At the YMCA of Lincoln, people make everything possible. We are so grateful for the wonderful staff we have that not only make the Y a great place to be, but serve our community every day. Keep reading to meet one of our amazing team members:
Anh Nguyen, Northeast YMCA Senior Associate Executive Director - Membership
How long have you been working at the YMCA of Lincoln?
Thirty-five years ago I applied for a part-time job at the Northeast Y since it was really close to my house and our oldest child was about to start kindergarten.
What other roles have you had at the Y?
I have worked at the Front Desk, helped out with Before/After School programs, Out of School Days, Child Watch, and Day Care when the Y ran several in town. I got offered a full-time Office Manage position a few years later, then Director of Operations at Northeast, and now in my current role as Associate Executive Director - Membership at the Northeast Y.
What makes the YMCA of Lincoln different than other places you've worked?
Since coming to America, I have held different jobs but with each of those I got to work and serve a specific age group (either kids or young adults while I was in college). With the Y, I got to work and serve members/participants from all walks of life, from youth to active older adults. Those who were born in America or those who have only been in the United States for a short while. We have many opportunities to make a lasting impact on so many lives. We also make it possible for others in our community to partner with us in serving our community as well (the Giving Tree, Swimsuit Drive, Winter Coat Drive to name a few).
What's the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is seeing the changes we have made in our youth. A friend of my son told him that his life would have turned out so differently if it hadn't been for the Y. He came from a single mom who was fighting cancer at the time and who was struggling to pay for a Y membership to keep his brother and him active and out of trouble. He remembered how kind we were to his mom during that difficult time. His mom has since passed but he is forever grateful for the experiences he had at the Y as a youth.
What is one of your favorite memories from working at the Y?
There are many wonderful memories but one of my favorites was an event we had several years ago to raise awareness for our Strong Kids Campaign. We had a "Change for Change" collection jar at the Front Desk. One of our seniors brought in containers of change that she had saved up over the years. Our early morning runners collected change along the running paths. Even the kids in our Before & After School program collected jars of coins and cash. This led to me carrying several big containers to the bank to make deposits for the Strong Kids Campaign.
What is the best advice you've ever received?
The one piece of advice that sticks in my head more than anything is "You reap what you sow, much later than you sow". I learned that kindness goes a long way and progress doesn't happen overnight so be diligent in planting your good seeds.
What's something most people don't know about you?
I took a linguistic test when I was in college and failed it miserably. My ability to learn a different language is in the 25th percentile. According to my professor, it is a miracle that I could speak English.
We want to extend our sincerest thanks and congratulations to Anh for helping to make the YMCA of Lincoln a great place for 35 years! We can't wait to see how she will continue to make a difference in our community in the future.