Food for Thought
--Food For Thought Event Dates--
September 14, 2018 - Senior College Presents: -
Inventing A University In Vietnam with Bill Hiss
When Ngan Dinh, Bates College class of ’02, asked Bill Hiss to help create the first liberal arts college in Vietnam, it was an irresistible invitation. Retired from Bates as Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, he traveled to Vietnam last March to help create those offices at the new Fulbright University Vietnam. He will share his experience with us at the USM LAC Senior College Food For Thought luncheon Friday, September 14th.
Bill and his wife Colleen first met Ngan when she was in high school. Relationships between the USA and Vietnam had improved and students were being offered the opportunity to study at American colleges. Ngan was the first student from Vietnam to study at Bates. She then earned her Master’s degree at the University of Chicago and her Doctorate at Cambridge University. Returning to Vietnam, she was a professor in a graduate Fulbright program in public policy. Now she is the founding Dean of the Undergraduate College in the new university.
The government in Vietnam set aside 70 acres of land and with further support including funds from the United States, Fulbright University Vietnam will open this Fall with 50 students, gradually expanding to 2000. What is it like to build a university “from scratch” particularly in a country only one generation removed from a war zone? There are now more than 25 Vietnamese students who have studied at Bates. The “Where It All Began” photo shows Bill Hiss speaking to then high school junior Ngan’s class on American higher education. Seed money from Bates helped establish VietAbroader a program to disseminate information to high schools in Vietnam about international education. It now has 30,000 members.
How has all this come about? Join us on September 14th to find out more about this exciting pioneering work. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. The program begins at noon. Food for Thought luncheons take place in room 170 at USM’s Lewiston-Auburn campus, 50 Westminster Street in Lewiston. The public is invited to attend all Food for Thought presentations. If you wish to have lunch, the cost is $8.00 and an advanced reservation is required. To reserve call 753-6510 before noon on the Wednesday before the luncheon. Food may also be purchased at the campus café.
About Food for Thought
Food for Thought is a luncheon program offered by Senior College featuring thought-provoking speakers on varied topics on the second Friday of each month. Cost for luncheon is $8.00 and is by reservation only (call 753-6510). Reservations must be made by noon on Wednesday prior to each Friday event. Those without reservations can purchase a lunch at Café LA and are welcome to listen to the speakers for free. Presentations will be held in room 170 at USM LAC. Doors open at 11:30 for lunch, the program runs from 12:00 -1:00. We hope our members and the community will join us to enjoy our guest speakers. Look for our announcements of upcoming events.
Food for Thought dates, speakers, and topics for the upcoming year 2018-2019
September 14, 2018 - Bill Hiss; Setting up a college in Viet Nam
October 12, 2018 - Tom Deschenes; "Quest for the Antidote" game designer
November 9, 2018 - John Bunker; Heirloom Apples
December 2018 - No Food for Thought because of the Holidays
January 11, 2019 - Fred Jordan; The Autopsy
February 8, 2019 - Edward Green; Dark Skies Over Maine
March 8, 2019 - Ray Dumont; Choreographer
April 12, 2019 - Kevin Hancock
May 10, 2019 - Myles Felch; Maine Gem, and Mineral Museum
Disclaimer: This is our planned programming for Food for Thought. Please be aware that there may be rare occasions when we must change our program at very short notice.