Not a top student, Vietnamese man wins over $1mn in US scholarships, works in Australia

Duy, who did not have an outstanding academic record, went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in economic law and a master’s degree in project management from the University of Wollongong in Australia.

Not limited to schoolyard

Looking back on his high school years, Duy admitted that he was a little lazy when it came to studying. Rather than focusing solely on grades, he spent much of his time on projects and activities outside the classroom.

As a student at Luong The Vinh High School in Ho Chi Minh City, Duy organized proms for students from several high schools in the city.

In 2018-19, proms were still relatively new in Vietnam. Duy and his classmates in grades 11 and 12 had to handle almost everything themselves, from developing the program, promoting the event to selling tickets and seeking sponsorship from businesses, English-language centers, fashion brands and F&B chains.

“There was no school representative, guidance or financial support from the school,” Duy recalled.

The 2018 prom at Luong The Vinh High School was a success. Students from several other schools later approached his group for advice on organizing similar events.

Duy also ran a free class for underprivileged children at Binh Minh Shelter in Ho Chi Minh City throughout his three years of high school.

Having always liked children and once dreamed of going to Ha Giang, now part of Tuyen Quang Province in northern Vietnam, to teach, he started the class with several friends and later recruited volunteers from other schools.

These activities gave Duy early experience in managing finances, time, people and communications.

“Taking part in these activities helped broaden my knowledge and worldview beyond the schoolyard,” he said.

Duy does not dismiss the value of academic study. He maintained average-to-good grades rather than aiming for scores of nine or 10 out of 10. For him, a degree is a necessary foundation, but not the end goal.

“A degree is a ticket. Everyone has a degree when they enter the workforce today, so if you don't have one, you are already at a disadvantage. However, besides a degree, I believe I need skills and some experience that set me apart from my peers,” he said.

Proactively seeking opportunities

That approach served Duy well when he applied to study abroad. He received admission offers from eight U.S. universities, with scholarships totaling more than $1 million.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed his plans. If he had gone to the U.S., he would have had to put his studies on hold for about two years while waiting for the pandemic to pass.

He therefore chose a joint program with the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, studying in Vietnam during his first year before moving to Australia in his second year to continue his studies at the University of Wollongong.

Once he entered university, Duy sought work experience and decided to take an internship in his first year. He proactively made an impression on a marketing lecturer, then emailed him to ask if he knew of any internship opportunities.

The lecturer later connected him with a medical group in Ho Chi Minh City.

After moving to Australia in his second year, Duy continued looking for work opportunities. Through a law lecturer, he learned about a corporate communications internship with the International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (IEA PVPS), and began the internship in September 2022.

In July 2023, Dr. Emily Mitchell, executive secretary of IEA PVPS, invited him to stay on as a communications officer and administrative assistant.

Duy regularly worked with colleagues and experts from different countries. Some meetings required careful coordination of time zones so that participants across different continents could attend.

Early in his career, Duy used the English name “Scott.” Mitchell asked why he did not use his real name and told him he should be proud to represent his country.

Her advice prompted Duy to stop using “Scott” and use his Vietnamese name professionally.

Duy has applied the experience he gained from law school and his social activities in his work at the Australian PV Institute.

His job involves reading and understanding highly academic scientific reports and then communicating their findings in more accessible ways to government agencies, lawmakers and the media.

For Duy, this is also when he has come to recognize the value of skills he had begun developing at an early age.

He did not choose to abandon academic study in pursuit of experience, but instead sought to build both academic credentials and practical abilities.

For Duy, the most important thing is to dare to start.

“Just do it. If you succeed, great. If you fail, so be it. But if you don't do it, you've definitely failed,” he said.

Ability to work independently

Roger Dargaville, an associate professor of renewable energy at Monash University in Australia, said he was impressed by Duy’s ability to work independently.

Duy proactively searches for interesting information relevant to the Australian PV Institute community and rarely needs Dargaville to suggest additional content for newsletters or social media channels.

“Duy really understands what kinds of stories and articles will be useful and provide valuable information to the solar energy research community,” Dargaville said.

According to Dargaville, the readership of the Australian PV Institute’s newsletter has increased significantly under Duy’s management of the communications program.

He said this was clear evidence of Duy’s ability to create content suited to the solar energy research community.