Stephanie Thuy Vi Nghiem, the 2012 winner of the Miss Asian American Colorado Leadership Program, is currently a student at the University of Colorado - Denver.
My name is Stephanie Thuy Vi Nghiem, Miss Asian American Colorado 2012! I am absolutely honored to hold this title and be able to be a leader by serving the community. I live my life by a couple quotes/mottos I have developed for myself over the years. The first quote is “Potential is the lack of use for the skills that one possesses. I desire to have no potential and utilize all that I have.” I refuse to give up on any task that comes my way. I will always go all out, especially if it has to do with eating;D My second motto intertwines with my quote, “The boiling point of water is 212°F. To reach that temperature you must continuously apply heat to the water. Now view the boiling point as your goal and the heat as the hard work you are using in order to achieve that goal. That 212°F is attainable if you work hard to get it. However, even if you don’t reach the original goal that you aimed for, you have used all of your potential and I see that as success.”
I believe in taking risks. Without taking all the risks I have, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
I am currently a majoring in Information Technologies and Economics. I plan to get my MBA and hopefully a career as an IT Manager. In my spare time I love to snowboard, participate in any outdoor activity and sport, ride my motorcycle, nap and eat of course, play music, and much more. Music is a huge part of my life. I’ve played the piano since I was in first grade and still love it. I play a little drums, a little guitar, and just recently started singing openly (meaning not only in my car and shower anymore ha). I am definitely a jokester once you get to know me and laugh at pretty much anything. I always look on the bright side of situations and open up my heart to everyone. Sounds typical but I love to help others and if I can do anything to positively change their life, I’m 100% in.
Throughout my Miss Asian American Colorado 2012 experience, I have accomplished and surpassed so many previous goals and learned to just dream bigger. Some of the events and activities I have participated in include:
- Guest emcee at Boulder’s Aloha Festival,
- Guest emcee at Regis’ Bridging Hope event
- Fundraiser Performance to build a church in Vietnam
- Fundraiser Performance to provide vaccinations for those who cannot afford them
- Habitat for Humanity
- There With Care food deliveries
- Joined the National Association of Asian American Professionals
- Special guest for Bhutanese Refugee event
- Speaker and performer for Bhutanese Refugee Youth Community Outreach event
- Collect toy donations for the Children’s Hospital
- Guest Judge at Boulder’s Culture Shock
- Performance at Boulder’s VSA Vietnamese New Years show
- Special Guest Performer at fundraiser to fight for the rights of Vietnamese citizens in Viet Nam
- Nominated to become a part of the Governor’s Advisory Board
I’m planning to have a charity concert to help raise money for the Children’s Hospital. My major service project is to create a music program for children who have cancer where they can learn any instrument they want, dance, or sing. I use music as a creative outlet to escape reality and I want to share my passion with others in hopes that maybe music can help them too. My project will also organize a retreat for the siblings because in tough times like these, they may need someone to guide them, or just to vent and be heard.
This experience has without a doubt changed my life. Taking a retrospective, during the 2012 finale show when all the girls and I were about to go on stage for the crowning, we were all so nervous. I thought to myself, “I honestly don’t think I even placed 5th but this was an incredible experience, I’ve met so many strong leaders, and seen myself grow from the program.” This was my mindset, and I still think that all of the girls were so amazing, dedicated, and inspiring that everyone deserved to win.
Never doubt what you can do because you might be surprised once you give it a shot. Always remember to dream big, take risks, and give it your all. One of the best motivations for me is the negative perspectives others have on me to succeed. I am determined to prove each and every one of them wrong. Never give up and always keep believing in yourself.
Read more about the 2012 Miss Asian American Colorado in Asian Avenue magazine here!
