California State University, Sacramento
"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
-Paulo Coelho-
About me
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Full name: Bao Khanh Nguyen Ho
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Honors Program
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Major: Computer Science
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Determine, hustling, heart-warming
Hello, my name is Nguyen, which is a common name in Vietnam where I was born and raised. I come from a nuclear and extended family, but I currently live with my mother and brother in my grandparent's house, as my father works abroad to support our family financially. I arrived in America in July 2020, during the global health crisis.
Throughout my academic journey, I have consistently ranked in the top 100 or above in middle school, grades 6-9. Later, during my sophomore year, I was admitted to one of the 34-ranked schools in the country for gifted students before coming to America. Now, my academic goal at Sac State is to acquire fundamental knowledge that will be valuable for my major and to develop my soft skills, such as critical thinking, reading, writing, public speaking, and research. I believe that GE courses are not only to teach students outdated knowledge but to help develop valuable skills that will help me interpret and apply the knowledge I gain through major courses.
In addition to pursuing university knowledge and skills, I plan to acquire skills through side hustles that will make me eligible for internship opportunities in technology fields such as IT, software, or Artificial Intelligence. Attending Sac State marks the first step in achieving one of my most important goals: to experience a different culture firsthand. As part of this goal, I plan to study abroad in Australia for at least one semester during my third or fourth year to complete my major courses. Through this experience, I hope to broaden my cultural horizons, learn valuable life skills such as self-care, and adapt to new learning styles, lifestyles, and concepts that can be applied back in the US.
In my free time, I enjoy reading books, going to the gym, playing basketball, playing online games, and watching movies. Despite having certain responsibilities to contribute to my family's financial stability, I am excited to explore volunteer opportunities and contribute to my community while learning new skills and developing relationships with others.
Major
I am currently majoring in computer science at Sac State. I found it difficult to make decisions during the pandemic therefore I committed to this major later than many of my friends, who have more experience and knowledge in the field. Finally, after some reflection, I discovered that I have a genuine passion for working with and exploring computers. Furthermore, computer science needs skills that I’m able to master fast including programming, problem-solving, logical thinking, and analytical reasoning. Computer science includes a wide range of knowledge about computer functions including programming languages, algorithms, data structures, computer organization, operating systems, software, database, and networking. Therefore, with a computer science major, I have multiple choice of careers in technology, from software development to artificial intelligence, and I can also develop interpersonal and leadership skills such as teamwork, communication, and project management because there will be numerous complex projects. I have three intended pathways including software development, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. My final goal is to hold a leadership role in a big technology company and figure out ways to create my own product or introduce new concepts, therefore, I can contribute to society. To achieve this goal, I am not only focused on completing the required courses for a Bachelor’s degree, but also actively seeking help from my peers and professors, and engaging in group projects. Additionally, I am continually expanding my knowledge of programming and computer science principles by enrolling in courses offered by other universities on platforms such as Coursera. Having knowledge in those skills will open more opportunities for me to gain hands-on experience with software development tools and techniques, network with industry professionals, and explore various areas of computer science to find my niche. I also find ways to participate in coding competitions, hackathons, internships, or research projects to enhance my skills and gain practical experience.
Overview
Developed a 2D space shooter game using Python and Pygame, where players control a spaceship to defend Earth against an alien invasion. This project demonstrates my understanding of game mechanics, class design, and interactive design principles.
Key Features
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Player Control System: Implemented responsive spaceship movement and shooting mechanics using Pygame's event handling and key bindings.
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Enemy Behavior: Designed dynamic alien movement patterns with collision detection to create an engaging challenge.
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Score Tracking System: Developed a scoring mechanism that scales with increasing difficulty as players defeat waves of aliens.
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Optimized Game Loop: Applied efficient looping techniques to manage frame rates and ensure smooth gameplay.
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Immersive Experience: Integrated custom graphics and sound effects for enhanced visual and auditory engagement.
Technical Skills Demonstrated
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Python programming and Pygame library
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Object-oriented programming (class design)
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Event-driven programming and user input handling
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Game design fundamentals, including collision detection and scoring systems
Challenges Overcome
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Refined alien movement logic to ensure balanced gameplay difficulty.
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Implemented efficient sprite management to improve performance on resource-constrained systems.
Outcome
This project enhanced my coding skills, deepened my understanding of Pygame's capabilities, and strengthened my problem-solving abilities in game development.
