I could have her laugh!

Likewise and it is no surprise that Nina is often in her office late afternoon. Additionally, I bet if you access the APLP hub, you can see her online late in the evening. One of the MARA fellows told me that he was surprised and seriously impressed that one day he had an emergency request by his management in Kuala Lumpur resulting in his needing to talk to program management, and he could come to Burns Hall that day to talk to Nina around 10pm!  The issue was resolved quickly the next day thanks to that late meeting. I have seen Nina involved in teaching an APLP class as well. Wow! Further, she concurrently still effectively manages, coordinates resources and inputs of all programs.

Last Wednesday (before the Thanksgiving), I asked Nina whether I should work on Friday. “It’s calm time for family. I would try not to work this day” – her response really touches me. And yes – I have been enjoying more time with my beautiful children. Do I have time for family? Absolutely this is the right time!

After shopping with my kids on Black Friday, 26 Nov 2013

In the recent staff meeting, I heard Scott mentioned that Nina was going to give a shocking news. I wonder what that was. The answer was that she is going to take off three weeks for her annual leave! :-) She has been working and working so hard, and I guess that she is only taking the leave for Christmas to visit her family in the mainland.  

With Christina at the Waikiki Yacht Club, September 2013

Working with Christina to support the above programs has been the best part of my working and learning experience at the Education Department. I have picked her brain for its reservoir of innovativeness and flexibility in designing and handling crisis, especially last minute decision-making that is sometime very important for the program to adapt to new situations and fit with a specific group of fellows and the funders’ requirements.

Thank-you card from Christina. What a beautiful culture of Thank-you expression!

The members of the Leadership Program, I have found, are of marvellously unique characters from whom I really enjoy learning. It seems that everyone involved in running the programs work at their highest capacity. I wish the EWC would be able to raise more funding so that will allow the Leadership Program to operate with more resources.

Making sure the fellows meet their study objectives, ensuring their leadership skills are enhanced, and bringing them together through many in-class and outdoor activities is a big part of the program’s success. An example of bringing fellows from different parts of the world together is that I have been able to help connect many of them on Facebook. Just a simple click to Add, Like and Comment, that can bring peoples closer – a big difference, isn’t it? We learn that even those who come from the same countries did not know each other before.

I would also like to share my general view of the Leadership Program based on my perspective as an alumnus and a colleague after working with the program team this semester. Having a business-development background, my view is that everything is similar to doing business. One of the successful criteria of a business establishment is the ability to earn benefit by delivering the right and good-quality services and products that meet the right investors and customers satisfaction. My observation though many training programs is that the EWC Education Program has been highly accomplishing their mission. The program’s customers are international fellows, the investors are the funders, and the products and services are many diversified long-term and short-term leadership programs at the EWC.

What more? Oh yes - working and supporting different programs, I am so glad that I have been able to learn from different perspectives and insights from new fellows. The greatest part is that I can learn from their special country perspective related to politics, economy, culture, etc without travelling around the Asia-Pacific. Of course, it is always good to experience in person what is going on in the reality. I believe that working with the leadership program has been enabling me to focus on my academic and career development in international affairs.

Author: Loan Le

Interview with Hawaii Executive MBA Program - November 2013

I have recently been interviewed by the Vietnam Executive MBA Program at the University of Hawaii. The interview is part of the Program's published Newsletter which I would like to share with you since some of my answers addressed the balance between work and life and referred the APLP experience.

===============

Ms. Loan Le is a graduate of VEMBA Hanoi Intake 2 (2001-2004), and has recently graduated from the Asia Pacific Leadership Program at the East-West Center in Hawaii. The Editorial Board of (VEMBA Alumni Newsletter) congratulated and interviewed her on this recent achievement as well as her experience with VEMBA Hawaii.

Ms. Loan Le photo at the VEMBA 2 Graduation Ceremony with the Program Coordinator Dana Alden, May 2004

Loan Le's short biography: A career business development and program management professional, Ms. Loan has worked with the Embassy of Denmark in Hanoi, USAID Vietnam, UNDP, the International Trade Center (ITC) of Geneva, Strategic Consulting Group, MiTac International Corp. (Taiwan ICT), Singapore Business Group, and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in Vietnam.

During her time working with these international organizations, she has provided significant support to the private sector of Vietnam, the U.S., and Denmark. Her major expertise includes business match-making, business development, social entrepreneurship, and trade and investment advice. She has developed hundreds of commercially viable partnerships in various sectors and facilitated many business disputes and resilience-building in Vietnam.

VEMBA Hawaii: What motivated you to study VEMBA Hawaii & how has this program changed you?

My career passion in strengthening the private sector in Vietnam and helping Vietnamese companies to better integrate and cooperate with international partners was my initial motivation to pursue the VEMBA Hawaii. My background and work experience with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) was a good start for me to move forward to my passion.

In 2002, I was working with a UNDP Trade and Export Development Project in Hanoi. Knowing that the VEMBA Program was one of the best-quality accredited MBA programs in Vietnam, especially with it designed to fit with those who had already had business experience at the executive level, I decided to upgrade my skills and knowledge in business management to a larger scale.

