Department of Psychology Dean’s Medalist heads to Mayo Clinic with a full-ride

Vincent Truong is graduating from Arizona State University with dual degrees in psychology and biochemistry (medical chemistry), a minor in disability studies and a drive to return to underserved communities as a physician. 

A first-generation college student and member of Barrett, The Honors College, Truong has been named the spring 2025 Department of Psychology Dean’s Medalist. He will represent his academic unit by carrying the flag at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences convocation this May.

Truong’s love of science started early. 

“I had a natural liking to biology, chemistry and physics — the ‘challenging sciences,’ as some of my peers call them,” he said. 

But his work as a behavioral health EMT at halfway houses shifted his focus, sparking a deeper interest into the human mind.

“I became more interested in psychology as it related to mental health,” Truong said. “I quickly learned that psychology was just as challenging of a science, or even more so, since it deals with the human brain — which can be wild and unexpected — unlike a chemical reaction which has certain laws it must follow.”

This interplay between psychology and biochemistry became central to Truong’s studies. Psychology helped him embrace uncertainty and nuance, while biochemistry grounded him in methodology and evidence. That balance fueled his undergraduate research, including an honors thesis on aging and autism spectrum disorder, supported by a Psi Chi undergraduate research grant and conducted in Assistant Professor Jessica Verpeut’s SOCIAL (Study of Circuits in Adolescent Life) Neurobiology Lab. It also inspired his advocacy for inclusive STEM education through ASU’s RISE Center.

Beyond the lab, Truong explored health systems abroad in Costa Rica as an ASU Global Education Planning Scholar, completed the Stanford Clinical Summer Internship, and participated in research-focused programs like the Embark Fellowship and Banner-ASU Neuroscience Scholars. 

One of his favorite outreach projects was a machine learning collaboration with the Ricoy Lab at the University of Arizona, where he helped develop and publish as first author a software package design to make AI accessible to high school students. He also led student initiatives, earned several scholarships and research grants, and received The College of Liberal Arts Student Leader Award — an honor he says he’ll carry into his future work.

This fall, he heads to Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine on a full-ride scholarship.

We spoke with Truong about his time at ASU, what he’s learned and the issues he hopes to tackle in his career.

Question: Why did you choose ASU?

Answer: I initially chose ASU because it was close to home and the financial aid covered my entire tuition, allowing me to focus on my education without worrying about finances. Looking back, I wouldn't change my decision, as the extra time afforded by ASU’s generous financial aid helped me pursue extracurricular activities that enhanced my academic journey. From researching and volunteering to running a club or starting initiatives, ASU is a place where you can do anything you set your mind to.

Q: Would you recommend other students pursue multiple degrees?

A: I would definitely encourage students to pursue multiple degrees if their schedule allows. Life is not simple and singular; the best ideas in the world occur when multiple disciplines come together to create an idea. Thankfully, my workload was manageable since many course requirements for one major fulfilled the other major simultaneously. For those students considering it, I would suggest looking at the major map of your interested second major and seeing if some of the requirements match your first major. Often, you'll find that you’ve already completed half of that major!

Q: What experience changed your perspective most at ASU?

A: During my time as a Mayo Clinic Barrett Honors College Premedical Scholar, I had the amazing opportunity to shadow Dr. Jewel Kling, who taught me about LGBTQ+ advocacy in medicine. She was one of the humblest physicians I’ve met. As I shadowed her throughout the day, we would converse about everyday topics like music, favorite foods, travel and more. It wasn’t until we walked into the faculty lounge and she pointed to an organizational hierarchy chart, saying, “That’s me,” that I realized I had been walking alongside the dean of the Mayo Clinic Arizona campus the whole time! 

This experience taught me that the most amazing people at prestigious institutions, who may seem like they live in an ivory tower, are just normal people like us. My perspective completely changed, and I knew I could be just like Dr. Kling, advocating for patients at a large institution. I realized that professors, faculty members and the “higher-ups” are not as isolated as they seem; in fact, they are the ones most enthusiastic about helping and mentoring the next generation!

Q: What scholarships, grants or resources had the biggest impact on you?

A: Over my years at ASU, I had the honor of receiving multiple scholarships that enhanced my academic experience and affirmed my success as a first-generation student. For instance, the Psi Chi Regional Travel Grant allowed me to travel to Las Vegas for the Western Psychology Conference to present my thesis.

The Irwin R. Sheer and Yvonne H. Sheer Endowed Scholarship and Joshua E. Zantek Scholarship financially supported me throughout my education.

I received the Changemaker Grant for my club, Minorities in Medicine, for our initiative Liquid to Gold, which aims to convert medical waste into “gold” for the community. Through this effort, we donated more than 200 health packs to those experiencing homelessness in the Phoenix Valley!

Lastly, for my research endeavors, the Bidstrup Foundation and Barrett Research Undergraduate Fellowship and Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience Travel Grant funded my presentation at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. (2023) and in Chicago (2024).

ASU also provides free Princeton Prep materials for the MCAT (and other professional exams like the DAT, GRE, LSAT, etc. too), which was an incredible help since those prep books and online courses are worth over $2,000! I would encourage any students starting out in college to look into these resources.

Q: What’s the best advice you’d give to other students?

A: I heard this nugget of advice at a seminar I attended at ASU. I can’t recall who said it, but the words have always stuck with me. My advice to current students is to “be so great that they cannot ignore you.” Go forth and be your best self! Don’t let anyone put you down, especially yourself. Throughout college, you may have doubts and challenges, but I encourage everyone to use those as opportunities to overcome, learn and grow.

Q: If given $40 million to solve one global problem, what would you tackle and why?

A: I'm deeply interested in the intersection of health care and the incarceration system, especially regarding mental health treatment. Incarcerated individuals with psychological conditions often face a harmful cycle of superficial treatment aimed more at legal processing than healing. The system rarely prioritizes their well-being, trapping many in a loop between mental health facilities, prisons and transitional homes. I hope to bring attention to this issue, an uncomfortable but urgent reality.

I believe meeting the mental health needs of incarcerated individuals is essential to any effort to reform and reintegrate. Yet access to care is limited by long standing social, economic and political disparities. Addressing these challenges requires broad collaboration, from advocacy groups to health care policymakers, and a willingness to take on a complex, often overlooked problem. I am committed to that work through collective action and systemic change.