Meeting me one weekend afternoon, despite having just returned to Hanoi from a long business trip to Thanh Hoa, the face of this recent graduate from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities still shone with joy. The pretty girl with the energetic short hair – that's Nguyen Tuyet Lan, a K53 student majoring in Social Work, who just graduated with honors with a GPA of 3.63, and was named a Outstanding Young Person of Hanoi National University in 2011.As a high school student, Lan harbored a dream of becoming a student at a university with a rich history and renowned figures such as Professor Dao Duy Anh, Professor Tran Van Giau, and Professor Dang Thai Ma… While many other candidates were still grappling with numerous choices, for Lan, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi was her first and only choice. Initially, she felt overwhelmed by the university environment, but for Tuyet Lan, these difficulties were merely challenges to overcome. For the Social Work field, the lack of specialized information and materials was a major obstacle. But with her passion for learning and social activities, Tuyet Lan went searching through all the libraries and bookstores, even though she was met with negative responses due to the scarcity of materials in Vietnamese. Furthermore, she contacted senior students to borrow materials. A unique characteristic of Social Work is that classroom learning must be closely linked to practical experience. The specialized courses require students to spend a significant amount of time practicing at social welfare centers and facilities. There were days when Lan had to "stay rooted" in the field for several consecutive days. Furthermore, the limited number of social welfare centers in Hanoi meant she had few opportunities for practical training.
Besides her classes and internships at the center, Tuyet Lan is very active in youth union activities. She participated in summer volunteer programs in Ha Giang in 2009 and Ba Vi in 2010, along with other short-term volunteer activities such as the Children's Day, the Spring Festival, domestic violence prevention campaigns, and sociological surveys in mountainous areas. Memories of the "Green Summer" campaign in the northernmost region of Vietnam, and the times she traveled to remote villages to collect clothes and books, are among Lan's most memorable experiences. On each journey, Lan increasingly realized that there are so many unfortunate lives in need of compassionate help. Contrary to her strong and independent appearance, Lan is a very skillful girl. Outside of school, in her free time, she often paints, sews, or makes small, beautiful crafts to give to friends or children at the protection center. Currently, Tuyet Lan is a staff member in the community development department of the non-governmental organization Good Neighbors International. Her main job is coordinating projects to support impoverished communities in improving their living conditions and developing self-reliance. Intelligent, charismatic, dynamic, and multi-talented, Tuyet Lan is truly a source of pride for social work students.
Next episode:Mai Linh: A multi-talented young man
