1984

Notes

14 June, 1984 Santa Fe Elementary, Grade 5 Teacher Mrs Naidu

Muoi is making good progress in all subjects. She has a fine attitude and is a good listener and is very cooperative. It is a pleasure to have Muoi in my room. She makes good effort and completes her assignments on time. Muoi made an excellent progress all year.

1985

Awards

1. Special Honor, Certificate of Achievement. For Superior Achievement & Excellence of Performance in Reading, Writing & Math, 18 June 1985
2. Certificate of Attendance. Awarded for Excellent attendance at Demo Summer School, 19 June-18 July 1985
3. Award for Student Library Assistant. Santa Fe Elementary School, 12 June, 1985

Notes

6 June, 1985 D. Norwood, Principal Santa Fe School

Muoi is an excellent student. She is alert and attentive and produces superior work. She is becoming less shy. We need to push her development of oral speaking more. I am sure she will be successful in reaching her goals. She need to talk more in front of groups.

1986

Awards

1. Scholarship Award. Award of Honor for consistent and outstanding scholarship throughout the year, 14 March 1986.
2. Outstanding achievement in Pre Algebra. Carter Middle School, 9 June 1986
3. Citizenship Certificate. Honor bestowed in recognition of exemplary behavior and valuable services rendered to Verdese R. Carter School, 14 March 1986
4. Perfect Attendance Record. Honor bestowed in recognition, Verdese Carter Middle School, 14 March 1986
5. Member of Student Council Certificate. Commended for outstanding service and conduct, Carter Middle School, 3 June, 1986
6. Student Participation Award, Assistant Editor - 1986 Warrior Yearbook,. For contributions to student life of Verdese R. Carter Middle School by wholesome participation in Extra-curricular program, 6 March, 1986
7. Super Tutor Award. Peer Tutoring/Citizenship Conference, Sponsored by Schwartz Foundation & Oakland Unified School District, 19 March, 1986

1987

Awards

1. Distinction. Superior Achievement & Excellence of Performance in Mathematics, 4 June 1987
2. School Recognition. Placed within 17% of 334,000 California students in first-year algebra.
3. Computer Competency Certificate. June 10, 1987

1988

Awards

1. Academic Excellence Award. Golden State Examination. Geometry with High Honors
2. Golden State Scholars. California Legislature Assembly Certificate of Recognition
3. High Scholastic Achievement. Honor Roll 3 times in 1 Semester. Certificate of Merit, 24 March, 1988
4. Superior Achievement in Consistent Scholarship. Certificate of Honor, Oakland Technical High School, 15 June, 1988
5. Excellence in Geometry. Oakland Technical High School, 13 June, 1988

1989

Awards

1. Precollege Academy, UC Berkeley. Mathematics: Outstanding Calculus Student, 8 August, 1989
2. Achievement in Mathematics. Excellence in Advanced Algebra, Oakland Technical High School, 13 June, 1989
3. Outstanding Achievement. Honor Roll Award, Oakland Technical High, 31 March, 1989
4. Marcus A Foster Educational Institute. Outstanding Scholastic Achievements in Oakland Public Schools
5. California Legislature Assembly. Certificate of Recognition in Honor of 1988 Golden State Scholars April 14, 1989
6. Monetary Award for Special Act or Service. Department of Energy, USA, San Francisco Operations Office, In recognition of Jaklen's efforts to establish an historical database for the Property and Business Services Division

Notes

8 August, 1989 Danny Martin, Calculus Teacher

Grade Awarded: A+ Comments: It is not often that a talent such as Muoi comes along. She is an excellent Mathematics student. She is truly first rate and has rare ability. She was one of the three top students in Calculus and performed exemplary at all times. She constantly received praise from me. I truly hope she pursues Mathematics in college. An enormous talent, she will only get better. It's frightening to think of what she is capable of. A very fine young lady with a bright future. Needs to distinguish between learning for grades and learning for purity. Areas of Praise: Completes assignments on time Thoroughly prepares for class Consistently on time for class Participates in class discussions Performs well in quizzes and examinations Performs well in written assignments

8 August, 1989 Alicia Payne, English-Essay Teacher

Grade Awarded: A Comments: Muoi developed incredibly detailed and articulate reading logs. This proved her ability to analyze and respond to writing. Her own writing is improving as well. She needs to experiment with voice tone other than formal "school-ese", which she does quite well. She also should push herself to participate in discussions. Her ideas are so good, they should be shared. Areas to Praise: Completes assignments on time Thoroughly prepares for class Performs well on written assignments Areas of Concern: Class participation Class interaction.

