Inspirational Valedictorians - Lesson 3: Dare to Choose Again

TP - At the graduation ceremony at the National Economics University (NEU) that day, when the name Tran Thi Ngoc Hoai (born in 2002, Nghe An) was announced in the list of excellent valedictorians of the whole school with a perfect score of 4.0/4.0, the whole auditorium applauded endlessly. Hoai had retaken the university entrance exam, while her friends had already had a year of university.

Turn pressure into motivation

Tran Thi Ngoc Hoai was a student majoring in Geography at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted, the cradle of many excellent students in Nghe An. The little girl was always in the group of excellent students and won the provincial excellent student award. In her first year of taking the university entrance exam, Hoai was admitted to several top universities, but after only a few months of studying, she realized that she was not really interested in her major.

Tran Thi Ngoc Hoai (standing in the middle) at an event of NEU Orientation Club. Photo: NVCC

“I felt that if I continued, even if I graduated with honors, I would still not find joy in my future job. At that time, I understood that if I did not dare to step out of my comfort zone, I would never know how far I could really go,” Hoai recalled.

The decision to retake the exam for an 18-year-old girl who was once a student at a prestigious specialized school was a huge pressure. Hoai faced the worried looks of her parents, the gossip of acquaintances, and the vague fear that she might fail. But instead of giving up, Hoai turned the pressure into motivation.

“Many people say I was reckless, but for me, it was a choice of faith. I wanted to study the major I loved, to live my passion, not just go to school to finish. And until now, I think that decision that year was the best thing I ever did,” the valedictorian of the National Economics University shared.

“I think failure is not scary, the important thing is to dare to try, dare to make mistakes and know how to stand up. Passion does not come by itself, it is created from daily efforts. As long as you are persistent and determined, you will go to the end of the chosen path. After all, I just hope that people remember me not only as an excellent valedictorian, but also as a young person who dares to choose again, dares to steadfastly pursue what he loves and hopes that this story can inspire those who are struggling to find their own way.”

Valedictorian Tran Thi Ngoc Hoai

Valedictorian of the National Economics University Tran Thi Ngoc Hoai

During the whole year of reviewing for the exam, Hoai set herself a very strict schedule: studying theory in the morning, doing practice tests in the afternoon, and reviewing her knowledge in the evening. Hoai stayed away from social networks and focused only on reviewing for the exam with a single goal: passing the NEU. “Sometimes, I feel lonely and tired, especially when I see my friends going to university while I am still here. But at those times, I remind myself to be steadfast. I always tell myself: This year is not to start over, but to do it right,” Hoai shared.

And Hoai did it. The day she received the notice of admission to the National Economics University, majoring in Business Administration, the Nghe An female student was so happy that she burst into tears. All the hardships and pressure of studying for the exam were duly rewarded, opening up the most brilliant four-year university journey of the Nghe An girl at her dream school - the National Economics University. Looking back, Hoai has no regrets, saying that the time of "setting back" helped her learn discipline and determination to become a better version of herself.

Learn to understand, not to get grades.

Entering the NEU gate, Tran Thi Ngoc Hoai began her journey to conquer the pinnacle of knowledge. Right from her first year, Hoai set a very clear goal: study to understand, to apply, not to get a good score on the transcript. In each subject, Hoai tried to grasp the knowledge foundation firmly, find more practical documents, specific business situations to ask questions to the lecturers. "Studying economics cannot just be memorizing but must be applied to solve practical problems," Hoai said.

With that way of studying, throughout 7 semesters, Hoai received excellent scholarships, maintained a perfect GPA of 4.0/4.0, and excellent training scores throughout the course. In 2025, she was honored as the school's outstanding valedictorian, and was one of 100 students nationwide to receive the Talent Development - Never Give Up scholarship.

“I think that if you choose a more difficult path, you have to walk firmly. Achievements do not come from one lucky moment, but from hundreds of times of perseverance. What I am most proud of is not having a perfect GPA of 4.0, but that each semester I see myself progressing, studying more effectively, becoming more confident and understanding more clearly the path I want to pursue,” Hoai shared.

If studying gives Hoai perseverance, scientific research gives her another passion, asking questions and finding answers. Hoai started her scientific research journey in her second year of university, with many sleepless nights reading documents, processing data repeatedly and correcting mistakes many times. In particular, the research topic: "Digital Literacy, Online Security Behaviors and E-Payment Intention" has brought impressive results: First prize for scientific research at the school level, Third prize at the Ministry of Education and Training level for the 2023-2024 school year, especially published in a prestigious international scientific journal in the Q1 category.

Sharing the reason for choosing the topic, Hoai said that today's young generation lives in a digital environment, everyone thinks they understand technology, but in reality, cases of fraud and personal data theft still happen frequently. Hoai wants to research to better understand the behavior, awareness and attitudes of young people when interacting with technology and electronic payment services.

Months of collecting data, analyzing user behavior and reading hundreds of international documents helped Hoai realize that digital knowledge is important, but not enough. “Young people need to practice practical skills, develop critical thinking and know how to protect themselves in the online world ,” she said.

Positive inspiration

Since her second year of university, Hoai has been working part-time to equip herself with skills and practical knowledge from businesses. From the position of a recruiter at an e-commerce company, after only one year, the female student of the National Economics University became the head of the human resources department of this company. In her final year of university, Hoai became an employee at a multi-industry corporation as a human resources system manager, without having a university degree.

“Starting work early is very stressful, with little experience but having to take responsibility for important tasks and deadlines. But I have learned to observe, listen and proactively propose solutions. Opportunities do not come because of age or qualifications, but because of seriousness and a spirit of progress,” Hoai shared.

Early work experiences helped Hoai better understand the value of turning knowledge into action. Hoai realized that many students lack career orientation and do not have the opportunity to interact with businesses to understand the requirements and necessary skills when entering the labor market.

From that reality, Hoai proactively proposed to establish and become the Chairman of the NEU Orientation Club - a model connecting students with businesses, helping them practice skills, form practical career thinking and prepare for graduation. From a quiet student, Hoai gradually became a leader, a good listener and an inspiration for the group. Under Hoai's leadership, the Club quickly became an environment for many students to find new orientation. The Club organizes skill talkshows, connects businesses, and is highly appreciated by the school for its creativity and positive influence in the NEU student community.

From a brave “step back”, Nghe An female student Tran Thi Ngoc Hoai has become the most brilliant version of herself. For Hoai, the title of excellent valedictorian is not only the result of personal efforts, but also the responsibility to spread the spirit of learning, critical thinking and perseverance to the younger generation.

“I think, the valedictorian of the new era must not only be good at studying, but also have the ability to apply knowledge and inspire. Every young person should learn to master themselves, learn to live better, to contribute more,” the excellent valedictorian of the National Economics University added.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nhung-thu-khoa-xuat-sac-truyen-cam-hung-bai-3-dam-chon-lai-post1795373.tpo