Markets Without Borders
“I try to create an easygoing environment where students feel relaxed and comfortable asking questions.”
— Tuan Nguyen
Title: Associate Professor of Economics
Involvement: Research in health, labor and risky behavior
Hobbies: Watching college football games
Meet The Professor
When associate professor of economics Tuan Nguyen isn’t in the classroom, he’s often exploring new places and connecting with the people who inspire his work. In the classroom, he challenges students to push themselves beyond what they think is possible — always with a healthy dose of humor.
“I try to create an easygoing environment where students feel comfortable asking questions,” Nguyen says. “Teaching is a little bit like acting, you need a touch of shamelessness.”
Nguyen’s classes offer far more than frequent laughs. Because his students come from a wide range of disciplines, he strives to meet each individual where they are.
“Teaching is a delicate balancing act between making the class useful, fun and engaging while also giving students a tool they need to succeed elsewhere,” he says.
Networking on Steroids
One of Nguyen’s favorite aspects of teaching in the collaborative Economics, Accounting and Business Management (EAM) department is the hands-on learning opportunities. These include the EAM Advisory Council, a week-long experiential learning trip to Chicago, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and a summer learning experience in Mérida, Mexico.
“These programs give students the chance to work with our community partners and truly learn what it means to be engaged citizens,” Nguyen explains.
Two Worlds of Influence
Travel plays an important role in Nguyen’s life and teaching. He often visits family and colleagues in Vietnam, where he finds renewed inspiration and insight into global economic issues he brings back to his students.
“I was born in Vietnam in the 1980s during an isolationist economy. In the 1990s Vietnam formalized trade relations with the US and shifted to a market-based economy. Today, Vietnam and China have rapidly growing capitalist markets while, politically speaking, one-party states. There dynamics present challenges and sensitive issues.
Having grown up in one system and now working in the other, I offer students a personal perspective on the complexities of economic and market differences.”
For Central’s accounting, economics and business management faculty, the City of Pella offers an ideal setting. The program maintains close ties with major global businesses — Pella Corp, PPI, Lely North America, Ring-O-Matic, Vermeer Corp. — alongside a vibrant entrepreneurial and nonprofit community. Small-town accessibility meets big-city opportunities.
“We have such a unique advantage here,” Nguyen says. “I don’t know another school in a city of our size that can boast multiple global corporations within a five-mile radius from campus. This is a gigantic opportunity for our students.”
“I’m confident in our ability as faculty to meet students where they are and help them reach their goals,” Nguyen adds emphasizing Central’s tight-knit community. “All the faculty go above and beyond for our students.”