9 August, 1989 Ricardo Cortez, Engineering I Teacher

Grade Awarded: A+ Comments: Muoi consistently had the highest score in the class. I would like to see her participate more in class discussions. Areas to Praise: Completes assignments on time Thoroughly prepares for class Consistently on time for class Performs well on written assignments and projects Shows leadership by assisting other students Neatness of assignments.

1990

Awards

1. Academic Excellence Award. Outstanding achievement on Golden State Examination United States History with High Honors
2. Honor Roll for Outstanding Academic Achievement. Oakland Technical High School, 19 April, 1990
3. City of Oakland Volunteer Recognition. Contributions in Children's Holiday Festival, 10 December, 1990
4. High Honors, United States History Golden State Examination,. Placed in 7% of 283,000 California students enrolled.

1991

Awards

1. Honor Society Award. Oakland Technical High School for Outstanding achievement in Academics, 4 April, 1991
2. Early Academic Outreach Program. University of California, Berkeley Certificate of Recognition in Partnership Program, 15 May, 1991
3. Achievement Awards Program. Certificate of Recognition & Appreciation, 4 May, 1991
4. Marcus A Foster Educational Institute Award. In recognition of Outstanding Scholastic Achievements in Oakland Public Schools
5. Oakland Unified School District. Promise Senior Award, June 1991
6. Listed in Who's Who Among American High School Students. 5 August, 1991
7. Diploma of Completion. Oakland Technical High School, 14 June, 1991

1993

Awards

1. Certificate of Thanks for Concern shown to Handicapped orphans. Tianjin Institute of Children's Welfare, 4 Dec 1993

Notes

9 April, 1993 Linda Ninomiya, Administrative Analyst, UCLA Library

Jaklen has taken on increasingly complex duties as my student assistant. She is an intelligent and reliable individual who has done an excellent job, working up to 20 hrs per week while maintaining her good GPA in a difficult major. She works quietly and efficiently with a minimum of instruction and supervision. Ms Tuyen's talents and personal qualities are a rarity in today's world. I am pleased to recommend her with the highest possible endorsement.

1994

Letters of Reference

16 December, 1994 Liszt Vieira, Professor of Sociology Catholic University, Rio, Brazil

Ms Jaklen Tuyen was the best student in my class of Environmental sociology in 1994. Her superior intellectual ability became evident both in tests and in the research work. She is very serious and devoted to work. I strongly recommend her admission and eventually financial assistance or academic employment at UCLA.

1995

Letters of Reference

25 January, 1995 Ronald H Chilcote Professor of Political Science and Economics Director of EAP Brazil Study Center, 1993-94

I write on behalf of Jaklen Tuyen whom I have known the past year in the Education Abroad Program's Brazil Study Center in Rio where Jaklen was a student and I was director of the program. She is a remarkable student, hardworking, well-motivated, organized in her study, intellectually curious, and resourceful. She arrived in Brazil without any formal language preparation in Portuguese but after only eight weeks at the Universidade federal de Ceara' in Foraleza he demonstrated how commitment, determination, and hardwork can transcend such a deficiency. She received a grade of A in her two courses in the intensive language program, and she went on to the Catholic University in Rio where she tested into the highest level of Portuguese and enrolled in regular university courses and performed with high grades, both in spring and fall semesters. She also integrated well with a new culture, lived with a Brazilian family, traveled extensively, and learned everything possible about Brazil within a year's time span. She participated in several community projects, teaching English in a favela (slum), and working with street children in downtown Rio. She wrote three extensive research papers in Portuguese that drew on these experiences; the papers are of high quality and reflect extensive research, good analysis, and interesting insights and understandings. She successfully completed requirements in the programs' Concentration in Ecology and Environmental Studies, the first to do so. She was an outstanding student who I could rank at the top among the 40 students who participated in the program during my two-year tenure as director. I feel confident that she will be successful in future graduate work or a career, and I strongly recommend favorable consideration of any application she submits now and in future.

