Texas A&ampM biology majors and brothers Kyle ’24 (left) and Henry Nguyen ’25 credit the chance to be Science Leadership Scholars as 1 of their deciding variables in picking out to attend Texas A&ampM.

Chris Jarvis/ Texas A&ampM University College of Arts &amp Sciences

When the Nguyen brothers opted to turn out to be Science Leadership Scholars (SLS) at Texas A&ampM University, they simultaneously laid claim to a exceptional distinction: the initially-ever sibling pair in the program’s history.

Kyle Nguyen ‘24 and his younger brother Henry Nguyen ’25, who describes himself in his SLS biography as “the tiny brother of the guy on my correct,” grew up with each other in Sugar Land, Texas. Presently, they share their Aggie status, the Texas A&ampM campus, a biology big, a passion for medicine and an exclusive array of possibilities afforded to them even though the SLS Plan.

Effect Of Former Students

SLS was launched in 2016 with generous underwriting from dozens of Texas A&ampM former students, donors, and faculty to give help to initially-generation, higher-performing students from low-earnings households who are majoring in science-connected disciplines. For Kyle and Henry, the chance to be SLS Scholars was 1 of their deciding variables in attending Texas A&ampM.

“I owe a lot of my selection to be an Aggie to SLS,” Kyle stated. “I do not assume I would be right here with out SLS, and it surely helped guide me via obtaining into college.”

Yet another element, Kyle and Henry stated, was the assistance of former SLS academic advisor Victor Castillo ’13.

“Going into freshman year and not being aware of something and possessing your personal private advisor that aids you is almost certainly the most beneficial issue,” Kyle stated. “He surely led by way via freshman year and set me up for the subsequent couple of years.”

For Henry, Castillo helped him navigate via his initially year on campus — figuring out registration and resolving concerns with Sophisticated Placement (AP) credits.

Castillo, presently an assistant director in the Workplace of Diversity and Inclusion at Mays Enterprise College, also recalls his time with the Nguyen brothers positively.

“They have been my leading-notch youngsters in the system, and they’re each performing astounding factors,” Castillo stated. “It’s surely a testament to their parents and how they have been raised that they are two students in the very same system performing astounding factors at Texas A&ampM.”

Household Assistance

In terms of their parents and the rest of their household, Kyle and Henry’s connection with them is 1 of the causes they operate so really hard, they stated.

“A element of striving to do properly in basic is to give back to our household and folks that have helped us along the way,” Kyle stated. “Our household has sacrificed a lot for us to be here — our parents had the life, and they chose to give it up.”

Henry, age three (left) and Kyle, age four, in their hometown of Sugar Land, Texas.

Courtesy photo

In truth, Henry stated his selection to pursue a profession in medicine with his biology background stems from its relevance inside their household.

“I’ve constantly been surrounded by human anatomy considering that I was young, and I wanted to go into it mainly because a lot of our household members are in medicine, so I wanted to dive into it as well,” Henry stated.

Elite Scholars

Kyle’s academic profession at Texas A&ampM started in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, inhibiting his capacity to connect with his classmates and make good friends about campus. This posed an problem for him in his freshman year — and SLS was a welcome resolution.

“With COVID year, not becoming capable to meet anyone…it was surely the pathway for me becoming right here and obtaining began,” Kyle stated.

Like his brother, Henry also identified solace via SLS in terms of locating a group of good friends.

“I believed it was going to be really hard to meet new folks and make new good friends in the course of my freshman year, and meeting with the members in my year surely helped me,” Henry stated. “Five folks from SLS have been my good friends considering that then, study buddies and all that stuff.”

Castillo notes that the scholar choice method is rigorous, governed in element by achievements as properly as SAT/ACT scores. When Henry was selected a year soon after Kyle, it was totally by likelihood.

“The truth that they’re coming from the very same household, each higher-attaining students, initially-generation, low earnings — it is crazy how they each got into this elite system,” Castillo stated. “We only choose about 20 youngsters each and every year out of the 800 incoming freshmen, so the truth that they each got in was astounding. They’re each funny, terrific youngsters. I appreciate them to death.”

In addition to crediting Castillo and SLS, Henry stated his older brother’s leadership and help have also been beneficial.

“I truly appreciate my older brother for paving the path for me,” Henry stated. “We’re the very same big, we take the very same classes, so any concerns I have, I can just ask him.”

To discover a lot more about supporting initially-generation students in the College of Arts and Sciences, make contact with the improvement group.