Nong Thi May - a strong-willed Nung girl

Born in 1996, May is currently a second-year student majoring in Corporate Accounting. At the age of 28, May has been struggling to continue her studies. Before studying at College of Foreign Economic Relations, May used to be a student of the Faculty of Education of Tay Nguyen University; however, because of her difficult family circumstances she had to put aside her dream of becoming a teacher. Staying at home for a long time, making a living working different jobs, May realized that she had to continue her study to escape poverty. Once again, May decided to pursue her dream to continue her studies. She checked out costs of living in big cities, tuition fees and other living expenses.

As an ethnic minority student from a poor household, Nong Thi May is eligible for tuition fee exemption or reduction, so May thought she would work part-time to cover daily living expenses.

In the end, May chose to enroll at College of Foreign Economic Relations, majoring in Corporate Accounting, requiring 2 years and a half of full-time study. It is possible for her to graduate early by earning college credits ahead of time. With meticulousness, carefulness, and patience, May chose to major in Corporate Accounting. Moreover, studying this field makes it easy to find part-time jobs such as cashiers, data entry clerks, and tax assistants.

May confided that she still remembered that at the end of the first semester of her first year, she suddenly received a text message from her homeroom teacher asking her to meet to discuss her study situation. The teacher informed her that with her academic result of 3.47 May would have received an excellent scholarship if her training point was 80 or higher. May felt regretful after receiving that bad news. After that, the homeroom teacher advised her to participate in COFER’s extra curriculum activities and talk shows. Taking her teacher’s advice, from a shy and self-conscious girl, May not only gets enough training points to qualify for a scholarship, but also becomes more sociable, cheerful and active. May attended the 15th Vocational Excellent Student Contest organized by Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

May ended the conversation with a hearty laugh. “I guess I get paid to go to school. I have tuition fee exemption, and I also got scholarships in the 2nd semester of the first year and in the 1st semester of the second year, with the total prize of about 14 million VNĐ. I hope I will win a scholarship in the 2nd semester this academic year.”, said May.

Flexing May’s GPA and Training Point:

Nong Thi May (This photo provided by Nong Thi May)

May (the second from the left), her teammates and the instructor at the 15th Vocational Excellent Student Contest.

To be "cool" like May, here is a tip for you: "Participating in extracurricular and academic activities is a great way to develop yourself and expand your knowledge." Here are some suggestions for activities you can participate in:

Academic Clubs: Register for academic clubs at school or in the community. These clubs often organize discussions, seminars, and research activities that can help you meet people with similar interests.

Scientific seminars: Participate in scientific seminars and conferences to stay up to date. Update the latest knowledge in the field you are interested in. This is also an opportunity to meet and discuss with experts.

Academic competitions: If you are interested in challenging your knowledge, participate in academic competitions.

Foreign languages: Learn a new language or improve your ability to use a foreign language. This helps you expand your horizons and make a difference in your career.

Internship and practice: This helps you apply knowledge in practice and gain experience.

Online learning: There are many free or paid online courses on platforms. Look for courses related to your field of interest.

Photo news: Office of Student Affairs and Business Liaison