Ho started as a part-time program coordinator in June 2022 and became a full-time program manager within a year.
Nhi Ho’s childhood sounds more like a movie plot than real life. In the early 80s, her maternal grandfather built a tiny boat for his family to escape the oppressive government of Vietnam. It was a gesture of extreme love: He stayed behind in the city of Rạch Giá while his daughter and son-in-law boarded the boat with Ho, her older sister, and 12 other people. Just one year old, Ho almost died when a wave nearly knocked her out of her mother’s arms and into the South China Sea.
Ho’s family doesn’t talk about their journey much, so she’s pieced together the story over the years.
“Two Thanksgivings ago, my dad relayed information I didn’t know. They only packed enough food to last three days,” she said. “If we had been stuck in the ocean for longer than that, we would’ve starved.”
Fortunately, before running out of provisions, Ho’s family arrived at their destination: a refugee camp in Thailand, where they stayed for six months before proceeding to a refugee camp in Indonesia, where they lived for another six months. In 1982, an American church sponsored the Hos’ immigration to the United States. They relocated from Anaheim, California, to South Metro Atlanta in 1986.
Now, Ho is program manager for Robinson’s immersive programs, including Panther Immersion Programs (PIP) and the Robinson Immersive Sophomore Experience (RISE). Her life began with a dramatic twist and took many turns before she got the job here.
After Ho graduated from Mount Zion High School in Jonesboro, Oglethorpe University offered her scholarships for academics and voice.
“Music has always been part of my life,” she said. “My mother made me learn piano when I was six so I could play at all the Vietnamese churches we attended. I’ve been singing since sixth grade, too.”
Ho studied international business at Oglethorpe but left before completing a degree. She, along with her father and siblings, earned nail technician licenses to help at the nail shop her mother had recently opened in Conyers. (Full-time, Ho’s father also fixed industrial sewing machines for companies that manufactured products including leather purses, boat seats, and mattresses.)
“None of us liked it, to be honest. Owning a nail salon is hard because even though you make a lot of money, you’re tied to the shop all week long,” Ho said. “My mother sold her business after a few years and still works as a nail tech under someone else.”
By that time in her late twenties, Ho returned to college, earning a B.A. in English from Georgia State University in 2010. For the next decade or so, she taught piano, voice, and music theory lessons, eventually transitioning to an office manager position at a personal injury and immigration law firm serving Vietnamese clients. Within hours of resigning on a Friday afternoon, Ho learned about a contract role supporting Robinson’s Panther Immersion Programs.
“It was serendipitous. My brother-in-law, a 2018 inaugural Panthers in the District alumnus, found out about the job through an email from the program’s director. He told me to check my email because he had forwarded the message to me,” Ho said. “Like I always tell students, it’s all about your network."
Ho started as a part-time program coordinator in June 2022 and became a full-time program manager within a year. Throughout her tenure, Ho has noticed a significant increase in the number of Vietnamese students applying to immersive programs.
“People often associate Asians with careers in engineering, medicine, and pharmacy. But a lot of Vietnamese students come to Robinson to study finance and data analytics,” Ho said. “One student who was following us on LinkedIn specifically chose her master’s program because of the opportunity to participate in PIP.”
Ho shepherds all students through their immersive program journeys but particularly relishes guiding students who relocated from Vietnam for school.
“I know their language and upbringing, and they feel comfortable with me,” Ho said.
Ngoc Vu, a 2024 B.B.A. in computer information systems alumna, found it meaningful to receive support from someone who shares her cultural background.
“As an international student, receiving support from someone who shares my cultural background was incredibly meaningful. Connecting with Nhi as not only a mentor but also someone I could call “Cô” (auntie) made Robinson feel like home,” said Ngoc Vu, a 2024 B.B.A. in computer information systems graduate who now works as a data administrator at Aurora Payments. “That relationship gave me comfort, confidence, and a sense of belonging.”
Beyond the career stereotypes, specific traits are attached to Asian culture, especially high achievement and motivation. As a CliftonStrengths coach to RISE students, Ho says that cliche is rooted in fact. Vietnamese assessment takers usually end up with the same top five themes: Achiever, Analytical, Consistency, Discipline, and Learner.
“Since their strengths are similar to mine, I can empathize with and coach them better,” she said.
Ho recently gathered with immersive program alumni for Korean barbecue. Pictured from left to right: Khoa Dang (2025 RISE and 2025 Panthers in Chicago), Timy Dang (2025 RISE and 2025 Panthers in the District), Ngoc Vu (2024 Panthers in Charlotte), Thao Phan (2024 Panthers in Charlotte), and Nhi Ho.
True to form, Ho continues to strive for professional betterment and perhaps borderline perfection. She is currently pursuing an M.A. in communication with a concentration in digital media strategies at Georgia State. She’ll leverage her new skills to promote Robinson’s immersive programs on social media, ultimately contributing to the initiatives’ growth.
“Time and time again, people generalize Asians as being driven and making good grades, and that tracks. I’m making all A’s,” Ho said. “The expectation to excel in everything we do stays with us, and that includes returning to school no matter how old we are.”