Announcing the 2025 Students of History Scholarship Winner

Students of History is proud to announce Max Nguyen, a graduating senior from Rancho Alamitos High School in Anaheim, California, as the recipient of the 2025 Students of History Scholarship.

This annual award honors a student who demonstrates a deep passion for history and a commitment to using their understanding of the past to create a better future.

Max impressed the scholarship committee with a thoughtful and inspiring video essay that explored how learning about imperialism and settler colonialism in AP U.S. History and AP World History transformed their view of the world and their place in it.

In Max's own words, "History has never been just about facts or dates to me. It's a powerful lens in understanding my identity, my activism, and my role in this ever-changing world."

Drawing from personal connections to the Vietnam War and their family’s roots, Max spoke passionately about the lasting legacies of historical events and how that awareness has fueled a life of civic engagement and leadership. From serving as president of their school’s Social Justice Club to interning with grassroots organizations like the Asian Youth Collective and the Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Max has turned historical knowledge into action.

“Max is a standout student who takes history far beyond the classroom,” said Ms. Elizabeth Jones, a social studies teacher at Rancho Alamitos High School who wrote Max’s letter of recommendation. “They are one of the rare students whose curiosity runs even deeper than their academic success, and who uplifts every classroom conversation with insight and empathy.”

Max plans to attend UCLA this fall, with aspirations of becoming a humanitarian aid doctor. “I don’t want to just provide care,” Max shared. “I want to bring an informed, historically grounded perspective to the communities I serve. My interest in medicine is deeply tied to the understanding that health, justice, and history are inseparable.”

Max added that history, "doesn't just inform what I think or who I vote for. It shapes who I am as a person and how I choose to engage with this world."

The Students of History Scholarship has been awarded annually since 2017. It was created to recognize young leaders like Max who understand the power of history not just as a subject to study, but as a tool for building a more just and informed world.