“For the very reason that she sacrificed her life for our education, I know that my goal in life is to fulfill that dream of hers,” Nguyen said.
The Mom of the Year 2008 volunteers helping the Vietnamese community in the Tri-Cities area and has passed to her children the love for their origins.
“She does not realize that her determination to teach us about our culture is changing my life path and the type of person I want to become. Taking the time to just sit down and talk has allowed me to learn more about my life than any academic education I have ever received,” Nguyen said.
The other two finalists for the Mom of the Year Award were Dorinda Schlunegger of Ventura, Calif., nominated by her daughter Autumm Swankosky; and Raelene Sanders of Tacoma, nominated by her daughter Amanda Walker.
The Mom of the Year Award is coordinated by the Mom’s Weekend Committee under the direction of the Women’s Resource Center. The award is presented each year to recognize the impact mothers make on their children’s lives, and to honor their personal achievements and their contributions to WSU and their local community.
