St. Olaf College | Admissions

Luyen Phan

Associate Director of Admissions and International Student Adviser
phan@stolaf.edu
507-786-3995

Career: Luyen Phan graduated from St. Olaf in 1992 with a major in Asian studies and a contract major in immigrant and refugee studies. Awarded a Fulbright scholarship, Luyen went on to study at the National University of Singapore. There he conducted research on the pre- and post-colonial literature of Singapore and Malaysia, focusing on self and national identity, ethnographies and personal narratives.

"Regardless of where you come from, St. Olaf can become a home and community as you pursue your academic and personal goals. At St. Olaf, we are committed to a liberal arts education with a global perspective and to inspiring students to become contributing citizens of the world."

After completing his Fulbright scholarship, Luyen moved to Thailand in 1994 where he joined WorldTeach, a non-profit, non-governmental organization based at the Center for International Development at Harvard University that provides opportunities for individuals to make a meaningful contribution to international education by living and working as volunteer teachers in developing countries. In addition to managing the WorldTeach Thailand office, Luyen taught English and trained new volunteer teachers until, in 1997, he began working with Population and Development International (PDI), a Thai-based non-governmental organization that worked with local communities throughout Southeast Asia to improve the lives of the rural poor through integrated development projects.

In 1999 Luyen came "home" to St. Olaf and joined the admissions staff. He now divides his time between admissions and helping the college's international students adjust to campus life as well as life in the United States.

Personal: Luyen graduated from Redwood Falls-Morton High School in southwestern Minnesota (now Redwood Valley). He met his wife in Thailand while working with WorldTeach. Luyen enjoys riding and repairing bicycles, taking walks and cooking for family, friends and the many St. Olaf students who visit his home. A voracious reader, he enjoys books on international culture, travel, food and personal histories. His taste in music is also international, although he enjoys 1980s rock as well as Minnesota Public Radio. He strives to be a living example of lifelong service and used his 2006 Lilly International Service Learning Program grant to take five St. Olaf students to the McKean Rehabilitation Institute in Thailand where they worked with disabled elderly in the Buraphaniwet Village.