Lancaster Exhibition Honors Vietnamese Refugees’ Resilience and Journeys

A new exhibition in Lancaster is sharing the stories of Vietnamese refugees who resettled in the area. Called Our Journeys, the display was organized by the non-profit Vietnamese Boat People and will run at the Ware Center throughout February. Among the featured lives is that of Thuat Nham, the first Vietnamese woman to graduate from Millersville University in 1981.

Her daughter, Maian McCauley, contributed a personal account of Nham’s journey for the exhibit, which opens with a celebration on January 31.

Thuat Nham arrived in Lancaster as a refugee after the Vietnam War. Her father, a former South Vietnamese military officer, spoke English and helped the family settle with support from St. James Episcopal Church. Soon after, Nham applied to Millersville University and was accepted.

She graduated in 1981 with a degree in mathematics, aiming to work as an accountant or computer technician. Despite her qualifications, she struggled to find a job at first. Later, she took a position at the Dart Container factory to financially support her then-husband through dental school. After her divorce, Nham opened Nail Studio, a salon in Ephrata. In 2022, she donated her Millersville diploma to the LancasterHistory Museum for an exhibit on Asian American history. The Our Journeys exhibition was launched by Trần Văn Lợi, founder of Vietnamese Boat People, in 2023. It highlights the experiences of Vietnamese refugees in Lancaster through personal stories, artwork, and cultural displays. The opening event on January 31 at 7 p.m. will include traditional Vietnamese dresses, live music by singer Lê Thanh Trúc, and a chance to explore the exhibit before its month-long run.

Nham’s story is one of many featured in the Ware Center’s Our Journeys exhibit. The display runs from February 2 until the end of the month, offering a look at the resilience and contributions of Vietnamese refugees in Lancaster. Visitors can attend the opening celebration on January 31 to experience the artwork, performances, and personal narratives firsthand.