Once ridiculed for choosing Garment Technology, Thuy Tien won nearly 20 scholarships and went on exchange trips to the US and Singapore, proving that any major is good, as long as you are good at it.
Dao Thi Thuy Tien, a final year student majoring in Garment Technology at the University of Technology, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, is one of twenty individuals receiving the 2023 Vietnam Female Science and Technology Student Award.
"The award is a meaningful recognition of my four years of university efforts, and proof that the path I chose is the right one," Tien shared.
Dao Thi Thuy Tien. Photo: Character provided
Once a top student in high school, winning third prize at the provincial level in Chemistry practice, many people thought Tien would choose Medicine or Pedagogy, but she chose Textiles. Tien explained that at that time, textiles and footwear were still fields with high labor demand. Tien's goal was simply to study a major that would allow her to have a stable job after graduation and support her parents. For Tien, Medicine was not a suitable choice because the study time was too long, expensive while teachers' salaries were not high.
When they learned that Tien was studying Garment Technology, many people laughed and compared her. This choice was also against the expectations of Tien's parents. However, her parents still let Tien make her own choice.
"My parents' respect and love are the motivation for me to prove that my choice is right," Tien said.
In her second year, Tien realized that the Garment Technology industry has many directions of development, not only limited to clothing and embroidery but also related to Medicine, Electronics, Aerospace, and Environment. At the same time, the story of a senior in the same industry who had traveled to many countries around the world to exchange, actively researched science and had good English skills inspired Tien, helping her overcome her limited thoughts about the industry. The female student outlined the goal of improving her English and proactively contacted teachers to participate in scientific research.
Tien was introduced by her teachers to the non-profit project "Mattresses for the elderly, children and disabled with antibacterial properties thanks to dyes extracted from tobacco grass" as a student researcher.
The group conducted the research at the school’s District 10 campus while Tien studied at the Di An campus (Binh Duong). To participate, Tien had to travel back and forth between the two locations, which were more than 20 km apart. Despite the hardship, Tien was often discouraged because the experimental results were inconsistent or different from the theory.
"For example, when measuring the antibacterial properties of the dye, the results of the previous four times were similar, but the fifth time the results were much lower and I didn't know where I went wrong," Tien said, adding that she was lucky to have teachers and seniors in the research group guide her and point out her mistakes so she could do it again.
Tien experienced the entire process from purchasing raw materials, chemicals, processing materials, designing and testing products in practice. After the first project, the female student was trusted by her teachers to participate in many other research topics. Currently, Tien is the co-author of a number of scientific articles published in domestic and foreign journals related to biological textile materials and dyes, aiming at environmental protection.
Thuy Tien (far left) with her instructor (in black dress) and friends attending a textile equipment exhibition in Italy in June. Photo: Provided by the character
With English, Tien had a humble starting point when she only scored 6.5 points in this subject in the high school graduation exam and TOEIC 380/990 days after entering school.
Tien signed up for the school's IELTS course with an output of 5.5, then spent 9 months during the Covid-19 pandemic to self-study for the IELTS exam. As a result, early last year the female student achieved an IELTS score of 7.5.
"IELTS courses are usually expensive, so I signed up for school to save money, then studied on my own. Whenever I feel lazy, I encourage myself to try harder, otherwise all the knowledge, effort, and money I spent before will be wasted," the female student shared.
Thuy Tien is also known by her friends as a "scholarship hunter". In addition to the school's academic encouragement scholarship for three consecutive years, the female student also searched for, applied for, and won 17 out of 44 other scholarships.
Tien’s method is to narrow down her search for scholarships in the fields of engineering, textiles, and the environment. Before applying, the female student always looks at the specific requirements and criteria of each type of scholarship to edit her application accordingly.
"You should invest in making a good scholarship application the first time, then you only need to edit it again so it won't take much time. It's not a mandatory criterion, but having good English and participating in scientific research is a plus when applying for scholarships," Tien concluded.
After many efforts, the "sweet fruit" came to Tien in the fourth year when she consecutively received short-term exchange scholarships in Singapore and the US, participating in the world's largest textile equipment exhibition in Italy. The short-term exchange trip in Singapore was also the first time Tien flew, went abroad and interacted with international friends.
The female student said this not only helps to broaden her knowledge but is also an opportunity for Tien to improve soft skills such as how to ask questions, work in groups, and be more bold in expressing opinions and giving feedback.
In addition to her good academic ability, Associate Professor Bui Mai Huong, Head of the Textile Engineering Department, highly appreciated Thuy Tien's international thinking and determination. The female student improved her English, sought out opportunities to study and exchange internationally early, and boldly joined a research group specializing in textile materials and tried her hand at international scientific journals. Associate Professor Huong believes that these are strengths for Tien to progress further in the future.
Thuy Tien acknowledges that the journey has changed her mindset. From the initial plan of studying to have a stable job, now for Tien, studying is not only for herself but also for research and contribution to the development of the industry and society. The female student plans to work in the textile industry after graduation to gain practical experience, then continue her studies.
"Learning from good teachers and seniors has motivated me to do something greater, helping me understand that no matter what major I study, I should not look down on myself, and strive to become a good person in my field," Tien shared.
Vnexpress.net
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