Miss Charm Vietnam says winning crown comes at expense of studies

Born in 1996, Tra My is widely known as a bilingual emcee. 

She graduated from RMIT University in Australia with a degree in communications and is pursuing postgraduate studies in business administration and leadership in the United States. 

Miss Charm Vietnam 2026, which crowned her on October 22, was her first beauty pageant.

Crown comes with academic sacrifices

Tra My will represent Vietnam at Miss Charm 2026, with about three weeks to prepare for the international pageant, which is expected to last from November 16 to December 5.

She is focusing on improving her catwalk and fashion presentation skills while preparing for the talent segment.

To devote herself to the competition, she has put her postgraduate studies in business administration and leadership in the United States on hold until the pageant concludes.

Despite the temporary break from her studies, Tra My said education remains a priority. 

After the competition, she plans to resume her academic pursuits while continuing to develop her performance skills and seeking opportunities to work with designers at home and abroad.

She also hopes to use her platform to promote Vietnamese culture and tourism internationally. 

Instead of relying on general descriptions of the country, she plans to share specific stories about Vietnamese music, cuisine, and everyday life.

She intends to showcase the diversity of Vietnamese music, from traditional folk melodies to songs popular with young people. 

She believes language and music can help international audiences better understand the character and daily lives of Vietnamese people.

“Promoting culture and tourism is not separate from a beauty queen's role, but part of that mission. Vietnamese people are very hospitable. I am proud of our culture and cuisine, and I want to share them with international audiences,” Tra My said.

Miss Charm Vietnam addresses mixed reactions to her pageant win

Tra My said she deserved the title because she met the pageant's criteria for physical appearance, foreign-language proficiency, and educational background, she told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper.

She highlighted her eagerness to learn, strong communication skills, and fluency in English as key strengths. 

Nearly 10 years of brand management experience also gave her an understanding of how to build a personal image.

"Having a consistent message and maintaining a clear image helped me make an impression on the organizers and fans," she said.

Responding to criticism that her victory was unconvincing, Tra My said she respected the audience's views and was open to feedback to improve herself.

However, she expressed confidence in the judges' decision, saying that experienced professionals with relevant expertise would select a winner who deserved the title and met the pageant's criteria.

Tra My said beauty queens are ordinary women who have flaws and must continue learning. 

She wants to strike a balance between maintaining her public image and expressing her individuality.

"Sharing lessons from both successes and failures helps audiences better understand my journey, see the challenges I have faced, and draw their own lessons," she said.

For Tra My, contributing to the community matters more than fame or recognition among beauty pageant fans. 

She sees sharing knowledge, lessons learned, and personal setbacks as central to her future journey.

"Working at multinational corporations has made me more aware of how I speak and share content on social media. As a public figure, I am even more careful about my words and actions," she said.