November 2, 1995 Steven J. Rottman, MD Adj. Professor, Emergency Medicine and Community Health Sciences Schools of Medicine and Public Health To: The Admissions Committee, UCLA School of Public Health

I am pleased to write this letter in support of Jaklen Muoi Tuyen, an applicant to the Graduate School of Public Health. My contact with Ms Tuyen was as her professor in my class entitled, "Selected Topics in Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Assistance", which was offered in the School of Public Health during Spring Quarter 1994. She was the only undergraduate I authorized to enroll in this graduate level course. I did so because of her demonstrated interest and experience in international studies and the health implications of impoverished populations. Jaklen "carried her weight" admirably in the classroom as well as on an extensive team project dealing with disaster planning and health concerns of a developing nation. Her final examination was thoughtful and clearly written. She earned an A in the course. In speaking with Jaklen, it is clear that her academic and personal experiences (she herself live in a refugee camp in Hong Kong as a child) have focused her interest on further study in Public Health and Community Health Sciences. Throughout her undergraduate career at UCLA, Jaklen continued to broaden her understanding of underprivileged populations through such activities as local community service and foreign study. During 1991-2, she volunteered her weekends as an English tutor of immigrant children, worked with homeless people in food lines and shelters, and co-founded a project to prepare high school students from Compton for college. More recently, Jaklen worked in a Chinese orphanage for handicapped children during 1993, and the following year participated in a research project on the health of street children in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As the Committee will note from her transcript, Jaklen has placed considerable emphasis on her ability to communicate with people with whom she might work, having studied Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and German. In summary, I find Jaklen Tuyen a bright, capable, and committed young woman, with a demonstrated drive and ability not only to succeed in graduate level work but also to make a contribution to the public health needs of the under-served populations. It is my pleasure to recommend her highly to the admissions committee.

14 December, 1995 Jessica van der Valk Program Director Education Abroad Program, UCLA To: Committee on Admissions, School of Public Health Re: Internship

It is my pleasure to recommend Ms Tuyen for your internship. I know Ms Tuyen well and feel that she would be a tremendous asset to your mission, bringing to it not only excellent academic and intellectual qualifications, but also a commitment to public health, a heart and a strong moral sense that is rare and valuable. I have known Ms Tuyen in my capacity as Program Director of the University of California, Los Angeles Education Abroad Program, through which she went to China in 1993 and Brazil in 1994. Ms. Tuyen not only successfully participated in the full year program in the EAP Pontificia Universidad Catolica in Rio de Janeiro during 1994, but also did well in the EAP semester in Nankai Univeristy in Tianjin, China. Academically, she did very well in challenging programs that involved total immersion in the Brazilian academic and social culture and semi-immersion in the academic culture in China, respectively. She returned to the US with fluency in Portuguese and functional fluency in Chinese and a tremendous wealth of experience in cross cultural living and interaction. The Education Abroad Program through which Ms Tuyen went abroad is a merit based, competitive, honors program that requires a high cumulative UCLA GPA, a well written statement of purpose, excellent letters of recommendation and support of the UCLA Faculty Selection Committee on the basis of an interview. Students must show adequate preparation for their planned study abroad by demonstrating academic focus, substantive cultural and political knowledge of the host country and personal/psychological readiness for the rigors of life in a a different cultural, physical and political context. Ms Tuyen met and exceeded these stringent selection standards and won the wholehearted support of the Staff and Faculty of the Education Abroad Program for her proposed plans of study in both China and Brazil. Ms. Tuyen is currently completing a BA and MA program in Latin American Studies on the Departmental Scholar Program at UCLA. She has explored this field with characteristic enthusiasm and total immersion, involving herself in international activities on campus, and high school retention and graduation projects in the local community. Ms Tuyen was Director of Project first, administering a tutoring and retention project in Compton high School. Ms Tuyen's involvement with project First is just one of many examples of her commitment to contributing to her community in a positive and academically productive way. She has also been working as an intern and special projects coordinator at the Education Abroad Program at UCLA where I supervised her work. I have found her counseling and organizational skills to be excellent and her work habits to be effective and productive. Her current academic research interest focuses on a global health problems where she is bringing her first hand experience to bear on her current research project concerning health problems of street children in Brazil. Mature, motivated, socially skilled, possessed of a keen intellect and a remarkable forthrightness of character, Ms Tuyen will make an ideal, socially aware and ethically conscious professional and I am sure an unusual and much needed addition to your program. I can think of no better candidate for your internship.

