Houston, TX
Age
22
Gender
Female
Ethnicity
Asian
Hobbies and interests
Reading
Painting and Studio Art
Singing
Writing
Baking
Photography and Photo Editing
Running
Dance
Gaming
Poetry
Modeling
Reading
Adventure
Cultural
Literary Fiction
Music
Art
Thriller
Mystery
Young Adult
Short Stories
Romance
I read books multiple times per month
Credit score
US CITIZENSHIP
US Citizen
LOW INCOME STUDENT
Yes
FIRST GENERATION STUDENT
Yes
Quyen La
2,005
Bold Points5x
Nominee3x
Finalist1x
WinnerQuyen La
2,005
Bold Points5x
Nominee3x
Finalist1x
WinnerBio
Hi, I’m Quyen (pronounced as Qu-in)!
I’m a low-income, first-generation, queer female AAPI student at the University of Houston, majoring in Global Hospitality Leadership with a minor in Law, Policies, and Values.
I proudly come from a family of war and poverty refugees and have grown up in a single-mother, immigrant home in a high-crime and low-education rate community. In addition, I have a creative arts, performing arts, and social media background!
From my life experiences, I'm passionate about a variety of things such as Racial and Gender Equality, Intersectional Feminism, Sustainability in Fashion, Accessible Higher Education, and more.
In 2021, I founded Giup, a Mental Health advocacy project to help the youth access and learn more about Mental Health awareness, resources, treatments, and more (@giuporg on Instagram).
As a college content creator, I've had the opportunity to work with brands such as Samsung, Zoa Energy, PUMA, Uber Eats, Maybelline, Clinique, Innisfree, CeraVe, and more.
Some things I would like to highlight about myself are:
• 15x scholarship recipient (2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023)
• a 5x Scholastic Art & Writing Awards recipient (2019 and 2020)
My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quyen-la-7a26291a7/
I currently hold and have held both leadership and membership positions in my school’s organizations such as FSA (Filipino Student Association), Gourmet Night, FAB (Fashion and Business), VSA (Vietnamese Student Association), and more!
Education
University of Houston
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Law
- Hospitality Administration/Management
Minors:
- Law
GPA:
3.4
Jersey Village High School
High SchoolGPA:
3.6
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Hospitality Administration/Management
- Law
Career
Dream career field:
Law and Hospitality
Dream career goals:
Lawyer and Event Planner
Spring 2023 Maybelline Tour Ambassador
Youth Marketing Connection2023 – 2023Clinique on Campus Ambassador
College Fashionista2023 – 2023Innisfree Ambassador
Intern Queen2023 – Present1 yearSamsung College Program Influencer and Tour Ambassador
Youth Marketing Connection2022 – 2022Events Intern
American Heart Association2022 – 2022Leadership Development Intern
RippleMatch2022 – 2022DE&I, Sales, and Event Services Intern
Houston First Corporation2022 – 2022Marketing Manager
Gourmet Night2022 – 20231 yearSpring 2022 Maybelline Tour Ambassador
Youth Marketing Connection2022 – 2022Events Coordinator
Vietnamese Student Association2021 – 20221 yearBarista and Cashier
Cougar Grounds2021 – 20221 yearSouthwest Regional Leader and Student Marketer
Wardrobe2021 – Present3 yearsVice-President and Social Media Manager
The Giving Houston2021 – 20221 yearFounder
Giup2021 – Present3 yearsMarketing and Convention Services Intern
Houston First Corporation2021 – 2021Events Manager
Gourmet Night2021 – 20221 yearHead Server and Barista
Breakers Korean BBQ & Grill2021 – 2021Server and Hostess
George’s Pastaria2020 – 2020Personal Digital Shopper
Walmart2020 – 20211 yearSeasonal Poll Worker
Harris County Clerk2019 – 20201 year
Finances
Loans
The Federal Government
Borrowed: January 1, 20205,500
Principal borrowed5,500
Principal remaining
Sports
Dancing
Club2016 – 20204 years
Dancing
Intramural2020 – Present4 years
Research
Hospitality Administration/Management
Houston First Corporation — Marketing Intern2021 – 2021Hospitality Administration/Management
Houston First Corporation — Sales Intern2022 – 2022
Arts
Photo Society
Photography2018 – 2020Freelance
Creative Writing5x Scholastic Art & Writing Awards winner (2019 and 2020)2012 – PresentFreelance
ModelingMacy's 2022 AAPI Fashion Show, Danny Nguyen Couture's 2021 Bridal Trunk Show, Danny Nguyen Couture's 2022 Lunar New Year Show, Since August 2021, I've worked with 13 photographers, 3 fashion designers, and 2 re-owned HMUAs2021 – Present
Public services
Advocacy
Robbie’s Hope Foundation — Ambassador2021 – PresentAdvocacy
Dear Asian Youth (Houston Chapter) — Member2021 – PresentAdvocacy
Giup — Founder2021 – PresentVolunteering
Thanksgiving SuperFeast — To provide food, service, opportunities, and clothing to the homeless and families in need2019 – 2019
Future Interests
Advocacy
Politics
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Disney Super Fan Scholarship
As a first-generation college student majoring in Global Hospitality Leadership and minoring in Law, Values, and Policies, Disney is an existence that I have both a deep personal and professional connection with. When an individual thinks of hospitality, they typically think of a few things: restaurants, hotels, and Disney!
