One of Amy Tran’s favorite courses at Syracuse University is Mindful Communication Skills (CRS 347), offered through the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies.
“It’s taught by Professor Diane Grimes, an authority on contemplative research methods,” says Tran ’27, a communication and rhetorical studies (CRS) major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). “She’s helped me discover my passion for mindful communication—the practice of being fully present, listening without judgment and speaking with kindness.”
Having tools to think outside the box is important to the 20-year-old Syracuse native, who graduated third in her class from Henninger High School. She also wants to use her education to give back to her community.
Thanks to the Say Yes Syracuse program, Tran and her brother, Danny ’26, have been able to attend the University tuition-free.
“It’s more than a scholarship; it’s a helping hand to those in the Syracuse City School District who don’t realize that college is in their reach,” Tran says.
I’m lucky to have people at Syracuse who remind me to slow down and breathe.
Amy Tran ’27
The University’s Founder’s Scholarship, an annual merit-based award given to incoming undergraduates, makes up the difference. “It covers the costs of my fees, books and supplies,” she adds.
The daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, Tran is proud of her first-generation status. Her decision to live at home while attending Syracuse exemplifies her regard for family.
“Everyone on campus has been super friendly, working directly with me to navigate the financial aid system,” she says. “I’ve been prepared to succeed since Day One.”
Slowing Down and Breathing
Amy Tran ’27 is a communication and rhetorical studies major as well as a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Say Yes Syracuse offered her a full-tuition scholarship to the University.
And “succeed” she has.
A member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, Tran revels in her CRS studies, a program known for its practicality, cultural awareness and intellectual heft.
Recently, she traveled to New York City to meet CRS alumni as part of VPA’s Engaging Careers initiative. The experience reaffirmed the versatility of her degree.
“I’m thinking about working in communications, public advocacy or maybe for a nonprofit,” says the CRS student ambassador. “I want to use my voice for vulnerable communities, to bring issues to light that they can’t voice themselves.”
Her academic journey has been far from straightforward.
Originally unsure about attending college, Tran enlisted for a six-year hitch in the Marine Corps Reserve in 2023. She trains one weekend a month and two weeks a year with a unit based in northeastern Pennsylvania.
“I want to use my voice for vulnerable communities, to bring issues to light that they can’t voice themselves,” says Tran, who minors in religion.
“Balancing military reserve service with civilian life has taught me a lot about self-discipline, time management and communication,” says Tran, a corporal specializing in food services.
It was during reservist training that one of Tran’s instructors convinced her to reconsider college. Syracuse was her “first and only choice.”
“I was an art photography major for one week before switching majors,” she recalls. “Hannah Nast ’13, G’17, a professional academic advisor in VPA’s Office of Academic and Career Advising, told me about the CRS program. I was hooked.”
While people like Nast and Grimes have been integral to Tran’s VPA experience, she reserves special praise for Gareth Fisher, associate professor and chair of religion in the College of Arts and Sciences. His Buddhist research complements her religion minor, a foil for her military background.
A lifelong Vietnamese Buddhist, Tran considers life a study in contrasts. “I’m lucky to have people at Syracuse who remind me to slow down and breathe,” she says, “and to notice the interplay of different forces.”
