When Do They Announce Ucla Chancellor's Service Award

Winn "PenQuin" Huynh's Facebook contour picture of a penguin, recognizable past hundreds of students, reminds him that anyone, regardless of size, can brand a difference.

Huynh, a fourth-year chemistry student, gives communication on the UCLA classes of 2016-2019 Facebook groups about pupil life and academics. This yr he received the Chancellor's Service Honor, which honors graduating students who made significant contributions to UCLA.

Though he is involved in several other service projects on campus, Huynh said the most memorable part of his UCLA experience volition be the connections he made by giving advice on Facebook.

He start became agile in his own class' Facebook group when he was admitted to UCLA.

"I was bored, and then I went online," said Huynh. "People were request the same questions I had, so I thought I'd share the answers I constitute with anybody else," said Huynh.

When he saw questions on his class' Facebook group, he did inquiry to observe the answers and posted his findings in a way that was easy for students to sympathize.

Huynh said he found it difficult to suit to college life because he didn't accept anyone with experience to help him get through the college application procedure. Huynh is a offset-generation student and was raised by a single mother.

He said he wanted to respond students' questions online to bridge the gap between people with access to engineering and those whose parents couldn't afford to give them that privilege.

"Instead of making everything equal, how can you get in equitable to access?" Huynh said. "It's important to give extra aid to those who demand it."

Though he said he can't reply everyone's questions, Huynh thinks helping one person is enough to brand a departure.

Huynh has go known for his timely and accurate communication, said Alex Sin, a tertiary-yr electric engineering science student and Huynh'due south friend.

When he'southward online, Huynh said he responds to questions in nigh xxx minutes. Huynh said he receives anywhere betwixt five to 30 questions a day on form Facebook groups and in private letters, but doesn't consider it a burden.

After he attended orientation his freshman twelvemonth, Huynh wrote a guide in which he answered students' questions about what they could look in their outset year. Since then, he has written and updated several other guides about enrollment, financial assistance, moving into the dorms and other topics.

"Every time someone asks a question, I'g given the opportunity to make a difference in someone'due south life," Huynh said.

Huynh said he wants to get a college professor someday and help students as they effigy out their identities in college.

"I promise to inspire students and stress the importance of values like leadership, service, identity and personality," he said.

Huynh has personally mentored a number of students he initially met past giving them advice on Facebook.

Vincent Liu, a second-year biological science student, said he became close to Huynh later he sent him a private message. Liu said he was besides shy to ask his questions publicly and was afraid they were stupid, simply Huynh never made him experience that manner.

He said Huynh was an essential part of his success throughout his UCLA career. Huynh helped Liu join a pupil system by having multiple mock interviews with him and helped him write his resume for his application.

Huynh has besides served as a project consultant for the Grand Challenges-Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, which works to promote ecology sustainability.

Rachel Kennison, Huynh'southward professor and assistant managing director of the undergraduate research center, said Huynh does not dorsum down when confronted with a challenge. Kennison added he manages to persevere and succeed in spite of his heavy workload in and out of the classroom.

Huynh said though he may not exist able to devote himself to helping people on Facebook when he graduates, he knows there are other people who will.

Huynh said he hopes during his time at UCLA, he motivated students to not be aback of their mistakes.

"I hope to exist able to inspire students to be themselves and go through their college careers without the fright of what others may think," Huynh said.