1996

Letters of Reference

January 29, 1996 Tinh C Vuong Digestive Disease Center UCLA Medical Plaza

I have known Jaklen Muoi Tuyen for five years now, and have not found one quality in her that is not admirable. She has always been a "mover and a shaker", possessing an outstanding capacity to get things done. This capacity has led her at age 22 to speak three languages, travel to several different countries, direct a project, hold a part time job, while undertaking a difficult curriculum (averaging 22 units per quarter). I first met Jaklen in an English class and became better acquainted with her through Project FIRST (Fighting to Improve Retention & Student Transition). She and I and a few other students started this organization to provide academic tutorial, informative workshops about financial aid, college etc. and peer counseling to encourage inner Los Angeles high school students to pursue higher education. Running the project was very difficult since most of us were full time students who also worked part-time. Some members dropped out or became less dedicated but Jaklen could always be counted on. In fact, she was the backbone of the project. Her leadership skills are exceptional. Jaklen's determination and dedication is quite admirable. I recall many times where I have seen her stay up all night in the office to get things ready for a meeting the next day morning. No matter how much work she has, somehow she always seems to get it done. It it was not for Jaklen's hard work and enthusiasm, the project would not have been so successful. Aside from being the director of Project FIRST, Jaklen has also been active in many other UCLA organizations. Despite her busy schedule, she never neglects her school work. I often wonder where she gets her energy from. Perhaps it comes from the fact that Jaklen enjoys what she does and does not worry at the sight of obstacles. She welcomes challenges and handles them with grace - and always with enthusiasm. People who possess such energy might be expected to be unsympathetic towards those whose future has not smiled so brightly. But not Jaklen. She has a big heart, an open mind and a friendly nature towards all she meets. What I admire most about Jaklen is that she knows how to balance her life and live life to its fullest. Her love for traveling and great appreciation of culture has taken her across the globe to countries such as China, Brazil, Mexico and Ireland. She says "she sees the United States in a new light after coming back and it makes her appreciate things more". She also says that you learn more about people and life when you are away from home which I truly agree. Jaklen's desire to travel and help people make her an exceptional candidate for working abroad in the field of public health. In my opinion, this young woman has the determination, courage, personality and intellectual capacity to succeed in whatever she does in life. I consider myself privileged to have Jaklen as a friend and cannot give a higher recommendation to anyone else. I strongly believe that she would be a great asset to the peace corp and to our community.

January 31, 1996 Osman Galal, MD Ph.D Professor, School of Public Health

As a student, I have known Jaklen Tuyen during the last four months. her broad range of interests and accomplishments, and a sensitive view of the wold health problems quickly became apparent. She has a sense and medical awareness, combined with an acute understanding of social problems that qualifies her as a candidate for excellence in the future in the discipline of Public Health. She has what I feel is a mature and balanced sense of political realities regarding the local as well as the international health problems. I personally find her commitment to the health issues of this country and of all other countries of the world admirable. Her work with me, although it is a very short time, demonstrated her ability to assimilate behavioral sciences principles and apply them to community health sciences. She presented a final manuscript to my course on "Health Risk of Street Children in Brazil". Her manuscript was based on data that were available in literature and her own experiences when she was in Brazil. She utilized these information from literature and behavioral principles. The manuscript was presented as her final paper in my course on "Global Health Problems". She ranked among the top three papers in that class that had twenty five graduate students enrolled. She was the only undergraduate in the group. On a personal level, her sense of humor and energy are contagious and have stimulated and facilitated many exciting and informative discussions of which I have been a part. There is no question in my mind that Jaklen has the intellectual capacity to maser and utilize the techniques of Public Health for health promotion. She is capable to apply those techniques to her research interests. I enthusiastically and without hesitation endorse Jaklen M. Tuyen's application to your internship in Washington, DC.

