The School of Economics and Management Valedictorian and His Two "Calls for Help" to His Lecturer

For Vu Ngoc Tuong Minh, valedictorian of the School of Economics and Management, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) for the class of 2024.2, after four years of university, besides valuable knowledge, what the young man received most was the affection and mentorship of HUST teachers.

As a former Physics student at the High School for Gifted Students (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Tuong Minh chose the Business Analytics major at HUST because of the University's achievements and rich history. On his challenging academic journey, Minh was moved and grateful to have teachers who always encouraged and stood by him. Minh is especially grateful to Dr. Ngo Thu Giang, Program Director of Business Administration, School of Economics and Management, who untangled his difficulties on two significant occasions.

An Experienced Mentor

Vu Ngoc Tuong Minh met Dr. Giang for the first time while studying Applied Statistics in his sophomore year. Minh still remembers the feeling of admiration and awe upon realizing her excellent capabilities. Throughout that semester, Minh was deeply impressed by Dr. Giang's friendliness and openness. She always encouraged students to ask questions and contribute to the lesson, after which she would explain enthusiastically and clearly until the students understood thoroughly. Moreover, she graded and corrected homework assignments in great detail.

"Ms. Giang brings a feeling: Whenever students have questions, they can meet her to find the answer," Tuong Minh shared. This initial fondness made him bold enough to ask for Dr. Thu Giang's support when he encountered "obstacles."

The first time the School of Economics and Management student sent an "SOS" signal to Dr. Giang was when he and a group of friends represented HUST in the ICAEW Vietnam Business Challenge organized by ICAEW. This is an academic competition for Vietnamese students, applying knowledge of business, finance, and accounting to solve real-world situations.

The student group had researched the theory very carefully but still needed a mentor to offer advice and provide additional financial perspectives. Knowing that Dr. Ngo Thu Giang had deep expertise in the knowledge areas related to the competition, Tuong Minh represented the group to proactively contact her for guidance, and she agreed immediately.
  Understanding the difficulties of the young students, Dr. Thu Giang invited the group to her home for discussion and instruction. She used her personal experience to analyze the problem from many different angles, helping the whole group get the most comprehensive overview of the prompt.

At the same time, she listened to every opinion and responded in detail to each query from every member of the group. The guidance session lasted from 5:00 PM to over 8:00 PM, resolving all initial issues and satisfying all the young people thirsty for knowledge.

As a result, the contestant group "reaped sweet fruit" with a Top 8 finish overall. "I deeply cherish and am grateful for the opportunity to work with Ms. Giang. Without her, we could not have achieved that result!" Tuong Minh emphasized.

A Mindset Navigator

Time passed, and it was time for the student to work on his graduation thesis. To ensure his first steps on the journey of scientific research were meticulous and precise, Tuong Minh once again sought out Dr. Thu Giang, inviting her to be his thesis supervisor. He earnestly wished to learn from her how to think logically when developing a topic. The spirit of eagerness to learn and constant self-improvement of the final-year student "conquered" Dr. Giang, and Minh was delighted when she said "YES."

Dr. Thu Giang remarked: "Scientific research is a path that is not simple and not for everyone, but it is an extremely interesting direction for scientists who want to delve deep into a field and contribute to humanity's treasury of knowledge."

From this motivation, Tuong Minh gained more determination to focus on researching and implementing the thesis. Every week, teacher and student met to discuss and remove Tuong Minh's obstacles. Not disappointing his teacher's efforts, the young man always tried to arrange his time to complete the thesis on schedule and with high quality. After months of concentrated work, the result: Minh topped the Council with a convincing A+. This was not only Minh's own achievement but also the result of the hard work of both teacher and student.
  Graduating from HUST with high achievements is a lever lifting students toward a bright future. After leaving school, Vu Ngoc Tuong Minh decided to continue his path of study and research by choosing to study for a Master's in Ireland. In Minh's heart, Dr. Giang is like a family member, so that even in a faraway land, if he encounters difficulties that need untangling, he can pick up the phone and "call a relative"!

"Thanks to Dr. Thu Giang, I realized the role and influence of a lecturer and mentor on the thinking and demeanor of students!" Minh shared. The young man cherishes the dream of becoming a dedicated and visionary teacher, following in his predecessor's footsteps, helping and inspiring students so that the younger generation can unleash their full potential and become talented contributors to society.

On the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20, alumnus Vu Ngoc Tuong Minh wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Ngo Thu Giang and all teachers of the School of Economics and Management in particular, and HUST teachers in general. More than anyone, Tuong Minh is deeply aware that his high academic achievements, advanced thinking, and opportunities to study in an international environment are thanks to the companionship and help of dedicated educators who love their profession.

Minh hopes that in the future, when he has gathered enough knowledge, he will have the opportunity to return to Hanoi University of Science and Technology, apply for a lecturer position, and rekindle the flame of enthusiasm, dedicating himself to the cause of education and leading the young generation of Vietnam, just as his teacher Thu Giang once guided him.