CNN anchor Betty Nguyen visited the UT campus Wednesday and discussed with students her wide experiences in journalism, offering advice for a successful career and Asian Americans in the media.

Who knows what my life would have been like if we hadn't left the communism of Vietnam? Would I live in a grass hut with dirt floors, would I have an education? Betty Nguyen, CNN anchor

Nguyen's speech, "From Saigon to CNN", discussed her journey immigrating from Vietnam after the war to the United States. Nguyen moved to the United States when she was only a year old.

"I was given life when so many people in the war were losing theirs," Nguyen said. "Who knows what my life would have been like if we hadn't left the communism of Vietnam? Would I live in a grass hut with dirt floors, would I have an education?"

Nguyen said that moving to the United States gave her family a chance to start over.

Nguyen, who currently hosts the weekend edition of CNN Newsroom, advised students to pick a career that they are truly passionate about doing.

She asked students, "If you don't like what you're doing, why do it?"

In 1995, Nguyen graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Nguyen said her parents originally wanted her to become an attorney, but her passion was journalism.

"We sacrificed so much to be here, but [journalism] was my dream--the American dream," she said.

Nguyen's work has taken her all over the world including to Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Southeast Asia. In 2008, after the destruction of Cyclone Nargis, Nguyen traveled to Myanmar, a country which bans foreign journalists, as an undercover reporter. Though the task was not easy, Nguyen was determined to face the danger.

"It's easier for the world to forget what they can't see," Nguyen said. "I knew the story was important, and I knew I wanted to tell it."

The event was sponsored by the Asian American Association (AAA) at UT, a student organization that promotes cultural awareness of Asian American issues on campus.

AAA President Peter Pham said "We wanted Betty Nguyen to speak on campus because she is a great representative of the Asian American community. She is a very successful journalist, but still manages to come back to her roots with her humanitarian work. These are some of the values which our organization was founded on."

We wanted Betty Nguyen to speak on campus because she is a great representative of the Asian American community.Peter Pham, Asian American Association President

With her family, Nguyen started a nonprofit organization called "Help the Hungry," which aids poverty stricken families affected by natural disasters in rural Vietnam.

Anna Hobby, Asian American Association's adviser said, "The event was relevant because it spoke to Asian American students on campus in the value of individual stories and heritages while also providing a look into the world of television journalism."

Before joining CNN in 2004, Nguyen worked with a CBS affiliate in Texas, the fifth largest market in the United States. And at the time, Nguyen was the only Asian broadcaster in that market. However, because she is one of very few female Asian journalists, Nguyen believes this gives her an opportunity to be a reflection of the Asian American community.

According to Nguyen, "success is doing what you want to do. When you do something and feel like it matters, it makes a difference."

The event was co-sponsored by Women's Coordinating Council, Ready for the World and the United Residence Halls Council (URHC).