2023 Distinguished
Nick Le’s story begins in 2009 when he left Vietnam at the age of 13. His parents, a young entrepreneurial couple who had barely finished their own high school education, sacrificed everything to send their son to America for “a better future.” Nick’s parents had instilled in him the belief that an individual’s worth was tied to his academic achievements. This meritocratic system was challenged by his new school, Wheaton Academy, and his first host family, Bruce and Judy Duncan. Nick was introduced to the concept of Christianity, a perspective he had not previously encountered. He had not anticipated the impact of core tenets of Christianity, such as grace and unconditional love, but they became the catalyst for the life Nick wanted to pursue. As a junior at WA, Nick accepted Jesus as his Savior and was baptized by Bruce Duncan.
After graduation from Wheaton Academy in 2013, Nick attended John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. His decision to go to John Brown was rooted in his newfound belief and his desire to view all interactions with others as an opportunity to love his neighbors as he has been loved by Christ. Wheaton Academy and the Duncans influenced Nick to do what he believes he has been called to do—to share the love of God through business, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Translating C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity into Vietnamese was his first significant endeavor. Although a rigorous academic exercise, the translation was born out of his desire to share with others in his home country the powerful ideas that had so transformed his life. His respect and admiration for Christian thinkers like Lewis and G.K. Chesterton, fueled by his experiences in Matt Dominguez’s class, ignited a passion in him to facilitate a similar transformational experience for others.
Nick’s commitment to sharing his Christian faith has permeated every aspect of his professional life in fulfillment of his vision for using the arenas of business, technology, and entrepreneurship as platforms to convey the boundless love of God. Guided by his commitment to the fundamental teaching of Christianity to love one’s neighbor as one’s self, Nick has become actively involved with several cross-cultural ministries: Bridging Border International (closed since COVID), Oz Harvest/Viet Harvest (food rescue in both Viet Nam and Australia), and Keeping Connected (Australia-Asia youth engagement and leadership development). Inspired by his host mom’s passion for connecting diverse cultures through the outreach of K’Tizo Tea, Nick has contributed his skills to each of these agencies, leveraging his expertise in accounting and finance to aid these organizations in achieving sustainability and responsible resource management. However, his involvement is not limited to financial matters. He has wholeheartedly embraced the forging of connections between cultures and dismantling barriers to share the message of the gospel. Nick believes that the Lord is using his knowledge, background, and professional experience gained at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a means of advancing His Kingdom through his volunteer work in each of these agencies.
In these experiences, Nick is continuing the legacy of Wheaton Academy—Soli Deo Gloria. His story is a testament to God’s power to change lives and the far-reaching impact of cross-cultural exchange.
Nick resides in Sydney, Australia, where he works as a product manager in compliance SaaS platforms for PaidRight while studying for a master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania.