“UNIS Hanoi provided me with the necessary tools to pursue my own intellectual endeavours”.
Woohyung (Eddie) Lee (Class of 2022) attributed the success he has gained so far to UNIS Hanoi, where he spent 13 years of his school life from Kindergarten to graduation. Eddie is pursuing his dream of studying Economics and Data Science at the University of Pennsylvania.
During his time at UNIS Hanoi, Eddie participated in many international competitions and enjoyed success. He received a High Commendation on Politics from Princeton and Oxford University at the John Locke Essay Competition 2021, a Grand Prize from the World Federation of United Nations Associations, and published an independent research paper on the Economic and Political Implications of South Korean gentrification in Vietnam.
Eddie’s passion for making an impact was inspired by many Service Learning and community activities that he was part of at UNIS Hanoi. Being involved in the Impact Fund Committee, a leader of the Microfinance for Change service group, and the vice president of the largest high school club - UNISTEM, to name a few, gave him the sense of becoming a globally conscious and responsible citizen. He added, “the UN values and SDGs instilled in me have naturally shaped my way of thinking and day-to-day approach to actions.” His passionate community commitment continues to grow beyond UNIS Hanoi. Eddie is now volunteering as a teacher for kindergarten and elementary students at Henry C. Lea School in Walnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Sharing about the reason why his parents chose UNIS Hanoi in the first place, Eddie said: “My parents wanted me and my brother to receive an international curriculum - the International Baccalaureate (IB). And more special than that, UNIS Hanoi is an international school with a unique affiliation with the United Nations.”
Eddie surrounded by his friends on UN Day at UNIS Hanoi - one of his favourite memories
With the perfect 45 IB Diploma Programme score, Eddie believed that IB prepared him well for college. The freshman finds his university assignments similar to IB independent projects or extended essays. He highlighted that many of his college friends wish they had DP Global Politics, the class that lit up his passion for politics and helped him understand how youth political participation can change the world.
Eddie has a clear road map for his future. He plans to work in Wall Street and pursue further education in Economics. “Ultimately, I wish to conduct more research papers with concrete evidence from data science to enable governments, authorities and policymakers to make decisions with positive impacts on people and the economy.”