Your computer science section leader might just be a celebrity.
It’s a realization that many students had this quarter when they found out one of their peers, Holden Nguyen ’25, would be competing on this season of “The Amazing Race.” Within the show, contestants race across nine countries to complete games in hopes of winning a one-million dollar prize.
Nguyen, a senior studying symbolic systems, is a section leader for CS 106A and CS 106B, two of Stanford’s most popular classes. As the first post-21st century-born contestant of The Amazing Race, Nguyen is breaking barriers for Gen Z. Nguyen, 22, and his older sister Han Nguyen, 26, will compete together in the 37th season of the show, which will premier on Wednesday, March 5 at 9:30 p.m. on CBS.
Nguyen first applied to compete on the show during the winter quarter of 2024. He found out he was selected during spring quarter and filmed the show from mid-May to mid-June last year.
Although the show was filmed last year, the episodes are just now being aired. Nguyen is feeling a mix of emotions when it comes to the show’s upcoming release.
“I am a bit nervous about the first episode being released, but at the same time, I am so happy to share it with everyone. Doing the race has always been a dream come true, and I have an opportunity to share that with the people I love. How can I not be excited?” Nguyen wrote to The Daily.
Nguyen is more than just an Amazing Race contestant. Aside from being a Stanford student, he’s also a member of KZSU – Stanford’s student run community radio – and the creator of a Spotify podcast called “Two Barking Dogs.”
Holden and Han are not the first Stanford-affiliated sibling duo to appear on the show. Siblings Tammy Jih ’03 and Victor Jih ’93 also competed on the show, ending up winning the 14th season, which premiered in 2009. Now, more than 15 years later, a sister and brother duo is taking the stage once again.
Competing on the show certainly had an impact on Nguyen, he told The Daily.
“It was so formative in how I viewed the world and its plethora of cultures. I also think that it does such good with its mission of educating people about how awesome and wonderful the world is,” Nguyen wrote.
The Stanford community can support Holden this season by tuning in to the premier and each subsequent Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. to watch his team compete.