Hoang Yen is one of the candidates who won the Fulbright master's scholarship this year - Photo: NVCC
As long as you dare to do it, because at least if you apply for a scholarship, you still have a 50% chance of passing. But if you are too nervous and do not apply, your chance will be 0. So just believe in yourself and apply for the scholarships you aim for.
Among the young people who won Fulbright master's scholarships this year, Nguyen Hoang Yen chose an unusual path, studying architectural conservation at the University of Pennsylvania - a prestigious Ivy League school in the US.
The turning point of choosing the wrong major
* Let's start the story from the day you "failed medical school", a choice that sounds completely opposite to your current major?
- The day I failed the medical school entrance exam at first seemed like the end of the world. But now, looking back, I feel lucky that I didn't study medicine because I personally didn't think it was the right career for me. At that time, medicine wasn't a personal choice, but more of a family choice, with the thought that being a doctor would definitely not make me poor.
That year, I passed the civil engineering major (block A) at the University of Architecture, Ho Chi Minh City. After one semester, I felt that the major was not suitable for me. I decided to retake the exam to switch from construction to architecture. At school, I was able to observe and participate in common courses with students majoring in architecture and planning, and I really enjoyed it.
I hesitated many times because retaking the exam would cost both money and time. But then I thought that if I invested in studying a major, it must be my passion and the major that I would study for the rest of my life.
* And then when you were accepted for the Fulbright scholarship, how did you tell this story of yours?
- In the essay, failing the medical major is a detail that shows my confusion in the process of orienting my future career. It shows the lack of experience as well as support from career guidance consultants for students in high school. Therefore, I think not only me but other students also need to be brave enough to try out different majors until they can find the most suitable major.
Besides, studying construction was a temporary decision for me at that time, because I passed by chance. I tried to study but felt it was not suitable, but then I was lucky to approach and find the landscape architecture industry.
Switching to a new field of study, I found myself passionate about analyzing large-scale data; interested in various aspects of urban areas such as economics, society and people. From there, I was able to delve deeper into a small niche in the field, which is conservation.
Hoang Yen (left cover) during her time studying at Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture - Photo: NVCC
To keep historical works alive in the "new era"
* You graduated with a project on preserving the ancient brick kiln area of Mang Thit ( Vinh Long ). What about Mang Thit touched you so deeply?
- After reading an article titled "Proposal to demolish more than 2,000 brick mouths in Mang Thit brick village" in a newspaper, I tried to learn more about this area and realized the potential for tourism development here.
With the richness of culture and art in the brick village, in addition to the lost production values, I want to preserve the village through a proposal to design a functional conversion for the village. It is a pity to imagine losing such a heritage complex from the map of Vietnam. That is the reason I came to Mang Thit.
In my opinion, architectural conservation is a very broad term that includes many specific levels of conservation such as: preserving the original state, restoring, renovating... Depending on the assessment scale of historical value, the architect and the archaeologists will make recommendations on whether to preserve or renovate the building.
For me personally, conservation is not just about restoration like the conservation work at Notre Dame Cathedral (HCMC). Architectural conservation should be a work that breathes new life into old buildings, giving them a new function to help them survive with urban development.
And it is not just about putting it in a museum to preserve history. But helping it to have a new function where this function is put into use in the life of the new era would be wonderful. The High Line project in New York City is a specific example of the transformation of the face of New York City from the industrial revolution to the present.
* Is there anything in the field of architectural conservation that you "embrace with such interest" that you want to learn more deeply and widely?
- I think that a conservation approach requires architects to have in-depth knowledge of cultural history at a technical level, because coming up with a design idea on an ancient building is much more difficult than building a new one.
In addition, building projects in the direction of renovation and conservation helps to reduce construction waste, one of the serious causes leading to environmental pollution. Besides, the value of an ancient building also lies in the hearts of the people in the surrounding area. Losing a large building by demolition seems to be a great loss of memory in the hearts of the people.
At the University of Pennsylvania, the program allows you to choose between four approaches: Architectural Conservation, Conservation Design, Conservation Planning, and Built Environment. Each approach has a different perspective from policy makers to conservation designers and future conservation urban managers.
I will also experience a variety of different conservation positions and works and new technologies in conservation... In addition, the author of the famous work The High Line, Mr. James Corner, is also a lecturer at the school, so I really want to meet him directly at the school to learn more.
I hope that after studying, I can equip myself with good knowledge and skills to approach ancient buildings in the US with the orientation of renovation and regeneration. Through that, I can somehow help the urban face to be both modern without losing its ancient features.
"Hot" is only temporary
* After all, your major is not in the "hot" group, easy to get a job. Have you ever felt worried about the future or doubted about the path you have chosen?
- I study this major simply because of my passion for conservation-oriented research, not based on "hot" majors.
The word "hot" is only temporary and is based only on data from many students enrolled in the industry. This index does not accurately reflect whether you will have a job after graduation or not, and also does not reflect whether the individual student is suitable for the industry or not.
I think sometimes you can be blinded by the glamour of the industry in your decision to choose your major. However, you need to spend a lot of time to decide whether you really like the industry or not because of the persuasion of a close friend or just because your parents say that there is an aunt or uncle in the industry who can help you get a job.
And the most important thing is whether you like it enough and have enough passion to keep you steady in this industry from school to work.
HOANG THI
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nu-sinh-fulbright-tung-rot-truong-y-va-cu-re-sang-bao-ton-kien-truc-20250804103555654.htm
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