My first programming project
Data Science Projects
In this project, I explored factors influencing lawn and garden product sales by applying advanced time series modeling techniques. Using data that included over 400 data points, I employed the SARIMA and ARIMA models to forecast pest control sales and analyze key drivers behind sales trends.
I began by preparing the dataset, ensuring proper data types and handling missing values. Key exogenous variables, such as precipitation, GDP, gas prices, and unemployment rates, were incorporated to improve prediction accuracy. Leveraging the SARIMA model, I optimized hyperparameters to enhance performance and evaluated the model using the SMAPE (Symmetric Mean Absolute Percentage Error) metric to assess predictive accuracy.
To strengthen the narrative behind the data, I combined model insights with domain knowledge to explain how economic conditions and environmental factors influence consumer behavior in the lawn and garden industry. This approach allowed me to translate data-driven insights into actionable recommendations, improving communication with stakeholders.
This project not only deepened my understanding of time series forecasting but also strengthened my skills in data wrangling, model evaluation, and storytelling with data, crucial for driving meaningful insights in real-world scenarios.
As an undergraduate data science researcher, I partnered with BASF, a global leader in agriculture and sustainability, to analyze key factors influencing pest control product sales. In this role, I was responsible for processing and analyzing over 400 data points using Pandas and a correlation matrix to identify significant relationships. I applied advanced machine learning techniques, including Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, and Lasso Regression, to develop predictive models that balanced accuracy with the mitigation of overfitting.
My findings were presented to key stakeholders, where I effectively communicated insights and actionable data-driven recommendations that influenced decision-making. Additionally, I contributed to team collaboration by providing weekly progress updates to mentors, which not only improved our time management but also sharpened my communication and soft skills.
Throughout the project, I refined my technical writing skills by preparing detailed weekly reports and a comprehensive final project summary. This experience fostered my self-learning abilities, as I leveraged independent research to optimize model selection and data analysis techniques.
On top of that
Small projects have built up my experience.
I have cultivated substantial experience in data-related tasks through my Data Mining coursework, where I've gained proficiency in essential techniques such as data processing, data cleaning, linear regression, clustering, and decision trees. This background reflects my ability to manage and analyze data effectively across various projects and academic endeavors.
Database Management
After nearly three years of pursuing a Bachelor's Degree at Sacramento State, I’ve uncovered an unexpected passion that has reshaped my career aspirations. I've always enjoyed organizing aspects of my life — from tidying my room to meticulously planning my weekly schedule — yet I viewed it as a routine task rather than a true interest.
However, my perspective changed when I took a Database Management class. For the first time, I found myself immersed in the material, driven not just by the desire for a high grade but by genuine enjoyment. I realized that the SELECT statement is more than just a command — it's a framework for structured thinking. It’s not merely about retrieving visible data from a table; it’s a tool that sharpens my ability to uncover hidden insights through techniques like JOIN statements, which I have learned through LEETCODE SQL 50.
This process of deriving unseen information feels like thinking outside the box — a skill I now recognize as both powerful and deeply fulfilling.
Connecting Outcomes
Throughout my Spring 2023 semester, in Honors 1 class, I have learned multiple concepts from philosophers and activists from the past regarding self-development and I have also learned some skills when it comes to mastering these concepts. There are two concepts that have had the most impact on shaping the way I view the world today or at least agree with my view. Prior to acquiring knowledge, it is essential for individuals to cultivate and improve their virtues and that inspiration comes from a philosopher named Confucius. In one of his concepts, he proposed that a truly superior individual is one who holds firm to their own opinions, yet does not impose them upon society in a harmful manner, while also being discerning enough to reject opinions that do not align with their own convictions. This mindset has applied to my life for the past three years, as I’ve worked to discover and embody the best version of myself while facing various conflicts. During this time, I’ve read numerous quotes on how to achieve success in life, but many were contradictory and left me feeling confused. It wasn’t until I came across a quote similar to the one mentioned, that my life changed. I learned to trust my intuition and when it tells me to say no, I honor that feeling. While I respect my opinions, thoughts, and differences of others, I prioritize my own life goals because ultimately, I am the one living my life. This approach has enabled me to stay committed to my own targets, even if it meant sacrificing certain activities that are commonly enjoyed by college students.” The second one comes from one of the most influential leaders of racial equality in America during the late 1800s named Booker T. Washington. He had a different thought of gaining equality to African American by calling his people to focus on acquiring education to have more knowledge and therefore to know what is right or wrong and vocational and trading skills in order to gain financial independence and social respect rather than demanding social and and political equality. His thoughts have reinforced my belief that in addition to virtues, financial stability is also crucial. It empowers individuals to rely less on others, improves their social standing, and allows for greater influence in society. Moreover, financial stability can be achieved by contributing positivel to society: the more one gives, the greater the financial rewards and recognition that can be earned. What I have gained through these two concepts match with my class’s learning outcomes which includes utilizing skills ( speaking, writing, note-taking, study skills, and time management), demonstrating an understanding of self-development in physiological, psychological, and social contexts. In addition, the most important I have learned was being able to describe my own cultural norms, and discuss intercultural issues, and to support the diverse nature of society and the University.
