Recently, the Ha Nhi young man, who lives 600 kilometres from the capital city, was honored as one of 12 valedictorians across APAG’s programs in 2025.

Over four years, with 51 courses and 127 credits, Sung Thanh Xuan, a student of the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Administration, achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.3/4.0, with A+ grades for both his internship and thesis. He not only earned a Distinction degree but also became the valedictorian in his major field of study.

“Before coming to Hanoi to study, I was determined to make every effort, but becoming valedictorian was an unexpected achievement,” Xuan said.

Born in Go Cu village, Mu Ca commune, Muong Te district (Lai Chau province), Xuan said his illiterate parents relied on subsistence farming, and his family faced economic hardship. His older brother dropped out after grade 10 to farm with their parents. 

In his village, Xuan was the only one to attend university, with just one other person from the entire commune.

“My parents have never visited Hanoi since I enrolled. Their lives revolve around the village,” Xuan recounted.

Xuan managed to live and study independently throughout the four years at university.

“At first, I planned to stop my education to help my parents farm due to our financial struggles. But my grandfather encouraged me to continue studying, saying it’s the way to help my family in the future. He said if I quit to farm, life would remain tough forever,” Xuan recalled.

Determined to study in Hanoi, Xuan faced numerous challenges. In his early semesters, unfamiliar with university learning methods, his grades were modest, including some Cs.

In high school, Xuan rarely used computers, but university coincided with Covid-19, requiring online learning. His family relied on a local installment loan program to buy him a VND13 million computer, which he still uses. 

“At first, I only knew how to open Zoom for classes and shut it down afterward. My parents only paid off the loan by June 2025,” Xuan said.

After an unsuccessful first year, Xuan resolved to improve. He focused in class, studied independently at home, prepared outlines from the start of each course, and took detailed notes. “I didn’t wait until exams to prepare. I read extra articles and academic journals to apply to my studies. Before exams, I stayed up late reading to gather vivid examples for my work,” he recounted.

Financial struggles were a constant challenge. “My parents’ income depended on the harvest, so it wasn’t steady. When times were good, they sent money, so I learned to spend frugally,” Xuan said.

English was his toughest subject. “For highlanders, English exposure is limited. I studied day and night. Sometimes, after the library closed, I stayed on its balcony until 7pm to study. Luckily, I got Cs in all three English courses,” he shared.

With strong determination, Xuan’s grades improved, culminating in a perfect 4.0/4.0 in his final semester.

During his four years, Xuan completed three faculty-level research projects: earning a consolation award in his second year, Second Prize in his third, and First Prize in his final year. He also co-authored two articles with his advisor published in the Journal of State Management.

His skills have significantly improved. Xuan said the greatest lesson from his university journey was perseverance and facing challenges. “Some things seemed impossible, but with persistence, I succeeded,” he noted.

Xuan plans to return to his struggling hometown to contribute his knowledge. However, with ongoing administrative mergers, job opportunities there are limited. Thus, he may temporarily seek an administrative job in Hanoi to build skills and experience while awaiting opportunities back home.

“As a new graduate, I’m not focused on high salaries but on honing my skills and capabilities,” Xuan said.

Thanh Hung