Oct 10, 1996 Rex A. Hudson Senior research Specialist (Latin America) Federal Research Division (FRD)

The Federal Research division of the Library of Congress was very fortunate to have hosted the sumer internship f Jaklen Muoi Tuyen during the period from June 24 to August 30, 1996, under the sponsorship of Hispanic Association of College and Universities (HACU). Working on various Latin America-area projects in coordination with me, she provided outstanding analytical and editing support. She devoted her first two weeks to completely revising the Health and Welfare section of the "Society and Its Environment" chapter of the new edition of Brazil: A Country Study, which I am editing. Her first hand knowledge of Brazil, her background in the public health field, and her research at the Pan-American Health Association (PAHO) enabled her to author a very well-written and researched Health Status and Health Care section for the book (for which she will receive co-authorship credit). She also reviewed and made perceptive and useful editing changes in the entire "Society and Its Environment" chapter. She then proceeded to edit the partially edited, massive bibliography for all six chapters of the the book. Her Portuguese language capability and familiarity with The Chicago Manual of Style proved to be very useful in her work on the bibliography. Ms. Tuyen was then assigned to prepare a five-page issue brief on the 1980 Mariel Boatlift crisis between Cuba and the United States. She prepared an excellent, concise paper within the 40-hour time limit for the project, using relevant books from the Library of Congress collection and others borrowed from the Radio Marti Information Center. In a subsequent meeting with a representative of the sponsoring office, her paper was cited as a model for the series. Ms. Tuyen then applied her editing talents to the Introduction and Country Profile of Brazil: A Country Study. Again, her expertise as a Brazil specialist and her impressive editing skills significantly improved the accuracy and readability f both sections. She also greatly enhanced the book's photo layout by contributing six interesting photos she took in Brazil. For her final and principal research project, Ms Tuyen was tasked with completing work on a sponsor's partial draft of a Hispanic heritage calendar, to include Hispanic-related event for each day of the year. She conducted extensive research in Library of Congress's Hispanic Division, Main Reading Room, and Prints and Photographs Division, as well as the National Archives II. During the course of her research, she attended various Hispanic-related meetings at Library of Congress. Through her networking efforts, she discovered that the Hispanic division recently prepared a 1997 Hispanic calendar, and she was able to obtain an advance copy of it to use as a prototype. Although her stay was too brief to complete the project, she did the bulk of research and preparation of the text in computer-generated calendar format. Thanks to her outstanding assistance, the calendar was completed in time to meet the deadline. During her internship, Ms. Tuyen demonstrated professionalism, high standards, productivity, and dedication to her work, and she was always pleasant to work with. can affirm that the Federal Research Division greatly appreciated the opportunity to host her internship. I highly recommend Ms. Tuyen, and I would be pleased to answer any further questions that you may have regarding her internship.

1997

Letters of Reference

January 1997 Lowell S. Levin Professor of Public Health Head, Division of International Health

I have known Jaklen Tuyen for one academic term during which Jaklen was a student in my seminar on current topics in international health. She was also my advisee focusing n curriculum plans for the spring term and offering assistance n locating appropriate file placement for her summer (1997) internship. Multiple contacts in these contexts have given me a good sense of Jaklen's academic capacities and personal attributes. Jaklen came to Yale from UCLA with a BA and MA in Latin American Studies. She concentrated her interest on high impact public health concerns, particularly from the standpoint of their policy implications. An example was (and still is) her interest in maternal and child health problems as these related to aspects of global social and economic development. While Jaklen's scholarly interests are clearly in policy analysis, she recognizes the importance of gaining on-the-ground experience at the community level. By June 1997 she will have completed at least three intensive courses in program planning, evaluation, and health promotion strategies which should serve well as background for a community level internship abroad. In addition, Jaklen will have completed her basic preparation in epidemiology, biostatistics, social marketing, and several more conceptually focused courses eg. international human rights and health. I shall continue to advise her on course work to ensure maximum relevance to the summer internship. Jaklen's leadership skills have been evident in her work with colleagues in team presentations. She is respectful of the views and talents of others and they, in turn, consistently seek Jaklen's ideas and service. Jaklen is an independent scholar who takes initiative and responsibility, but she is also an exceptionally effective team player. She is very much appreciated for her organizational skills and talent in locating resources and pulling things together. Jaklen enjoys substantial computer sophistication, knows her software and, as well, speaks several "human" languages including Chinese and Portuguese. Perhaps most important to comment on is Jaklen's personal integrity and maturity as a young professional. She is highly focused, yes, but at the same time has a healthy ability to laugh at herself and appreciate that work does not always proceed in a straight line. She copes very well with the to-be-expected exigencies of real world public health. Jaklen will have another opportunity to apply her management skills in a community project this Spring. Jaklen is clearly in the top 5 percent of students enrolled in this Division over the past five years. Her potential is visible in her steady growth of skills and willingness to apply them with energy and creativity. I can give Jaklen my full and strong support for her application for this scholarship. She is simple first rate.

