Overcoming the shock of low grades, a Tay ethnic minority female student graduates as valedictorian in Management Science.

Dong Thi Vi Hoan was born in 2001 in Lang Son, grew up in Thai Nguyen, and is of Tay ethnicity. She is a student in class K64B, academic year 2019-2023, majoring in Management Science, Faculty of Management Science, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi (USSH). In August 2023, she will graduate as valedictorian of her major with an excellent GPA of 3.65/4.0. The young woman revealed to the Vietnamese Student Section of Tien Phong newspaper about her special name: “My father's surname is Dong, my mother's surname is Vi, and my younger brother's name is Hao. Combining the names of the two siblings makes 'Hoan Hao' (Perfect). My parents entrusted this name with their positive wishes, hoping that our lives will always be smooth sailing.”
Before entering university, she studied in the science stream and was an excellent math student for many years. In middle school, she won second prize at the provincial level and was selected for the national competition team. In high school, she won third prize at the provincial level twice. However, she chose USSH – a university with a long tradition of training and research in social sciences and humanities – because she admired the school's rich history, reputation, and serious academic spirit.
She observed that when choosing a major and a university, people often tend to choose fields with immediate practical applications or those whose names already indicate what kind of job they will do after graduation. However, she took a different approach, focusing on fields that could provide a broad foundation of knowledge and develop critical thinking skills.
Vi Hoan stumbled upon the field of Management Science and realized it was the major she had been searching for. Studying this major, students not only learn how to manage others but also how to manage themselves. Even more significantly, in 2019, when she applied using the A00 subject combination, it was the last year that Management Science would accept applications using this combination.
Throughout her 12 years as a science student, she faced countless difficulties in her early days at the university. She experienced a major shock when she only achieved a GPA of 2.9/4.0 in the first semester of her first year. She even considered retaking the university entrance exam because she felt she wasn't suited to the environment at USSH.
"The inspiring lecturers are what kept me here. The longer I study, the more I admire the knowledge and character of the teachers here. I also want to become a talented person like them, so I have strived to study hard and achieved the results I have today," she confided.
After that crisis, Vi Hoan immediately adjusted her study methods. She realized that social science subjects have the same logic and connections as natural science subjects. Therefore, they are essentially the same; learners need to grasp the core of the issue, and then, whether it's a natural science or a social science subject, they can easily and effectively absorb the information.
She often volunteers to be class leader for credit-based courses to help instructors manage the class, as well as to remind herself to be more careful and serious with each subject. To achieve good results, she usually sets goals at the beginning of the semester. She considers the difficulty of each course in each semester to allocate resources and create different study plans.
Each subject has a different learning approach: some require memorizing a lot of theoretical content, while others require group work. But no matter the course, she always strives to attend all classes, actively participate in class discussions, and maintain a high level of motivation throughout the semester.
For general education courses in social sciences and humanities, which USSH students often refer to as "difficult," Vi Hoàn usually takes extra meticulous notes. She revealed that to make studying these general courses more enjoyable, she invested in some study supplies such as notebooks, pens, and sticky notes in bright colors and cute designs.
Before each essay exam, instead of buying pre-prepared study guides, she compiled the knowledge herself, then condensed it to make it easier to remember the main points. When writing the essay, she developed her own personal opinions from the main points she remembered and wrote according to her own understanding.
Her GPA gradually improved each semester, from a good 3.32, then a 3.5, to an excellent 3.8, and finally a perfect 4.0. As a result, she was awarded the title of "Highest-Grade Student in the Department" for two consecutive years. She received academic achievement scholarships for several semesters and won the "Wings of Hope" Scholarship on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Faculty of Management Science. Passionate about the Chinese language and culture, Wei Huan participated in online summer and winter camps organized by Sun Yat-sen University and several other Chinese universities. These are cultural exchange courses, usually lasting from two weeks to one month, organized by Chinese universities for international students.
The courses she took were all taught entirely in Chinese, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of the culture, traditions, economy, and society of the world's most populous country. Not only did these courses provide valuable knowledge, but they also helped her make many international friends with similar interests, broadening her perspective and worldview.
Vi Hoàn's most memorable experience was working on her graduation thesis. The topic she chose was completely new in her field. Therefore, she encountered numerous difficulties and it took her six months to complete. She said she was fortunate to have her supervisor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Quynh Anh, always by her side, encouraging her. Additionally, she also wanted to express her gratitude to her family. Her parents have always been a strong support system, both financially and emotionally, allowing her to focus on her studies and seek their advice whenever she encounters problems in life or work.
She also deeply cherishes the friends who shared both the good and the bad times throughout her student life. She feels very fortunate to have such wonderful friends with whom she studied, worked, and experienced beautiful and unforgettable days of youth. To focus on her studies and improve her skills, Vi Hoan did not take on a part-time job until her third-year internship. Immediately after completing her courses and while awaiting graduation, she was hired for a Marketing position at a construction and brand development company with three locations in Hanoi. This job was closely related to her field of study, allowing her to confidently apply her classroom knowledge to practical situations.
Vi Hoan's current priority is work to gain more diverse experience. She intends to pursue further education in the future and affirms: "For me, learning is a lifelong endeavor, so as long as I want to, I can learn and develop myself anytime."