Vietnamese student in Russia receives scholarship from Harvard University

Nguyen Huy Truong Nam (third from left) at         the award-presenting ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

Nguyen Huy Truong Nam, a son of Mr. Nguyen Huy Tuan and Mrs. Tran Thi Minh Hue received an Information Technology scholarship from the famous Harvard University.

Not only did Nam achieve the Harvard scholarship, but also a full scholarship for Princeton University, Columbia University and the California Institute of Technology.

Nam graduated from the Scientific Education Centre under the Moscow State University at 10^th and 11^th grades as a high achiever. Previously, he studied from 5^th to 9^th grades at the Gymnasia school, and had won many first prizes at international and national informatics and mathematics contests.

"I was lucky to have studied at the Gymnasia and MGU schools because I was not only being taught by the best Russian teachers, but studying in an environment with many good friends, who had ever attended international mathematics and programming competitions. I understand there is much to study and inspired me to try to learn more mathematics and programming," said Nam.

Nam said that in 8^th grade, when attending a city level competition on programming, he got enough points to qualify for the national competition, but Russia’s Ministry of Education didn’t know what to do because there was no rule for foreigners attending a national competition. However, his teachers convinced the Ministry of Education to allow him to attend the competition that year and in following years.

Nam thanked his parent’s for their efforts, far-sighted vision, perseverance and devotion for his success. Mr. Nguyen Huy Tuan, Nam’s farther, said that in Vietnam, he and his wife both studied at the gifted school so they want their children to study at gifted schools in Russia. However, it is very difficult to find a gifted school in Russia. No Vietnamese in Russia has previously found a gifted school, having to find schools through Russian friends, books and the Internet.

When Nam passed an exam into the gifted school, his parents decided to move home from the North to the South so that he went to school closer to his family.

Apart from good study, Nam also actively participated in social activities. In the summer of 2013 Nam organized a programming class for the overseas Vietnamese community in Russia. In summer of 2014, Nam joined the Vietnam Summer Camp to learn about the homeland. Also in that year, Nam and students in Vietnam wio the first prize of the “Actions for Earth” competition of Global Youth Summit 2014 in Singapore./.