15 September, 1997 Marc Lallemant, MD North Thailand-Perinatal HIV Prevention Trial (NT-HPT) Dates of fieldwork: May 19, 1997 - August 22, 1997

Degree of supervision required: Jaklen designed, developed, and completed her research project completely independently and reported regularly on the progress of her research. At the same time, she was comfortable asking for guidance, when necessary. Specific work tasks of student: As an introduction to the field of Pediatric AIDS and the area of Perinatal HIV Transmission, Jaklen produced transcriptions from video tapes and edited the scientific report of the Second International Pediatric AIDS Symposium in Thailand 992 pages). Jaklen's research project was aimed at understanding the prevention of HIV transmission from mother-to-child in the Thai context. Jaklen identified key personalities, such as NGO leaders, health care workers dealing with HIV-infected women, and HIV-infected women themselves. With the assistance of a translator, Jaklen conducted many interviews, asking them about their perceptions, and these are now being analyzed. General opportunities student had to observe and learn, such as attendance at staff meetings: Jaklen was involved in all group discussions about the general conduct of the study and accompanied the study team to army hospitals for site visits. Her contribution to these meetings and visits was always positive. She also took advantage of these hospital visits to understand better the health care system in Thailand. What contribution did the student make to the agency? Jaklen pointed out some of the key obstacles the NT-HPT program may encounter in reaching out to HIV-infected women. For example, HIV/AIDS in Thailand is still a subject of much fear, discrimination, and misinterpretation. As a result, women may be apprehensive about participating in any specific programs identifying them as HIV positive (especially when they have just been told their HIV positive status and while they are still asymptomatic). Based on these observations, Jaklen developed an important network of NGO partners, which we expect will be essential to the success of NT-HPT program. These partners enable the NT-HPT program to reach out to a greater number of women who could benefit from the clinical trial. Furthermore, the relationships Jaklen developed with the NGOs will help in the management of the HIV-infected women and their babies. Student Rating (Excellent -1; Good -2, Fair -3; Poor -4) Research Ability - 1 Ability to work with peers - 1 Ability to provide supervision -2 Self-expression in conversation - 1 Self-expression in writing -1 Initiative -1 Follow-through -1 Overall Performance -1 Student's preparation for agency development -1 Additional Comments Jaklen has exceptional communication skills. Very quickly, she became an accepted member of the team, establishing special relationships with individuals, and was greatly appreciated by everyone. Through the friendly relationships she has built with her Thai colleagues, she was rapidly introduced to the Thai culture/community. In addition she took Thai language lessons in order to better interact with the Thai people and continued the lessons until her last day in the country. Outside the NT-HPT program, she was welcomed everywhere and was able to set up valuable links between the program and other organizations. Jaklen also displayed exceptional research skills throughout the research project. While writing the Symposium report, she demonstrated her great organizational and writing skills. She made the most of this opportunity to learn about HIV infection in women and children and gain a deep understanding of the NT-HPT program. Overall, the report is excellent, and Jaklen was a pleasure to have as part of the NT-HPT program.

