Anthony Tran is currently a Junior at the University of Pennsylvania.  After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in 2009 and receiving generous scholarships from the Elks Arlington-Fairfax Lodge and the Elks National Foundation, he has been able to pursue his academic interests, explore organizations and clubs, and take part in unique opportunities at Penn. 

Anthony was admitted to Penn as a Biochemistry major in the Vagelos program in the Molecgular Life Sciences, a dual degree program that has an intensive focus on scientific research.  After three  semesters, he decided to change academic paths.  Spurred on by his experiences in an Asian- American Studies course, and in a Philadelphia Chinatown English mentoring program, Anthony decided that his academic and career interests were more in line with the social sciences and legal realm, with specific focus on social justice issues, immigration, race/ethnic relations, and Asian-American communities.  Today, Anthony is an Urban Studies Major and an Asian American Studies minor. 

Last year, he was rewarded the Dr. Rosanne Rocher Prize for best undergraduate essay in Asian American Studies.  Outside of classes, Anthony is involved in a variety of activities.  Last semester, he was an intern at Asian Americans United, a Philadelphia Asian-American advocacy group that has played a large role in the South Philadelphia High School incident and the campaign to bring a casino to Philadelphia's Chinatown.  On campus, he serves on the boards of Chinese Students' Association, Vietnamese Students Association, Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, and the Asian American Studies Undergraduate Advisory Board.  

Anthony would like to go to law school or possibly take a few years off to explore opportunities at think tanks, social impact consulting firms, social entrepreneurship firms, or the non profit sector.

Hi Ms. Mekenney!

I can't believe how time sure flies, but I have tried to enjoy every second of this journey, and the support from you and  the Elks Lodge was an incredibly supportive component of my young career.   I am currently a senior in Operations  Research & Information Engineering, more commonly known as Industrial  Engineering, taking courses in diverse areas including automotive engineering, simulation modeling, industrial analysis, computer science, business, and even German! During my tenure at Cornell, I have been involved with a variety of student groups, including the Cornell DanceSport Team, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and an intramural soccer team. I also participated in an entrepreneurship competition based on business plans and elevator pitches, and led my team of engineers to the semifinals of Cornell's Big Idea Competition, the biggest business and technology contest at the university. Sticking to my lifelong passion for automobiles, I was part of the Cornell Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), and engaged in design of critical mechanical components such as an exhaust manifold that critically reduced heat flux and weight.   This past summer, I was able to do my dream internship. I interned at Bentley Motorsin England, and it was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity, where I gained so much as a person and rising professional, meeting phenomenal individuals along the way. I am the first and only U.S. student ever hired by Bentley, and I joined the 3,500-employee carmaker, along 22 other interns from Germany and the Czech Republic. It was an incredible honor, considering that they only hire about 3% of their worldwide internship applicants. As an engineering intern for Bentley’s PKO (Produkt Kosten Optimisation), I managed over 40 engineering improvement projects which resulted in total annual prospective savings of over €100,000.

As part of the PKO team, I performed economic analysis and engineering changes throughout the vehicle for cost and weight savings purposes. In addition, I maintained communications in both English and German with all areas of business, submitted operations improvement proposals based on LEAN and Six Sigma, led meetings and presentations with engineers and executives, submitted recommendations to top management, and facilitated communications with suppliers.   Working for a manufacturer of handcrafted supercars reaffirmed in me my dream of working for the automotive industry.

Despite the many difficulties in pursuing a career in Europe's hypercompetitive automotive industry, I am determined to make it happen. Given the competitive job market, I am being wise and applying to various engineering opportunities both in the US and Europe, though my ultimate goal is to work for an automobile manufacturer and eventually pursue an M.S. in Automotive  Engineering, as well as an MBA.   

My parents and I are both extremely grateful for all that you and the Elks Lodge have done for us, and I wish you all only the best.
 

-Bruno Bambarén