The program provided outstanding American professors from Hawaii to teach us not only in theory but very much in practical. I can tell that because a number of professors were business consultants who shared with us a lot of valuable business experience in the U.S.

I was glad that what I learned from the program enabled me not only to perform effectively at the workplaces but also to network and integrate into the community and society both in Vietnam and the U.S.

After graduation from VEMBA, I worked with the Economic Growth Program at USAID, then subsequently with the Business-to-Business (B2B) Program of the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam where I earned a reputation for contributing significantly to the growth of the private sector in Vietnam and Denmark. And since I studied and worked at the East-West Center, I have continued voluntarily to promote doing business in Vietnam with Hawaiian companies by connecting with relevant business stakeholders in Honolulu. As for me personally, the VEMBA Program also changed my mindset in many aspects of life. For example, I learned how to think and work in creative and innovative ways. Before, I was just a good follower to do what exactly I was told to do, in sync with Vietnamese culture :- )

Another unique aspect of the VEMBA program is its offering elective courses in Hawaii. I found this to be a superb opportunity for me and other VEMBA participants to join class with American students and attend a lot of networking events. Until now, I can still maintain my network with people we met in Hawaii 10 years ago. Some have become my mentors; some are my great friends.

The bottom line or what I gained perhaps most from the VEMBA: Confidence. Before graduating from it, when I would receive leads for high-powered jobs, I just didn’t have the confidence to go for them.

That changed with my having earned this Executive MBA. In fact, I became the Head of the B2B Program for the Danish Embassy, with my replacing a career Foreign Service Dane after the Danish Ambassador Peter Lysholt Hansen recognized in me my ability to run his program.   

VEMBA Hawaii: What thing do you remember most about VEMBA Hawaii?

What I remember the most is my time learning and working with my group consisting of six people. We applied each knowledge-gained from the program and our professional experience to help develop a business strategy for a newly established joint venture (JV) in the bedding sector.

One year after consulting and developing a strategy for the venture needing improving, we learned that they had implemented our strategic recommendations; as a result, their sales, turnover, and revenue had increased 30-40% compared to that of the previous year. We had learned well, and the University of Hawaii had taught splendidly!

That was the first time for my performance to bring a tremendous benefit to a company, a fantastic experience in learning by doing. More specifically, it was my group’s performance; they had chosen me to be their group leader.

This consulting where we had to go out and find a company for them to pay for our help was our VEMBA capstone course.

My three favorites about VEMBA Hawaii: Teamwork, fun retreat with the VEMBA cohort, the program staff and professors, and an absolutely wonderful trip to Hawaii for a summer session.

VEMBA Hawaii: VEMBA Hanoi Intake 8 and HCM Intake 6 will take place next month. Could you share with them some advice to be successful in the program or how to balance work-life during this intensive program? Any message you want to give them as new students and as future alumni? 

Asking questions is the first thing I would like to share with VEMBA participants. For example, English is our second language; therefore, sometimes we may not fully understand a part of the lecture. One needs to ask to make sure of understanding.

The more you ask, the more you can learn. Asking questions related to your work is the way you can quickly learn in practice. VEMBA professors sometime may give marvelous advice that helps you make a competent decision or resolve a dilemma in life or at work.

VEMBA program is indeed intensive. I remember often staying up late until 2-3am (even 3:30am for the management accounting course), to complete my individual assignments and coordinate with my team to accomplish group assignments.

Most of us worked during the day and had no time for homework during the day. I was fortunate to have great support from my parents and spouse who took good care of my child for me to concentrate on my work and study. It is hard to have a good balance in this situation, but when we look back, we should be proud of accomplishing successfully such a program. Practice makes perfect, diligence is the mother of success – as our Vietnamese proverb :-) (co cong mai sac co ngay nen kim).

Ms. Loan Le’s photo with her 3 year old-daughter on the VEMBA 2 Graduation Ceremony, May 2004

  

VEMBA Hawaii: You have had one more time to study with the University of Hawaii as an East-West Center Fellow. Could you share your success with East West Center Fellowship Program? How did you experience this opportunity and your advice for candidates this year? 

I am a graduate of the Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) this year. As I know, many fellowship programs prioritize for alumni. I believe that being a VEMBA graduate (GPA 3.5) was part of my success in receiving the APLP fellowship award. And of course, professional work and academic experience, personal talent and capacity are also some criteria that the East-West Center looks into during the application assessment.

My short comment about the APLP at the East-West Center: Participants will enjoy in-class, outdoor activities, potluck, fun, networking, leadership, connection, friendship, collaboration, sharing, team spirit, and especially a three-week field study visit to the east coast of the US or China. For me, it was just a fantastic learning experience not only from the US and international lecturers but particularly from fellows from the many nations of Asia Pacific.

The APLP applications for 2014-2015 are now being accepted through Dec. 1, 2013. Please visit www.eastwestcenter.org/aplp or email aplp@eastwestcenter.org for more information.