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
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CONFUCIUS
Community Learning
Throughout my academic career, I have been involved in various volunteer activities. In high school, I was part of the student government, where I helped organize events such as barbecues for students with high academic achievements, ran the flag during football games, modeled during rallies, and set up various events. Additionally, during my time in the National Honors Society, I participated in fundraisers though a game called “Shave the Day” to raise money for children with cancer, as a mentor, I successfully guided freshmen and sophomores to feel welcome on campus and comfortable returning after the pandemic. I also helped promote Vietnamese culture by creating cultural activities during an exchange program in Singapore. Through volunteering, I gained valuable experience in communicating with people from various backgrounds, particularly when attending several donation events, including those for orphans.” Another activity that I do outside the university is writing partner programs. It was my honor to completed two Writting partner programs at the same time. In this program, I was matched with elementary-school student writers and we exchanged letters with each other. Through my experience with Writing Partners, I have come to realize the impact of my words and Sac State in-person campus tour on others. For instance, I have inspired my partners by sharing my experience about university life, and as a a result, they have developed a greater sense of determination to pursue higher education, which will ultimately benefit society. Additionally, as an immigrant, I have gained valuable insights into the lives and abilities of American children through their daily sharing of passions and experiences. As you read these lines, I acknowledge that I haven’t participated in many volunteer opportunities thus far. This is because I was primarily focused on exploring and adapting to college life. However, now that I have better understanding of the academic workload, time management, and work-life balance, I am confident in my ability to allocate more time towards volunteering and making a positive impact in the community. This will not only allow me to acquire new soft skills, but also foster meaningful relationships with others.
Important Projects
During my first year at Sacramento State, I completed several projects in more than half of my courses, and I am proud of all of them due to the hard work I put in and the grades I received. However, there are two projects that I am particularly proud of. The first one is a research-based argument that I completed in my English class. For this project, I researched a problem that exists in my Writing Partner's community, specifically in his elementary school. I conducted my own research on the topic of bullying and the importance of early prevention to help children have a better future and avoid negative behaviors such as violence, drug use, or social isolation. I received an exceptional grade, the highest on the assignment, and this presentation will be presenting New Joseph Bonnheim Community Charter School.
The second project that I am proud of was a final presentation about a wicked problem in society called privilege. This presentation was a representation of my view of the world after learning concepts from the Honors 1 class I mentioned earlier. Initially, I presented Booker T. Washington's concept, which emphasizes the importance of gaining knowledge and contributing to society to gain financial stability and respect from others. However, when I looked for the second philosopher to support this concept, I realized that my view of the world had changed regarding the idea of privilege. I questioned how those who don't have power or privilege can contribute to society and create wealth when most of the means to do so are in the hands of those who have power, such as white men. Olympe de Gouge's concept, on the other hand, advocated for women and slaves to fight for justice, gain the same rights as men and white men, and be judged by their contributions and virtues alone. In other words, she fought for equal rights and opportunities to make money. Although I did not receive the grade I had hoped for, these two concepts changed the way I see the world from solely focusing on making money to the problems related to the process of making money or the problems related to human needs. As a result, I concluded my presentation by advocating for people to fight for the privilege they deserve and to take advantage of those privileges to become well-educated and useful citizens.
Bullying needs to have early prevention before it is too late
People have their responsibility to fight for privileges or right that they deserve and to take advantage of those privileges to become well-educated and useful citizens.