As an independent and dreamy girl with a burning passion for painting, Tran Dam Ngoc Phi (12Madrid class) has excellently become one of the five students who successfully achieved the Vietnam Anniversary Scholarship 2023/2024 – a scholarship awarded by the University of Dundee exclusively for Vietnamese students on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United Kingdom. Ngoc Phi has been granted a scholarship worth £32,000 (equivalent to nearly 1 billion Vietnamese dong) for four years of studying Fine Arts. This is also the highest-value scholarship available for the arts field among top universities in the United Kingdom.
Turn passion into a dream to conquer
Ngoc Phi shared that she received information about this scholarship from Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha (University and Career Counseling Office at The Dewey Schools), who encouraged her to give it a try. Mrs. Ha accompanied Phi throughout the scholarship application process, guiding her in preparing her portfolio, personal projects, and impressive essays that demonstrated her value and suitability for the course and educational environment at the University of Dundee, as well as the reason why she deserved this scholarship and how she would contribute to the University of Dundee and the community. “I want to express my sincere and profound gratitude to the teachers in the University & Career Advising Office, who closely followed my dreams and brought me this wonderful opportunity. Additionally, I am very grateful to all the teachers who have taught and guided me during my time at Dewey. Dewey has provided me with many opportunities to get closer to my goals,” Phi expressed emotionally.
While everyone possesses passion, not everyone is ready to act on their own. It requires a great deal of determination, perseverance, and a multitude of dreams to break through one’s limits and get closer to that passion. Ngoc Phi is a student who embodies these qualities.
In her small stature, that 12th-grade student always emanates an incredible energy capable of illuminating the dreams and passions of those around her. It was when she, with strong determination, embarked on completing her project “U Underground” by conceptualizing and executing it over a period of 6 months. The monotonous white walls of the pedestrian tunnel at Dewey transformed into vibrant canvases adorned with hundreds of paintings created by Phi and her fellow students. Following that project was the first mural, covering an area of 40m2, conceived and painted by TDSers, centered around the theme “Design Your World of Possibilities,” with the aim of creating a bright world full of infinite potential. The project, led by her and the TDSers, contributed to raising awareness and changing the behavior of the school community, students, and parents, as people now enjoy walking through the pedestrian tunnel, ensuring safer traffic during peak hours of student pick-up and drop-off, as shared by Mr. Trong Tung (University & Career Advising Office).
Unable to hide the joy, Ms. Dam Thuy Huong, Ngoc Phi’s parent, shared, “I love the quote, “Every child is an artist; the problem is how to remain an artist once he or she grows up”. So I truly appreciate the School, and teachers at The Dewey Schools for their constant support and for creating the best conditions for my child and other students to unleash their creativity, nurture their passion for the arts, and complete their own projects, such as Phi’s U Underground project.”
Not limited to drawing talent
In addition to the artistic portfolio, and essays, Ngoc Phi’s academic achievements and extracurricular activities are also highlighted in her profile. She has achieved an IELTS score of 8.0, ranked in the Top 30 in the “This is Me (D-Show)” drawing competition, served as the leader of the Art Club at School, and won Gold (individual writing) and Silver medals (group debate) in the World Scholar’s Cup for the past two years.
To earn the “key” to open the gates of the prestigious University of Dundee, Ngoc Phi has clearly defined her goals and career direction early on. She has consistently pursued her objectives, actively seeking information about art and painting disciplines, as well as scholarships and financial support. She emphasizes, “Timing and finding the right person for assistance are important, but most importantly, you must have genuine capability and a strong mindset to act upon those goals.”
Ngoc Phi further states that to make a lasting impression on universities, particularly in the field of art and painting, students must have an impressive and well-presented art portfolio to showcase their uniqueness and personal style. Additionally, their essay must reflect their passion, motivation to pursue their dreams, readiness to face challenges, and an authentic, emotionally charged story derived from their own experiences.
The steadfast journey fueled by passion, from early childhood to the sweet harvest of stepping through the gates of the University of Dundee, is an inspiring story for young individuals. And the quote from The Little Prince encapsulates Phi’s entire journey, “I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”
