Committed to growing up

Ngo Dang Minh Thu (19 years old) gradually asserts herself as a multi-talented female student - good at studying, good at singing and responsible towards the community.

Thu's journey is not only a personal story, but also an inspiration for many young people who are looking for their own path: dare to try, dare to make mistakes, dare to stand up and go far from the starting point.

Continuous learning

Minh Thu is the first of three generations of her extended family to enter university. Pursuing her favorite major, Social Studies, at Fulbright University Vietnam is a wonderful opportunity that Thu always cherishes. Growing up in Ho Chi Minh City but originally from Nam Dinh (now Ninh Binh), Minh Thu feels that she has a blend of the dynamic, open-minded personality of the city and the perseverance and simplicity of the countryside. She is clearly aware of her roots and is deeply grateful to her family - who never fully fulfilled their dream of going to university but always sowed the seeds and encouraged Thu's dream of studying. She was empowered and confident when she saw her family's spirit of overcoming difficulties, her friends' passion for learning, and the talent and dedication of her teachers. "At a school with so many talented people, I used to feel small. But I realized that each person has a different stage of development, comparison only makes us forget our own value" - Thu confided.

For Thu, knowledge is the condition for each person to broaden their perspective. "Learning for the sake of learning" - learning for the sake of learning, knowing who and what you are learning for - is Thu's motto. For her, learning is the fundamental way for young people to change their circumstances.

Thu studies hard and disciplined, gradually preparing for a quality graduation project. Further, she dreams of narrowing the educational gap between rural and urban areas, bringing what she has accumulated to contribute to her hometown. Recently, Thu and her friends have implemented the project "hustly.space" - a technology start-up with the product of creating a website to support students to connect and support each other in competitions. Thu contributes to building the brand, planning marketing, writing content and developing a user growth strategy. The website is gradually being completed for an early launch.

Minh Thu (middle) with friends during summer volunteer teaching days in Sa Pa. Photo: KHÁNH TU

Wholeheartedly for children in the highlands

In addition to studying, Thu is also passionate about music . She often jokingly says that she has two "personalities": on stage and off stage. On stage, Thu shines and is full of energy; in real life, she is calm and focused on studying and researching. For Thu, music is a way to tell stories with emotions, connecting the souls of the singer and the listener. As President of the Fulbright Music Club, Thu and her friends build a useful playground where everyone can devote themselves to art, bringing the best performances to serve the audience.

Not only active in the classroom, Thu also teaches children in Lao Chai (Sa Pa) in the Phieu Linh Summer 2025 project. Teaching every day on the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, witnessing the students' small but determined spirit, Thu was very moved and devoted herself to taking care of them to bring the best experiences to them. Thu and her friends spent more than 4 months designing lesson plans and program content. Thereby, giving the highland children an understanding of cultural identity, social-emotional capacity, and personal development orientation. Thu and the volunteers not only imparted knowledge but also put themselves in the shoes of the learners to bring the most practical things. "For me, the trip was not only an experience but also a milestone marking maturity" - Thu said.

Minh Thu and Ms. Tu My Khanh - Head of the Organizing Committee of the ASEAN–China–India Youth Leadership Summit 2025 in Vietnam

Artistic talent helps Minh Thu easily connect and bring joy to others.

Recently, Minh Thu was selected as one of the representatives of Vietnam to compete in the final round of the ASEAN - China - India Youth Leadership Summit 2025, taking place in Singapore this October. This is a competition about initiatives and solutions to global issues for young people aged 18 - 25 from countries in the ASEAN region, China and India. The young girl is entering the final stage, determined to join her friends in making Vietnam's mark on the region's youth knowledge map.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/dan-than-de-truong-thanh-196250913194400153.htm