From nearly quitting school to winning a full BUV scholarship: Nguyen Nhu Huyen’s extraordinary journey

Despite limited English proficiency, Nguyen Nhu Huyen still captivated the admissions board with a sincere and humble story of personal transformation, overcoming adversity, and achieving success as the Lion’s Heart Scholarship Winner in 2022.

Currently a second-year student majoring in Marketing Management at BUV, Huyen emerged as the standout Winner of the Lion’s Heart Scholarship—an achievement fueled by a courageous heart and a steadfast commitment: applying to BUV because “this is the only chance to change my life, and I have to make it happen at any cost.”

Huyen receiving the Lion’s Heart Scholarship from British University Vietnam

Since childhood, Huyen has never known the identity of his biological parents. However, Huyen’s childhood was never devoid of familial love, as his foster parents raised him with all their hearts. “The turning point came when my foster father passed away. His departure, along with family uncertainties, left my foster mother devastated. One day, while wandering the streets, I suddenly contemplated… dropping out of school,” shared Huyen.

Fortunately, Huyen had a compassionate homeroom teacher who, out of concern and unwillingness to see him squander his future, continuously encouraged him to reignite the spark of learning that was flickering within him. For a month, Huyen teetered on the edge between quitting school and persevering. Eventually, out of fear of saddening his mother and because of his inherent love for education, Huyen gathered his spirits and returned to school.

“Now looking back, I can’t understand why I wanted to drop out so badly back then. Thinking about it, I feel a bit ashamed,” Huyen chuckled nervously.

The dream of becoming a scholarship winner at BUV arose during Huyen’s senior year in high school when a philanthropist asked him, “If you continue to university, how will you manage your finances?” This time, Huyen was determined not to drop out but to seek opportunities to pursue education. For Huyen, BUV and the Lion’s Heart Scholarship were the only chances to change himself, his circumstances, and his own future.

Immediately, Huyen devoted all his efforts to prepare his application. Huyen knew his greatest weakness was English proficiency, but that didn’t deter him. On the contrary, Huyen was determined to impress the admissions board with a special “strategy”—raw, simple, yet sincere and determined. Because what comes from the heart is bound to touch the heart.

Huyen shared, “Many people think that to have a successful essay, you have to talk about big issues, demonstrate determination to change the world, and use poetic language. But through the journey of self-transformation that I chose to narrate in my essay—from a timid, lonely boy afraid to speak up, to a young person who dares to lead, confidently express himself, and connect diverse perspectives—I want to prove that: Sometimes, the most emotionally touching stories will be the most profound points of connection. The most important thing you have to demonstrate to the admissions board is your identity: Who are you?” And Huyen successfully persuaded the admissions board with his answer: A courageous young person who didn’t lose faith in himself despite adversity, a person who grew up with the love of those who weren’t his flesh and blood, and yearned to give back to life the love they received.

Courageous and persistent in choosing to study at BUV—a promising yet competitive and challenging path. The young man from Bac Ninh utilized his “weak” English language skills in perhaps the most important interview of his life, to demonstrate his determined resolve, successfully persuading the Scholarship Panel to become the scholarship winner.

After becoming the Lion’s Heart Scholarship winner, Huyen diligently added a little more to his “Who am I” page. With the financial support of the scholarship covering tuition fees and a fixed monthly living allowance, Huyen has the opportunity to focus on acquiring knowledge, developing himself, and planning his future. Besides studying, through the university, he has access to internship opportunities to apply his Marketing knowledge and unleash his inherent creativity.

Huyen also actively participates in volunteer activities to care for, converse with, and guide orphaned children, using his own story to inspire and instill hope in him—just as he was inspired by those who came before him, and stepping into the doors of BUV helped him change to become the Huyen of today.

Huyen shares his story in the hope of motivating young people in similar circumstances

Huyen shares his dream after graduation: “I want to start my own travel company to showcase the beauty of Vietnamese landscapes and people to the world, and also to satisfy my own wanderlust.” During his time as a support member at the International Office of the university, such as volunteering for the recent Summer Trip, Huyen had the opportunity to converse with friends from diverse cultural backgrounds, from Asia to Europe. This was not only a way for Huyen to actively improve his language skills but also a great source of motivation to continue writing his dream of contributing to the community and beautifying life.