Nguyen, now chief public strategist for the Houston Area Women’s Center, surprised the audience by announcing the donation during her commencement speech at the alternative school’s graduation ceremony.

The campus was the first of its kind in Texas when it opened in 2007 as Newcomer Charter High School to accommodate newly arrived immigrants who often balance full-time work and family responsibilities. More than 90% of its students are Latinos.

The donor, a friend of Nguyen who wished to remain anonymous, pledged full financial support to the graduates, many of whom will attend community college or trade school.

“We hope it will give them a head start on their college journey because it is expensive and people face challenges,” Nguyen said. “They work, they are mothers, they help support their families,”

As a child of Vietnamese refugees, Nguyen understands the difficulties many recent immigrants face when adjusting to life in Houston. She hoped her own unlikely path to success would inspire graduates to think big, she said.

“When I was very young, my parents were struggling like a lot of these kids who are new to America, living in poverty and trying to make ends meet,” Nguyen said. “So I shared some of these stories during the speech to let them know that they are not alone and that their dreams can come true.”

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