Whether coming to the U.S. at age 16 with limited English language skills or working his way through college — and COVID-19 — in a local ICU or earning U.S. citizenship, Long Nguyen (‘19) has never shied away from a challenge. Today, he works as an ICU nurse where he’s giving back to the community that gave him opportunities to grow and thrive — and he’s grateful every day.

“What I love most about my work is the privilege of caring for people in their most critical, vulnerable moments,” he said. “I get to be part of life-changing experiences — whether it’s helping stabilize someone on the edge of life or simply being a steady presence when everything feels uncertain. It's intense, emotional, and often heartbreaking, but there’s real beauty in being able to make even the smallest difference. It’s not easy work, but it’s meaningful, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

After graduating from Vanguard in May 2019, Long enrolled at McLennan Community College, taking general education courses while pursuing a degree in applied mathematics. He worked as a math tutor in MCC’s math lab.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything for Nguyen. He lost his tutoring job when classes shifted to online. He said he had to completely rethink his future plans.

“I decided to study phlebotomy and began searching for a new job,” he said. “I needed money. A friend who was already working in the hospital told me about a job as a patient care technician in the ICU. That was something that was really needed during this time.”

Working in critical care during the height of COVID was a harsh reality. He saw patients facing fear, isolation and loss — and he felt it too.

“I had never worked in a hospital or even touched a patient before,” he said. “To see people so sick and sometimes not be able to see their family again, it was just very eye opening. We never know what's going to happen to us. I found joy in helping people. There were sad days when we would see people that did not make it. But there were great days when we saw people recover.”

Because of his experience, Nguyen decided to apply to nursing school in the fall of 2020.

“I found clarity and realized that I didn’t just want to support nurses,” he said. “I wanted to be one. Growing up in a rural village in Vietnam, where there was not easy access to healthcare. I saw how life can be shaped by medical care and compassion. I want to be a steady presence in someone’s darkest hour.”

Nguyen graduated from MCC’s nursing program in May of 2022 and returned to the ICU as a registered nurse. In May, he completed his Bachelor of Science in Nursing, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He now works full-time in a large mixed ICU and Level II trauma ICU.

“I’m entering my 4th year as a critical care nurse, and I can honestly say I love what I do,” he said. “Helping people through the hardest days of their lives is a privilege I don’t take for granted. Every shift reminds me why I chose this profession.”

Nguyen said his next professional goal is to become a flight nurse — a challenge he looks forward to meeting.

But challenge is nothing new to Nguyen. When he first came to the U.S. as a sophomore in high school, he said he knew nothing about the culture and expectations of living here — and faced small challenges daily. One person in particular became his window into a new world: Patty Flowers, Nguyen’s conceptual physics teacher.

“I think God has brought people into my life for a reason,” he said. “I had Mrs. Flowers as the last class of the day. Coming in fresh, I didn’t know the norms. I didn’t know what a PSAT was and I didn’t know how to talk to classmates about different things because I had grown up with different norms.”

Nguyen would linger for half an hour or more, sometimes past afternoon tutorials, for the change to talk with Flowers — about school and life.

“She just took her time and stayed there with me,” he said. “She's just the sweetest woman I've ever met. She’s passionate about her job and she's always willing to help. I never felt like I was asking her too much. She always waited for me to leave first — she never left me there. I have often thought that I don’t know how I would have done it without her. She showed me that I was capable of way more than I thought.”

The year 2025 brought another accomplishment.

“I became a U.S. citizen after nine long years of living, learning and growing in this country,” Nguyen said. “As

someone who immigrated from Vietnam at 16 with limited English and big dreams, that moment meant the world to me.

Besides the honor of becoming a citizen, Nguyen said one of the best things about having U.S. citizenship is the privileges that come with his new passport.

“Now I can fulfill my dream of traveling the world,” he said. “My Vietnamese passport does not allow me to go anywhere. Now I can go see what’s out there and learn about new cultures and people. The world is so big and we are so small and we don't have a lot of time on earth to do everything. Working in a hospital during COVID taught me that if you want to do something, you better do it right now. I met people in the hospital who would beg to have what we have out here. So I'm just reminding myself every day to wake up and count my blessings.”

Nguyen said he would tell current Vikings who are interested in the field of healthcare to “stay curious and ask questions.”

“Take the scary opportunities,” he said. “Those are usually the ones that help you grow the most. Nursing is not easy. There will be long nights, hard shifts, and moments of doubt. But if you lead with heart, stay consistent, and surround yourself with people who lift you up, you’ll get through it stronger.”

He also said not to worry if your own path looks different from your peers.

“I started with no experience, no connections in healthcare, and English wasn’t even my first language—but I showed up, worked hard, and kept believing that I belonged, even when it didn’t feel like it,” Nguyen said.

An unexpected and rewarding chapter of Nguyen’s journey has been becoming part of TEAM Waco 2025 and training for IRONMAN Waco 70.3 that will take place October 5.

“If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be learning to swim in open water, biking up hills, and running long distances in Texas heat—I wouldn’t have believed you,” he said. “But here I am, doing all of that and more.”

The best way to describe Nguyen’s energy: Unstoppable.

“I just wanted to see what I could do,” he said. “I kind of want to prove that, yeah, you can start from zero and you can achieve great things. I came from a very poor background and not knowing English and being able to work and build my career and become a citizen. So, I thought, why not try a physical aspect and see what happens?”

 

 

 

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