Hanoi University Students Receive Scholarships

HANU – In the morning of September 26, 2019, Hanoi University held a Christopher and Soraya Runckel scholarship ceremony  for students with excellent academic achievements.

Vice Rector Nguyen Thi Cuc Phuong and the leading teachers of the School of Business Administration, Department of French, Department of Japanese, Department of Portuguese and Department of Culture, Sports & Tourism attended the event.

Sharing information about this scholarship, PhD. Hoang Gia Thu – Head of Department of Business Administration and Tourism introduced Mr. and Mrs. Christopher  Runckel, who gave scholarships to the students. TS Hoang Gia Thu said that Christopher Runckel served as Deputy General Counsel of President Gerald Ford’s Presidential Clemency Board. In 1994, he was assigned to Hanoi as was the first permanently assigned U.S. diplomat to return to Vietnam after the Vietnam War in 1975,  and is considered to be one of the diplomats who greatly influenced the process of normalization of Vietnam-US relations in 1995. In 1997, Mr. Runckel was awarded the U.S. Department of States highest award for service, the Distinguished Honor Award, for his contribution to improving U.S.-Vietnam relations. During Dr. Thu’s studying and working times, he has had a close relationship with Mr. Christopher Runckel.  It was this relationship that helped Dr. Hoang Gia Thu to receive a PhD scholarship in the United States from 2007 to 2012. Also through this relationship, Mr. Christopher Runckel became aware of Hanoi University and is interested in giving scholarships to the University’s students.

Dr. Hoang Gia Thu further said that, through his relationship with Mr. Christopher and Mrs. Soraya Runckel, he saw that they’ve always cared about not only diplomatic relations of the two countries but also students, who  have difficulties in their learning.  Feeling the hearts and their gratidute to students, Deputy Principal Nguyen Thi Cuc Phuong sent deep appreciations to Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Soraya Runckel. The Vice Principal reminded the students to appreciate and be grateful for what they have received. They should try their best, devote themselves in all areas of study or work, then they would enjoy the fruits of that efforts, and success will come naturally.

Representing the students who received the scholarship, Nguyen Thanh Tam, a second year student of the Korean Department, expressed his gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Soraya Runckel as well as the school for giving them valuable scholarships. Nguyen Thanh Tam considers this award a motivation for all to try harder in their studies and deserve this meaningful attention.