Hau “Howie” Le

Hau Le (better known as "Howie") began his journey to Champlain shortly after being born in South Vietnam. At age two, his family left their home and relocated to Burlington.

Howie was planning to attend a public university until his guidance counselor told him about Champlain's New American Scholarship. "It was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up," says Howie.

He is the first in his family to attend college.

But college wasn't an easy transition for Howie. Initially, he felt disconnected because he commutes to school and doesn't live in the residence halls. That quickly changed.

An excursion with Champlain's Center for Civic Engagement was the turning point for Howie. "I went on the New Orleans trip and it changed everything." Along with meeting new people, he learned that the key to staying connected with campus is to get involved.

And that's just what Howie did. He's currently serving as the Marketing Coordinator in the college's new Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion, where he is busy producing posters, radio spots and email announcements. He's also active in the International Club and "Get Real," Champlain's community service club.

Howie's academic life is also quite busy. A "self-proclaimed perfectionist," he changed his major a few times, finally settling on Graphic Design & Digital Media. "My favorite class to date has been 'Forms and Colors.' It has really pushed my creativity."

Having worked closely with his own guidance counselor, Howie has his own advice for high school students searching for the right college. "Definitely visit your top-candidate campuses. Brochures and websites don't let you know if the environment is right for you."

Howie plans to expand his own environment by studying at Champlain's campuses in both Montreal and Ireland before beginning a career as a marketing professional.

For now, however, Howie will keep soaking up his college experience in Burlington. "So far, my sophomore year is the best schooling experience of my life!"