An extraordinary story of MOBILITY, Allen Van Tran grew up the child of immigrants in Inland Southern California, was first in his family to attend college, and is now the youngest alumnus from BCOE to establish an endowment at UC Riverside.
Sound Bites
Headlines
- He’s the youngest alumnus from BCOE to endow a scholarship
- Education: the great equalizer
Hooks
- Grappling with financial limitations didn’t stop Allen Van Tran from finding a way to use his education to open doors for others. He is now the youngest alumnus from the Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE) to establish an endowment at UC Riverside.
- Allen Van Tran grew up building with Lego sets on Saturday mornings while watching “Pokémon.” Now, he works as a systems engineer and analyst for the Department of Defense. He believes education is the great equalizer and is now the youngest alumnus to endow a scholarship in BCOE to help the next generation of young scholars succeed.
Quotes
- “This scholarship is one of the most important ways that you can promote excellence within the college. Financial help that donors like you offer incentivizes people to present their best, support financially at-risk students who have persevered, and recognize individuals who actively make a difference in the programs with which they are involved.”- Evan Oculam, ‘20, recipient of the Allen Van Tran Engineering Scholarship Fund
- “The time I had to devote to my education was an invaluable driving component to my success in academics,” Tran said. “Many students are bright and willing but have money or time constraints. Having a scholarship supporting them will allow them to flourish.” - Allen Van Tran
Narrative
Allen Van Tran ’15 grappled with financial limitations while studying engineering at UC Riverside. Like more than half of UCR students, Tran was the first in his family to go to college and relied on scholarship support in his academic pursuits. While at UCR, he was awarded numerous scholarships and various undergraduate research grants. In 2015, he graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.
Now, he is the youngest alumnus from the Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, or BCOE, to establish an endowment at UC Riverside. The fund provides money to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing an engineering degree, with preference awarded to first-generation students.
Tran grew up in the Inland Empire after his parents immigrated from Vietnam in the 1970s to escape communism. His first foray into engineering was building Lego sets on Saturday mornings while watching “Pokémon.” Now he works as a systems engineer and analyst for the Department of Defense helping the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard improve the reliability, support, and maintenance of equipment.
In his words: education is the great equalizer. Tran embodies the UCR spirit of a bold heart, paving the path for future brilliant minds.
Strategy
Allen Van Tran, a first-generation student, was deeply impacted by the support offered to him by the UCR community. He is a shining example of the social mobility that happens for students while on campus.
Her story and quotes are best used in:
- Brochures
- Proposals
- Appeals – print, email, and digital
- Conversations
Suggested uses:
- When building relationships with young alumni with capacity to give, share Tran's story as an example of ways alumni can engage in ways meaningful to them.
- When discussing the lifetime impact of an education at UCR, and a donor’s capacity to create generational change, share Tran’s story.
- When showcasing how a gift to UCR goes further than it might at another university, share Tran’s story
Resources
Photos
Usage Examples
