HWS News
30 September 2026 • Service HWS Day of Donors: Meet Andy Dinh ’27
HWS Day of Donors, a 24-hour giving challenge, kicks off Oct. 6. In this series of stories, meet six students whose pivotal HWS experiences were made possible through support from the Annual Fund. Here, Andy Dinh ’27 reflects on the HWS student experience.
For Andy Dinh ’27, some of the most meaningful parts of his HWS experience have happened outside the classroom.
An international student from Long An, Vietnam, Dinh arrived at HWS knowing he wanted to study computer science and data analytics. As he became more involved on campus, however, he discovered that what he valued most was finding ways to connect with people, solve problems and contribute to the communities around him.
Dinh has found countless ways to do that. He serves as a Community Assistant, works as a Teaching Fellow and Teaching Assistant and has worked at Bristol Field House and Saga Dining Hall. He also founded the HWS Cycling Club, creating a space for connection and exploring the region.
Dinh’s passion for cycling even led to one of his favorite academic projects. Every Thursday, he would bike to Blue Heron Bakery in Penn Yan, N.Y. for a cheese Danish. During his ride, he began to wonder how he could use what he was learning in the classroom to help the business. He started a passion project that he calls “Dough Flow,” a machine-learning system Dinh developed with Sam Williams ’15, director of emerging technology at Rochester Regional Health, to forecast product demand and improve inventory planning for the bakery.
Dinh’s curiosity and willingness to turn ideas into action have carried into his professional experiences. This summer, he worked as a data analyst intern with Greater Rochester Enterprise, where he analyzed data to help inform economic development across the Rochester region. The experience has reinforced something he has learned throughout his time at HWS: he wants his work to make a meaningful impact on people and the communities he is in.
Dinh was named HWS Community Developer of the Year in 2025. He says the honor doesn’t feel like an individual accomplishment, but a reflection of the many people and experiences that have shaped his time at HWS.
“Whether serving as a Community Assistant, founding the HWS Cycling Club, working as a Teaching Fellow, or volunteering through Summer of Service, every experience has been about bringing people together,” Dinh says. “Those roles have reinforced that building community is what motivates me most.”
Gifts to the Annual Fund, and specifically student life, create spaces, activities and opportunities for students to find a sense of belonging. Donate to the Annual Fund here.
