Northeastern graduates are successful not only because of what they learn on campus, but also because of what they learn through their involvement with the larger Boston community and beyond.

Samantha Thornley graduated last year from the College of Arts & Sciences with a degree in Music Industry. While at Northeastern she worked for the Center for Community Service where she assisted many fellow students in their search for community service and service-learning opportunities. Northeastern has a long tradition of service to the community and commitment to civic engagement.

During her undergraduate career, Thornley spent a week in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica participating in one of Northeastern’s Alternative Spring Break programs. In Jamaica, Thornley worked with a small group of students who volunteered for VIJON (Volunteer in Jamaica Opportunity Network). The volunteers were fully immersed in the culture and had the opportunity to work with children at a local primary school where they helped build a playground and taught English lessons.

“It was my first experience abroad. The time in Jamaica really helped broaden my view of the world and pushed me to want to travel more after graduation,” explained Thornley.

After Thornley graduated last year she enrolled in a program called Teachers for Vietnam, a relatively new not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the teaching of English in Vietnamese colleges and universities.

She spent almost a year in Vietnam and taught freshman and senior English at Can Tho University. Thornley primarily taught pronunciation, listening and speaking skills. All of her students were earning their bachelors of English and wanted to eventually get into the tourism industry or teach English themselves.

“Their vocabulary was very high, but they needed practice listening to spoken English and engaging in conversation,” said Thornley. “I went out for coffee with my students all the time. They loved to talk to me and practice speaking in a relaxed environment. It was such a valuable experience to get to know the students outside the classroom.”

Aside from making an impact on her students, being in Vietnam was an eye-opening experience that Thornley hopes to share with her friends back home.

“Most people conjure images of the Vietnam War when I tell them I spent time there, but it’s such a beautiful country - the locals were very friendly and I always felt very safe. There was no sense of urgency there, and I would like to think that I have incorporated that appreciation for leisure into my lifestyle here in the States.”