1998

Letters of Reference

11 February, 1998 Donald E. Morisky, Sc.D., M.S.P.H. Professor and Vice-Chair Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UCLA

Letter of Reference sent in support of Jaklen's application to Johns Hopkins School Dear Director: I am writing this letter of support on behalf of Ms. Jaklen Tuyen, an applicant for the Health and Child Survival Fellows Program through the International Programs, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. I am very pleased that Jaklen has applied for this fellowship position, as I believe that she will be one of your most outstanding applicants and the program will benefit considerably as a result of her contribution. I can think of no other individual more qualified for this training opportunity than Ms Jaklen Tuyen. I first met Jaklen in 1994, in which she was an undergraduate student in my predoctoral training seminar in the Social and Behavioral determinants of HIV/AIDS Prevention class in the UCLA School of Public Health. Jaklen approached me to request permission for enrollment in this course as it is generally for graduate students. However, based on her background in psychology and interest in HIV/AIDS prevention, I allowed her to join the class. I was consistently impressed with her knowledge and understanding of the subject's content and ability to infer and provide policy-oriented discussions. She was one of the most outstanding students in the class and at that time, I strongly encouraged her to consider graduate work in a School of Public Health. Taking my advice, Jaklen had no difficulty in being accepted at Yale's School of Public Health and quickly advance in knowledge and understanding of public health principles and policies. Knowing Jaklen's interest in international health, I informed her of an international training program sponsored by the Fogarty Center for International Health, in which our Department of Community Health Sciences is an awarded (Osmon Galal, PI; Don Morisky, Co-PI). I again encouraged her to develop a research protocol in which she would be able to utilize her public health knowledge and skills. Jaklen developed an excellent research agenda, working with a university-based organization in Northern Thailand involved in AIDS vaccine feasibility research trial. She gained considerable knowledge in the field and wrote a scientific abstract which was accepted for presentation in Annual Meeting of Minority International Research Trainees held in New Orleans this past October 1997. I was extremely impressed with her conceptualization of her research and format used to present her results. With respect to Jaklen's critical and analytical thinking, she easily ranks in the top 1% of the students I have mentored. She communicates effectively and has no difficulty getting her point across. Her quantitative skills are well developed, however, I believe she would benefit considerably from an opportunity to put to practical use her theoretical methodological skills. I have experienced no difficulty in communicating with Jaklen and find her reports extremely well conceptualized and well written. Her progress report of her MIRT experience in Thailand serves a a model for other students to emulate. She has always interacted extremely well with her colleagues and other members on her research team. She has a wonderful personality and always stimulates an interesting and provocative discussion. I strongly support the application of Ms Jaklen Muoi Tuyen and feel confident that she will contribute strongly to your fellows program. If I can be of additional assistance in the evaluation of this very outstanding applicant, please contact me directly. Thank you very much for your consideration.

1999

Awards

1. In recognition of outstanding achievement in completion of Basic Tutor Training. Awarded by Mayor's Commission on Literacy in Philadelphia, 27 October, 1999
2. On-the-Spot Award. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 26 February, 1999
3. Leadership Skills certification. Graduate School, United States Department of Agriculture, Atlanta, Georgia, 28-29 April, 1999
4. Standard First Aid Certification. Lifestyle, American Red Cross, Office of Health and Safety, April, 1999.
5. Completion of Congressional Operations seminar. Certification by Center for Public Policy Education of The Brookings Institution for Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Atlanta, GA, July 21-23, 1999
6. Scientific Ethics Training Completion. CDC, 12 November, 1999

2000

Awards

1. Management Analysis Certificate. Graduate School, USDA, San Diego, CA, March 28-31, 2000
2. Honor Award. Research - Operational, Rotavirus/Intussusception Team, Center for Disease Control (CDC) & Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), For safeguarding the health of U.S infants by rapidly responding to reports of intususception among infants who received rotavirus vaccine, 28 June, 2000
3. Secretary's Award For distinguished Service. Rotavirus /Intussusception Team, National Immunization Program, 6th Annual Honor Awards Ceremony, Certificate of Appreciation, Awarded to Jaklen Tuyen In recognition of safeguarding the health of US infants by rapidly responding to reports of intussuception among infants who received rotavirus vaccine, 11 September, 2000