California State University San Diego
Thuan Dinh Nguyen survived jail and torture, all before he was five years old. As a former refugee from South Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen brings a unique perspective to his work and is driven to ensure that students have opportunities for success through technology.
As chief operating officer for AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), Mr. Nguyen oversees digital teaching and learning for the nonprofit organization that is dedicated to supporting underserved students. His leadership and life experiences ensure that AVID continues as a social justice organization that impacts more than two million students a year.
Mr. Nguyen has more than 20 years of experience in education. He has held executive roles in information technology, instructional technology, safety and security, communications and public relations. His work has been recognized by the Center for Digital Education, the National School Public Relations Association and the National School Boards Association. Mr. Nguyen was named one of the 100 most important people in education technology by Tech & Learning. He also was named by Computerworld as an Honors Program Laureate. The National School Boards Association listed him in their 2008 “20 to Watch.” He was also honored by the Northwest Council for Computer Education as the Outstanding Technology Leader of the Year. Mr. Nguyen has been a strong advocate for improving student access to the internet and has lobbied for the ConnectED Initiative which seeks to enrich K-12 education by connecting 99% of students to broadband.
Mr. Nguyen served as a board member for the International Society for Technology in Education, Absolute Software, Adobe Systems, Cisco Systems, HP Systems, Microsoft and SchoolCIO. His leadership and advocacy have been profiled in Tech & Learning, Education Week, the Atlantic and GeekWire.
In recognition of his significant accomplishments and impact in education, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and San Diego State University are proud to confer upon Thuan Dinh Nguyen the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.