Thu is a former student of Thoi Lai High School in Thoi Lai Commune, Can Tho. Her parents both work in the education sector and allow her the freedom to experiment, make mistakes, discover her strengths, and choose the path she believes is right.

She remembers an afternoon in her final year of high school when facing the pivotal decision of choosing a major and a school for tertiary education. Her father sat quietly for a moment before saying: "Choosing a major based on parents' wishes is very easy. But choosing a path that fits you requires careful consideration. We trust you and will trust your choice. We only hope that after four years of university, you can confidently enter the world and take control of your own life."

For Thu, that moment marked her maturity. She realized that one’s starting point is not defined by birthplace but by the trust one receives and the responsibility taken for personal choices. She does not view her starting point as an advantage or disadvantage; what matters is understanding oneself and having the courage to pursue the chosen path.

Her high school environment gave her opportunities to take on multiple roles. Beyond academics, she joined clubs, youth union activities, and science competitions. Working on projects, organizing events, presenting reports, and delivering presentations helped her recognize early on that she was suited to systematic, organizational, analytical, and optimization-oriented work.

“I like jobs that require looking at the overall picture, then threading each piece together,” Anh Thu shared. It was from those experiences that, when approaching the Industrial Systems Engineering - Logistics and Supply Chain Management major at HCMC University of Technology (Bach Khoa), Thu realized this major appeared exactly when she herself was ready.

Thu affirmed that she chose the major not because it was “hot”, but because this major answered the question her father once asked: How to walk on a path where she herself has enough courage to grow with it.

Why Bach Khoa?

Thu entered university when she did not yet deeply understand logistics or supply chain, but desired to pursue a major that combines engineering, system design, and management to promote her personal strengths.

Researching the Industrial Systems Engineering - Logistics and Supply Chain Management program of HCMC University of Technology, she was attracted by the comprehensiveness of the major. The program covers all stages of the supply chain, from procurement and production to transportation and distribution, while integrating an engineering foundation, optimization thinking, operations management, and technology such as AI.

“I chose Bach Khoa because this is a strong technical environment, the learning method leans towards systems thinking and analysis. I thought I was suitable for that way of learning,” Thu said. After 4 years, the student said this choice is still suitable for her long-term orientation.

Sharing about maintaining a perfect GPA, Anh Thu thought that the important thing is not the pressure of scores but the approach to learning: Start from the goal of understanding and applying knowledge, then aim for achievements.

During her study, Thu maintained a number of principles: Building a solid knowledge foundation, re-expressing it herself to verify understanding, prioritizing practice and effective teamwork, while preparing with focus before each exam.

“Maintaining high scores does not come from any special secret, but from real understanding, much practice, and careful preparation,” she shared.

Thu's most memorable academic experience was the INTERCHAIN 2024 competition - a national-scale academic playground for supply chain at Foreign Trade University (Hanoi). For her, this was the first time to verify whether the knowledge and systems thinking trained at Bach Khoa created an advantage when competing with excellent students from many universities across the country.

Thu won the championship. For her, the victory was not just an award but also a milestone confirming that the training foundation was solid enough to step out of the comfort zone and confidently compete.

The biggest challenge came at the end of the 3rd year, when in the same week she had to manage four tasks: INTERCHAIN finals, completing a scientific paper manuscript, a specialized major project, and final exams.

The dense workload made the female student overwhelmed and at times she thought about giving up on one goal. However, by making a detailed plan and receiving support from teachers and friends, Thu fully completed all four tasks. “I fully completed all four tasks not because I was better but because I was supported by a very kind collective,” Thu said. 

Le Huyen