Mai Hoa was the oldest among the university valedictorians honored by Hanoi at Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam on 14/11.
She achieved this distinction more than ten years after earning her first bachelor's degree and seven years into a stable career.
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Mai Hoa on her graduation day. *Photo courtesy of subject*
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in English Language in 2009, Hoa managed training and education at Esri Vietnam, a technology company providing geographic information systems (GIS) to organizations and schools.
Partly due to her background in a different field, Mai Hoa felt limited in opportunities to reach her full potential or contribute wholeheartedly. Describing herself as energetic and active, Hoa also felt disconnected from her office job, constantly contemplating the meaning of life.
In 2016, Hoa made a bold decision: she quit her job and explored various fields, including business, makeup artistry, photography, and fashion illustration (sketches depicting designer outfits). She realized that most activities she enjoyed required technical skills and knowledge related to fine art. Instead of just learning the superficial aspects, Hoa committed to understanding the fundamentals.
Hoa quickly recognized that fine art was her calling. Beyond aesthetics, art demanded deep philosophical thought and rigorous effort, allowing her to fully expend her energy.
In 2020, at 33, Hoa gained admission to the Vietnam University of Fine Arts after three months of intensive drawing practice.
Returning to academia with excitement, she still felt uncertain during the first two years, often questioning her choice. Hoa likened herself to being "in the middle of an ocean, unable to see the shore or know which direction to take, yet still having to swim tirelessly," because art lacks quick templates or formulas for mastery.
Thanks to moral support from her partner and countless trials and errors, by the end of the second year, she passed the talent class entrance exam, earning tuition and art material waivers, which further boosted her motivation.
For her final year, Hoa chose a semi-abstract painting titled "Lifeline" as her graduation project, drawing inspiration from two ancient trees. Empathizing with the serene beauty and enduring vitality of trees, Hoa aimed to use the image of ancient trees to convey the message of "going to the very end" and overcoming life's obstacles. She meticulously developed hundreds of sketches, one of which received positive feedback from instructors for its emotional impact and spatial composition.
However, due to stress and lack of experience working with materials on a large scale (1m x 2.2m), the final piece was deemed heavy and did not fully convey the spirit of her sketches.
Hoa views these imperfections as an inevitable part of the learning and practice process.
"I have failed many times, so I am no longer afraid of failure. If you don't make mistakes, you don't learn anything. You must make mistakes and create something 'bad' to eventually create something beautiful and succeed", she said.
For her, this project remained meaningful, marking her growth and ability to transcend the original form of the subject to convey inner feelings.
Thanks to five years of consistent effort, Hoa was recognized by the university as the top student of this year's graduating class. On the day she was honored at Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam, she was overcome with emotion.
"I never dared to imagine I would have this day; I always just focused on giving my best", she shared.
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Hoa and her supervising lecturer next to her graduation project. *Photo courtesy of subject*
Hoa has applied for master's scholarships in the UK and several European countries, regions known for their long-standing and developed art scenes. She hopes to study further to deepen her expertise, embrace new cultures, and find a way to express a Vietnamese voice in art through a global language.
"Learning still feels like being in the middle of an ocean, but this time, I will embrace any wave and swim more proactively", Hoa said.
Khanh Linh
