This school gave me dreams!

Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Thi Phung, on behalf of generations of teachers, shared her thoughts and feelings towards the University of Social Sciences and Humanities/Photo: Thanh Long

Today, I am honored and touched to be allowed by the Organizing Committee, teachers, staff and civil servants of the whole school to represent and speak at the opening ceremony of the new school year 2014-2015.

Standing on this platform looking down at the hall, I felt a little "envious" of the new students of K59, because they were not only warmly welcomed by the school and teachers of the faculties on the first day of school, guided and shared with necessary information during the civic activity week, but also attended a solemn and meaningful opening ceremony of the school year.

The reason I expressed a little "envy" towards you guys is because I remember when I was in college (in 1976). At that time, the country had just emerged from the war, many things needed to be prioritized, so we did not have a general opening ceremony and when we graduated, there was no graduation ceremony with "fancy" caps and gowns like the current student classes.

But for us, that was just a small disadvantage and compared to the generations before me, the generation of my teachers - many of whom are also present in this hall, that disadvantage was nothing compared to the days of studying during the war, in the evacuation area. That day (1976), my teachers' generation must have thought: students today are really lucky!

And suddenly I see that those somewhat "envious" statements from the previous generation to the next generation are a joy because they show the upward development of society in general, of university education and our school in particular.

Although there are many differences between ancient times and modern times, one thing remains almost unchanged -It is the pride of the school, the gratitude for generations of lecturers and staff of the school in the hearts of generations of students.

Today, in this opening ceremony, I would like to talk about that sacred thing through my own ordinary story. Nearly 40 years ago, from a skinny student, the daughter of a poor farming family in Thai Binh province, I was like a “deaf person not afraid of guns”, daring to register for the entrance exam to Hanoi University of Science, the predecessor of today’s University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Thanks to an exam that knew no negativity, I stepped from the fields to Hanoi and became a student of the Faculty of History. From a rural student, at the age of 17, coming to the city and seeing everything strange, I was guided and instructed by the teachers and staff of the school, helped by friends and colleagues, and then 4 years later, at the age of 21, I became a lecturer - staff of the school. Nearly 40 years of studying and working at the school, going through many roles: student, lecturer, manager; learning from many respected teachers; sharing knowledge with many generations of students; Being able to travel to all the provinces and cities in the country and fly to several countries in the world..., I feel very lucky and happy. Many times when I sit and think, I see everything that comes to me as a dream, but that dream is real!

And I wonder: could I have had those dreamlike things if I had not chosen this school, if I had not had teachers, friends, and generations of wonderful students from the former Hanoi University of Science and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities today?

And dear students of K59, no matter what reason brings you to the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, I want to tell you once again: those things are a real dream for me, but my story is a normal story of many people - those who enter school with so much confusion and from school enter life with such pride and gratitude.

I have expressed my gratitude to my teachers, colleagues, and students many times. But my teachers told me, even if the school is good, the teachers are good, the environment is good, but if you do not make an effort, your husband and children do not help and share the housework, will you be as lucky?

I would like to thank my teachers again, because they helped me look back at what I have overcome: from the difficult student years during the subsidy period, to the days of working hard when I first graduated even though I didn't know when I would receive my salary from the government; from the days of taking my young child to teach in a far away province, eating dry bread to have money to take photos for my thesis, to the sleepless nights because of the topics and articles that had to be completed by the deadline...

But above all, for me, the former Hanoi University of Science and Technology and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities today are still the places where I grew up, contributed my efforts to the common cause and received much joy and happiness. Every time I go to faraway places, meet friends and former students, we call each other "People of Science and Technology" and now "People of Humanities" with undisguised pride.

On the occasion of the opening of the new school year, I would like to once again express my gratitude to the teachers; I would like to share with the staff and administrators of the school for their dedication to the busy work; I would like to congratulate the postgraduate students, graduate students and undergraduate students of all courses for their efforts, successes and plans that are still being tried to complete.

As for the first-year students, I not only congratulate you for passing a difficult exam to enter university, but also congratulate you for becoming new students of the number one university in Vietnam in the field of social sciences and humanities - a school whose brand is associated with the names of famous teachers, a school whereThe greatest asset and value is the rare intellectual height and humanity.. You should try your best in studying and training at such a school, so that later you can contribute to society and receive the things you dream of!

                                                          Hanoi, September 12, 2014

(Excerpt from the speech of Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Thi Phung - Head of Office Administration Department, Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Administration - at the Opening Ceremony of the 2014-2015 school year of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities).