International Students UMaine Class of 2008 Valedictorian and Salutatorian

Contact: Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571

ORONO — For the first time, the top two graduating students in a University of Maine class are international students. Marianne Schneider of Jena, Germany is the class valedictorian and Anh Do of Hanoi, Vietnam is the salutatorian. They are the top students among the 1,860 graduates scheduled to receive UMaine degrees at the university’s May 10 commencement ceremonies.

Schneider of Jena, Germany credits “a passion to learn and excel” for her academic success at the University of Maine that culminated in her being named the 2008 valedictorian.

In December, Schneider completed her double degrees in international affairs and economics, and two minors in French and Canadian Studies. She finished her coursework in three and a half years with a 4.0 grade point average.

She spent this spring semester interning with the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., working in the Economic Affairs Department.

Schneider is fluent in German and English. She studied Spanish and French, and is now learning Arabic.

She first came to the States for a year as a high school exchange student in North Dakota. Two years later, in 2004, she returned, this time to enroll at the University of Maine.

“I applied to three universities and was accepted with scholarships to all, but Maine felt right,” says Schneider. “UMaine has the resources of a research university, but it feels like a small, liberal arts college. Until I got here, I didn’t know UMaine had such a strong international student community and some faculty from abroad. I really enjoyed that.”

Schneider’s interest in travel and different cultures dovetailed into her international affairs major. The addition of economics as a second major reflected her interest in the field she sees as “an increasingly driving force behind international relations.”

Schneider’s thesis in the Honors College was an empirical study, “The Euro’s Impact on Trade: Evidence from Germany.” Her adviser was professor Adrienne Kearney in the School of Economics.

Schneider says conducting the research for her honors thesis was one of the most rewarding experiences of her academic career. “It was challenging, but felt so good to accomplish,” she says. “The main accomplishment was in learning how research works. At times, it seemed like one step forward and two back. It can be frustrating, but in the end, it all comes together.”

Beyond the classroom, Schneider was active in the International Student Association, the Global Links program, and the Honors College council and advisory board. Her numerous academic honors include membership in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international economics honor society.

In her three and a half years in Maine, Schneider returned to Germany for annual visits.

“You have to have a passion to learn and to excel, and you have to really enjoy what you’re doing,” says Schneider of her academic success.

This summer, Schneider is headed back to Washington, D.C., to intern with the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies, affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.

In September, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in international economic studies at Maastricht University, the Netherlands.

Ultimately with a Ph.D., Schneider is considering a career with a think tank or policy agency involved in issues related to global economics.

“The University of Maine has been good preparation for graduate school and for real life after school,” she says. “I will remember the people. They are always very supportive and make you feel right at home here. The professors always have an open door if a student has a question. It was a very personal experience for me.”

Do is the 2008 salutatorian. She also was named the Outstanding Graduating Student in the College of Business, Public Policy and Health, and that college’s Outstanding International Student for 2008.

Do applied to UMaine in 2004 based on what she learned about the university on the Web. “It just made me think it was a nice place,” she says.

For as long as she can remember, Do has wanted to pursue a career in business. Her father is a business consultant and her mother, a telecommunications specialist.

By her junior year, Do was pursuing a double concentration in accounting and finance. She is particularly interested in investment and capital markets.

During her four years in Maine, Do returned home annually. Her last two visits included internships in Hanoi, one with KPMG, an auditing firm, another with HSBC, a UK commercial bank.

“Even in the time I’ve been gone, there have been a lot of changes,” Do says. “The country is developing and there are a lot of opportunities. In a few years, I want to go back and work in the investment finance industry.”

At UMaine, Do was active in the International Student Association; the Office of Multicultural Programs; the student investment portfolio project known as SPIFFY; and Student Government, where she was vice president for financial affairs. For the past three years, she also served as a resident assistant on campus. Do is a member of numerous honor societies, including All Maine Women Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.

“It has been a fulfilling experience. Challenging and rewarding. The faculty are excellent, very knowledgeable, approachable and helpful. The (academic) program prepared me very well for a career in finance.”

After graduation, Do is headed to New York City, where she will start work at the brokerage firm of Sterne Agee as a research analyst. In September, she will take a nine-month leave of absence to pursue a master’s degree in finance at the University of Cambridge in England.

Do’s career plans include gaining experience in the world of finance in both the United States and United Kingdom. Eventually, she says, she will return to Vietnam and help the country build its financial markets.

“I want to have an investment firm to help people and institutional investors using knowledge I’ve gained from working in matured financial industries here to build the infantile one in Vietnam,” Do says.