Thuc Vu

Thuc VuThuc Vu (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) came to the United States unsure of what he wanted to study. After attending Olney Friends School in the state of Ohio, he did know that he wanted to meet a variety of people and explore several disciplines in the liberal arts.

After visiting several colleges, Thuc came to Allegheny and immediately felt like he belonged. “I knew it was the place for me when I visited campus and my overnight host slept on the floor and gave up his bed for me,” he says.

On campus, whether he’s studying theories of business, planning out a chess strategy, or performing on the banjo, Thuc has truly become an example of the unusual combinations of interests and passions that thrive at Allegheny.

An economics major, he hopes one day to work as a business consultant. At the same time, Thuc has pursued an eclectic array of other interests. His love of performance led him to declare a minor in theatre. “I’d dreamed of being an actor ever since I was very young,” he says. In addition, he often displays his musical talents — voice, piano, guitar, and most recently the banjo — at the student-run Grounds for Change coffee house.

While classes keep him very busy, Thuc also finds the time for many other activities. He is a member of the Residence Life staff, plays intramural floor hockey, and recently participated in an Alternative Spring Break trip tutoring young children in rural West Virginia. Thuc has also reinstated Allegheny’s Chess Club. As a former member of the Vietnam’s national chess team, he has plenty of experience!

Balancing work and play seems to come easily to Thuc—so it is fitting that his name, in Vietnamese, means “wake up.” Thuc has learned that, at Allegheny, “you can discover what you want to be.”