Hanoi woman graduates as university valedictorian at nearly 40

Among the outstanding valedictorians honored by Hanoi in 2025, Ms. Mai Hoa (born in 1987), valedictorian of the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, is a special case. She graduated from university at the age of 38, after 10 years of working but could not find her true passion.

Turning to find passion after many years of working

In 2005, Ms. Hoa studied English at Hanoi University. However, she admitted that at that time, she chose this major because she had a little talent for English but had no direction after graduation. After graduating, she worked as an office worker for 7 years but the more she worked, the less interested she became.

"Actually, I always wanted to work in the field I was best at. I felt I had a bit of an artistic bent but I wasn't sure what my strengths were," she said.

In 2016, she made a bold decision to quit her office job, try her hand at business, and take short courses in makeup, photography, painting, etc. During that process, she "listened to herself" and realized that she had a passion for painting, so she decided to pursue it seriously.

Ms. Hoa's decision was supported by her husband. Having worked with her for many years in the same company, he understood her strengths, personality and desires.

Ms. Mai Hoa, born in 1987, valedictorian of Vietnam University of Fine Arts. Photo: NVCC

In 2020, Mai Hoa studied for the entrance exam to the Vietnam University of Fine Arts. She had to learn knowledge related to drawing, composition and review Literature. During the time she studied, her husband took on almost all the housework so that she could focus on the exam.

"You are my spiritual support and a great advantage for me to study with peace of mind," she said.

Thanks to her determination, that year she was accepted into her dream major. Returning to being a student once again, with classmates 15 years younger than her, Ms. Hoa did not feel pressured. With the mindset of someone who had worked and experienced many changes, she found ways to adapt to study well and put all her heart into her studies.

“I went to school with a different mindset, knowing what I needed and studying with a bigger purpose,” she shared.

But to return to the classroom, she also had to struggle a lot mentally. At first, she always felt like a “mistletoe”, living off her husband. This obsession was so great that in her first year, when studying Sculpture, she created a work that metaphorically depicted herself as a tree sucking life from somewhere else.

Ms. Hoa graduated from university at the age of nearly 40. Photo: NVCC

The first two years were the most difficult time for her because she studied a lot but did not get immediate results. There were even times when she felt discouraged and wanted to give up. However, looking back now, Ms. Hoa believes that this is a period that anyone studying painting will have to go through to find their own path and creative method.

By the end of her second year, her score was good enough to enter the gifted class. Thanks to that, she was supported with all her tuition and painting materials. Only then did she somewhat ease the thought that she was “a parasite”.

Pursue your passion

In addition to worrying about tuition fees, during her studies, she was always worried about the future and "will studying art be able to support me?".

“In fact, painting is a very long struggle. When painting, you have to put aside the worries of making a living to keep your mind pure, but life is always revolving around those things,” she said.

By the third year, students enter the creative process. She begins to find her direction, so everything gradually becomes more favorable.

But a year later, tragedy struck again. Her father suddenly passed away, right when she was on a 6-week field trip in Hue . The shock left her disoriented, feeling that life no longer had much meaning.

Ms. Hoa at the valedictorian award ceremony at the Temple of Literature. Photo: NVCC

Returning to Hue after a week in Hanoi to mourn her father, one morning at Thuan An port, she looked up at the sunrise and then looked into the distance, where people's lives were still bustling and vibrant. It was at that moment that she felt that life was very precious.

From those deep emotions, she created a work about human life at Thuan An port. Surprisingly, the composition was highly scored. At that time, she realized the power of spirit in creation: When she let go of all worries, kept a carefree attitude, the work would naturally become beautiful. This is also the work she is most proud of and cherishes to this day.

After finishing 5 years of university, Ms. Mai Hoa was surprised to receive the news that she had become the valedictorian of her school. On the day she was honored at the Temple of Literature, she was extremely moved because her efforts had been recognized.

“But being valedictorian is not the destination, it is just the end of a journey. Now, I am starting to think about another journey,” she said.

Currently, Ms. Mai Hoa has applied for a master's scholarship in Europe with the desire to continue to deepen her expertise and update new art trends in the world .

She has no regrets about "learning from scratch". She believes that if she hadn't experienced many jobs and tried many things, she probably wouldn't have been able to appreciate this learning so much.

“Just keep doing it, even if you fail, you won’t lose anything. Even if you go slower, it will be a stepping stone on your path,” she shared.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nguoi-phu-nu-ha-noi-tot-nghiep-thu-khoa-dai-hoc-o-tuoi-gan-40-2464903.html