Creating a Sense of Belonging With Pitzer in Vietnam

From ancient temples to lush mountainsides to bustling cities, Vietnam offers students diverse cultural opportunities. Pitzer in Vietnam combines studying abroad with language learning and community engagement rooted in social responsibility.

Pitzer in Vietnam is a six-week summer program that provides robust exposure to the country and its people. Students live with host families and learn from Huế University scholars. They connect with the local community by interning at non-profits and organizations. They practice Vietnamese at every opportunity. A capstone research project also culminates their intercultural experiences.

As the coordinators of the Pitzer in Vietnam program, Tam Tran and Cong Ho support students for every step of their journey abroad. This support begins even before students arrive in Vietnam. Tran and Ho often visit Claremont in the spring to teach Vietnamese language and meet with students interested in the summer program. They also teach the faculty and host families in Vietnam about American culture.

“We respect the culture together,” said Tran. “We have to understand [each other] so we both can work together.”

Hands-on Learning

Students see history come alive through the intricate architecture, majestic stone soldiers, and beautiful landscaping of the imperial tombs in Huế. They also explore the ancient Champa ruins of My Son, one of the foremost Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Hạ Long Bay surrounds students with towering islands, emerald waters, and rainforests.

Students also taste diverse flavors of urban centers throughout Vietnam: the grand imperial city of Huế; the bustling commercial center of Da Nang; the early modern trading town of Hội An; and the booming capital city of Hanoi. 

Tran works with a variety of international programs. She finds Pitzer’s program unique for emphasizing outdoor exploration as well as in-class learning. Every student is also paired with a language buddy to help them practice Vietnamese.

“When they go for outdoor activities, [students] have a language buddy to help them for every situation,” said Tran.

Acacia Schubert ’26 has two favorite memories from the program. One was swimming in Hạ Long Bay off of a traditional cruise boat. The other was making M&M cookies with her host sisters, who had never tried that kind of cookie before.

“It was nice to be able to share part of my childhood and culture with them after they so generously shared so much of their culture with me!” said Schubert.

Intercultural Understanding in Action

Pitzer in Vietnam’s coursework covers the legacy of colonialism, war and conflict in Vietnam, healthcare, ethnic minority communities, politics, women’s issues, and environmental issues.

Students apply their learning by pursuing internships. Examples include:

• Learning how to cook Vietnamese food at the food bank Care Without Conditions
• Working at Huế University’s College of Medicine 
• Working in the forests with Huế University’s College of Agriculture
• Practicing pottery-making
• Teaching English to children

Ho said that the internship gives practical experience in Pitzer’s core value of social responsibility. According to Ho, students learn that community engagement “is not about helping others but learning how to belong.”

“Students are giving back to the community that supports them,” said Ho. “They get profound insight into humanity and generosity beyond the scope of traditional education.”

Schubert, who is an international politics and economics double major, interned at Bravo Media during the program. She created content across various platforms, translated articles from English to Vietnamese, and edited videos for clients and partners.

Schubert believes the most important thing she learned was “to lead with kindness.”

“Every single person I met in Vietnam was kind to me,” said Schubert. “I felt so welcome while I was there that I have wanted to live my life with more kindness ever since.”

Learn more about Pitzer in Vietnam.

Apply to the summer 2026 cohort of Pitzer in Vietnam by March 5.