"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore," could be the personal motto of Mui Bui. With his wife Quy Nguyen, and children in tow, Mui left his Vietnamese homeland and medical practice in 1993. His singular goal: to give his two young children--Brian and Stephanie--a different kind of life.

"When the children arrived at Holy Cross School, they did not speak English," said Christine Higgins, former principal.

"Stephanie was in the fourth grade, and she cried every day the first few weeks," said Higgins. "But she was so bright, and everyone could see her blossom in leaps and bounds."

"Initially, it was hard to adjust to American life," said Stephanie. "The language, the culture, and the new routine were a challenge. But, my teachers were so kind. They drew me out and instilled in me a great love for learning," she said.

The Holy Cross effort was affirmed when Stephanie moved on to St. Pius X High School. In high school, she excelled.

"I felt at home at St. Pius," said Stephanie. "My experience gave me confidence."

Armed with an academic scholarship, Stephanie enrolled at Rockhurst University.

"My parents taught me that education is really important," said Stephanie. "In the United States, the Catholic education system provided me with many opportunities."

Stephanie took advantage of every opportunity. Graduating from university with honors in three years.  She entered medical school in the fall of 2006.

"I'm attending the University of Health Sciences and hope to be a family practice doctor," said Stephanie. "My interest in medicine initially stemmed from watching my father. He was a very dedicated physician. In Vietnam, many people do not have access to basic medical care," she said. "They need quality family physicians, who can help them identify the source of their illness and the way to good health," said Stephanie.

"I want to thank the Catholic education community for helping me reach my goals," said Stephanie.

Thanks to the generosity of donors to the Central City School Fund, a supportive school was waiting in America for Stephanie when Mui Bui lost sight of his Vietnamese homeland. The circle is complete.