Growing up as an only child under a single-mother, immigrant household hasn't always been easy. There have been moments in my life when we weren't sure if there was going to be food on the table; when we didn't know where we would be sleeping that night; when we had no idea who would be the one to take care of me while my mother was out at work from 7 am to 5 pm. During my early academic journey, I was often left in the hands of others after school ended such as at daycares, afterschool programs, and babysitters.
The one thread that connected those experiences was the very existence of Disney. Whether it was the Disney Channel on television that played iconic shows such as Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody or renting out CDs of amazing Disney movies such as The Little Mermaid and Dumbo, it was something that raised me in terms of values, dreams, and overall, helped me become who I am now as an individual.
To me, there were so many unique yet valuable lessons that I took away from each piece of Disney that I've had the pleasure of witnessing growing up. For instance, with The Little Mermaid! I always felt a little different in my youth as an Asian-American girl with a single mother. In primary school, I was often bullied for a variety of reasons such as not having a parent present in my life and just for being different in general. I related to Ariel as throughout the movie, I found that I had so much in common with her. For example, we both do not have 2 parents present in our lives, we love collecting trinkets and exploring new areas, and we have big dreams that are seemingly beyond us.
Even the movie sequel, The Little Mermaid II: Return to The Sea, left such a deep impact on me years after the first movie as just like Melody, the main character and Ariel's daughter, I was told to stay inside my little bubble because it was what people thought was best for me. I find both Ariel and Melody to be incredibly inspiring, independent women who are not afraid to chase after their dreams and to unashamedly embrace their uniqueness. The Little Mermaid series made me realize that being different isn't so bad and that it was what made me, me!
I've even had the honor of transitioning the movie with me from my childhood, with the animated version, to my adulthood, with the live-action version. I find that the 2023 version is even more inspiring and relatable as the actress, Halle Bailey, is a woman of color, just like me! Overall, it is an iconic movie series that allowed me to believe in dreaming big, even if it seemed out of reach in the beginning.
I find that Disney is an amazing company and its very existence has brought so many hopes and dreams to life through its amazing work. I urge anyone reading this to explore anything Disney whether it is their movies, TV shows, theme parks, and more. You'll surely be surprised to see what you take away from your experiences and how much you've changed inside out after, just like I have!
Bold Art Matters Scholarship
Creativity and art are versatile vessels of one's mind; art can be painting, drawing, dancing, photography, and more. However, an overlooked art category is creative writing, particularly poetry. There have been an innumerable number of talented poets who have reached stardom over the past few decades ranging from Maya Angelou with her most famous piece, "And Still I Rise", to Rupi Kaur with her bestselling book, "milk and honey". A poet that I personally resonate with in particular is Ocean Vuong, who reached success early on in his career with his debut novel, "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous", which happens to be my favorite poetry novel. As a female queer, Asian-American daughter under a low-income, single-mother, immigrant household, I relate more than ever to Vuong's jaw-dropping, award-winning novel.
"On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" consists of beautiful, painful self-expression and self-discovery as a queer Vietnamese-American and how addiction, violence, and trauma play a role in Vuong's relationship with their mother and the way he grew up. It is undeniable that the experiences growing up in America as a child of immigrants compromises the simultaneous battle of identity crises as it is shown through the pages. Growing up, I've faced the intricacies as a person of color not being "ethnic" and "cultural" enough for my immigrant side yet too "foreign" and "different" for my American side.
There are countless memorable quotes from Vuong's novel that leave me speechless in undeniable connection and empathy, but one in particular pertains to the complexity of past, present, and future. This is shown through the following famous quote: "Some people say history moves in a spiral, not the line we have come to expect. We travel through time in a circular trajectory, our distance increasing from an epicenter only to return again, one circle removed".
Bold Community Activist Scholarship
WinnerI have always been a proud Texan as the culture in the city I live in, Houston, is extremely diverse; however, I have not been proud of the system and stigmas in Texas, particularly around Mental Health. Throughout my life, I watched the people around me be affected negatively by Mental Health and mental illnesses. According to MHA's The State of Mental Health in America 2020 report, 3,309,000 adults in Texas are living with a mental illness and 61% of adults in Texas who needed mental health treatment in the last year, did not receive any. The first thought I had when I came across this information was 'why'? Why is this happening in America, particularly in Texas?
As I dug deeper, I found that there was a lack of affordable, accessible, and known Mental Health resources and treatments in Texas. When the pandemic hit in 2020, I decided to make the move to confront the mental health decline and start change within my community. The following are answered questions motivated me during the process: If not now, then when? If not me, then who? I planned for months and months on end and by 2021, I was finally ready to show the world; in May 2021, I founded a Giup, a non-profit Mental Health advocacy organization based in Houston, Texas.
Giup's aim is to help students access and learn more about mental health awareness, resources, treatments, and more. Within the last few months with Covid-19 in mind, I have spread awareness, helped others learn more about and gain access to affordable resources such as free online apps and websites for friendships, a variety of online Mental Health resources such as Psychology Today, Betterhelp, etc. and helped destigmatize Mental Health overall within my local community and beyond.