Montgomery County Community College graduate Vincent Nguyen (center), ’26, with mentors Jay Lee, Advocacy and Communication Manager at the Woori Center, and Kate Firestone, Membership Director for the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition (PIC), received the PIC’s Youth Leader Community Power Award in 2025. Vincent will be continuing his education at Lehigh University in fall 2026. Photo courtesy of Vincent Nguyen
When he began his educational journey at Montgomery County Community College, Vincent Nguyen was interested in pursuing a career in law.
Since graduating in May 2026 summa cum laude with a Liberal Studies (AA) degree, Vincent is pondering a double major once he transfers to Lehigh University in fall 2026.
“The quality of education I was getting at Montco was on par with the universities
my friends were going to,” says Vincent, 19, of Lansdale. The 2024 North Penn High
School graduate intends to major in political science. But, after taking Professor
Michael Costantino’s microeconomics class, Vincent is pondering a second major – in
economics.
“His class is really great,” Vincent adds.
He is a member of Montco’s Alpha Alpha Alpha National Honor Society for first-generation college graduates. As a member of the College’s Phi Theta Kappa international honor society for community colleges, Vincent received a $10,000 scholarship for his Lehigh University studies.
“If I could offer a piece of advice to future Montco students … there are so many scholarships and funding opportunities for you at Montco,” Vincent says. “Utilize all your resources as much as you can while you’re there. They’re centralized and easy to find. You’re really just wasting your money if you’re not taking advantage of it.”
Vincent chose to begin his college career at Montco for a few reasons. The main factor: “It was the best financial decision for my family. It saved my family a lot of money.”
As the primary caretaker of his 9-year-old sister while his parents are working, attending a nearby school was much easier.
Supportive professors, including English 101 instructor Wendy Erhardt, made his college experience all the more worthwhile.
“She was the professor of my first class ever. As soon as I got there, she was one of the most accommodating and one of the most knowledgeable professors I’ve had,” he recalls. “Professor Erhardt was a great professor overall.”
Citing flexible office and tutoring hours, Vincent says his instructors gave him the time and space needed to succeed academically.
While at Montco he received a $2,500 Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency PA Ready to Succeed Scholarship, as well as a Myrtle & John Williams Sr. Endowed Scholarship in the amount of $533.25.
During his time at the College he participated in internships aimed at providing him with real-world insight and experience. Through Montco Rise, Vincent interned at the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office in the Economic Crimes unit from May through August 2025.
He enjoyed sitting in on trials and seeing “how much effort each district attorney puts into their work. Not just to win the case, but to win it for the families and get the justice they deserve.”
While interning at the DA’s office, Vincent helped to draft an AI usage policy for the office; worked on a proposed revision to the Pennsylvania Criminal Code; reviewed countless fraud, theft, and conspiracy case files; and analyzed thousands of pages of discovery, including emails, affidavits, and financial records to identify and summarize key evidence.
The internship changed his perspective on the criminal justice system.
“It was really interesting,” he says. “It was crazy just to see how much stuff is happening in my community.”
Prior to his internship with the DA’s office, Vincent interned with PA Youth Vote. Through that experience Vincent contributed to a public awareness campaign focused on voter turnout for the 2026 primary election.
The internships have piqued Vincent’s interest in how AI will impact the field. Looking ahead, he hopes to intern at a corporate law firm or immigrant offices.
“I hope to be a practicing attorney specializing in immigration or criminal justice,” he says. “I’d like to dip my feet in the legal field a little more.”