From Taiwan and Vietnam to UMass

Many people travel great distances to get to college, but few have gone farther than Wendy Chen, a junior at UMass Amherst. Born in Taiwan and raised mainly in Vietnam, Wendy was attracted to UMass out of all colleges on Earth for many reasons.

Like many others, Wendy was enticed by UMass’ prestigious title of No. 1 college dining in the nation according to the Princeton Review. UMass Dining’s convenience along with its quality and generous all-you-can-eat dining halls were so very important to Wendy. She did not want to have to worry about cooking and “didn’t want to get anxious while I was studying because I wanted to focus on my academics without worrying about food.” As a big fan of Hampshire Dining Commons and its legendary stir-fry, food at UMass is a peaceful and delicious experience for Wendy. Serving food and hand-crafting fresh sushi rolls was even her first job on campus.

Another huge draw for Wendy was the diversity offered by going to such a large and socially conscious university. UMass is known for its many cultural clubs and centers around campus that strive to make everyone feel welcome. Wendy herself is a member of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality and an employee of the International Admissions office. She thinks this diversity has generated a liberating community where “you can do whatever you want no one’s gonna judge you. You can dress up in any kind of clothing that you want. You can eat any type of food.”

And last but certainly not least, Wendy chose UMass Amherst because it contributes to her future like nowhere else. This is primarily due to the Isenberg School of Management, where she is currently studying Operations and Information Management, a forward-thinking business discipline centered around the role of technology and statistics in the workplace, especially around supply chain management. She was impressed by Isenberg’s reputation and witnessed not only its advanced teaching but the connections students form when she met one of her best friends in an online Zoom class during the pandemic. This same friend would be the one to drive Wendy to campus and help move her in the next year. Friends like this have “Become my family so I don’t want to leave UMass,” Wendy said.