Career summary

Duy's career journey began at Monash University, when he received the prestigious Monash International Leadership Scholarship in 2013. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in political science and history in 2016.

During his time at Monash, Duy actively participated in the university community. He held roles as treasurer and sponsorship coordinator for the Monash Vietnamese International Student Club. He also joined the Peers Ambassadors Leaders (PAL) Program to develop his leadership abilities and build connections.

Duy developed a strong passion for serving underprivileged communities during his studies. After graduating, he interned at the Parliament of Victoria in 2016 and worked as a grants and report writer for the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation in 2017. In 2019, Duy became a Programme and Institutional Funding Officer at Oxfam in Vietnam, where he played a vital role in securing resources for humanitarian projects.

Currently, Duy is the resource development coordinator for nonprofit organisation, Habitat for Humanity Vietnam, a position he has held since 2022. He raises resources to provide decent housing for underprivileged communities.

Career pathway

2022 – Present Resource Development Coordinator, Habitat for Humanity Vietnam
2019 – Programme and Institutional Funding Officer, Oxfam in Vietnam
2017 – Grants and Report Writer, Blue Dragon Children's Foundation
2016 – Bachelor of Arts, Monash University
2016 – Intern, Parliament of Victoria
2015 – Sponsorship Coordinator, Monash Vietnamese International Student Club
2014 – Treasurer, Monash Vietnamese International Student Club

Why did you choose Monash to do your degree?

I was fortunate enough to receive the Monash International Leadership Scholarship. This scholarship was life changing as it enabled me to study at Monash without worrying about how I was going to fund my education. Also, Monash is highly regarded within the Vietnamese community, and all of my seniors and my friends had really positive things to say about the university. All of this is based on the foundation that Monash is an educational institution with lots of intellectually stimulating courses.

Was there a particular unit or lecturer during your university years that you found really inspiring?

I would like to thank Professor Paul Strangio for all of his guidance and support during my time at Monash. He always took time out of his day to discuss assignments with me and taught me how to refine my essays and explore different points of view. He was also instrumental in helping me obtain an internship with the Parliament of Victoria. I always consider that to be a highlight of my time at Monash. In fact, I still have a picture I took of the view looking out from the Parliament House as my Facebook cover photo.

You were the Treasurer and Sponsorship Coordinator of the Monash Vietnamese International Student Club. Can you tell us a bit about that? 

It was an excellent way to connect with my fellow Vietnamese students at Monash and in Melbourne. The camaraderie was genuinely enjoyable. In addition, it was a very educational experience for me. As a Sponsorship Coordinator, I got to design proposals to get sponsors to support the club’s activities. It’s actually how I got my first job! Later on, I worked as a Grants and Report Writer for a non-governmental organisation in Hanoi, Vietnam. The knowledge and skills I acquired in my role as Sponsorship Coordinator were extremely relevant to grant fundraising and have certainly stood me in good stead ever since.

How did Monash help fuel your passion for humanitarian causes and humanities in general?

The units I took at Monash gave me insight into how human societies developed throughout history and how different factors can affect that development. This encouraged me to study my own country's development in depth and think of ways I can contribute to the long term development of Vietnam. I also learned about how vulnerable groups were often marginalised and prevented from enjoying equitable benefits from development. I was inspired to pursue a career serving the underprivileged.

How did you make friends at Monash or find like-minded people?

Aside from joining the Monash Vietnamese International Student Club, I joined the Peers Ambassadors Leaders (PAL) Program. In my first year I was paired with two great mentors. They really helped me navigate my studies, and because they were also studying history and politics, they were able to give me excellent advice. I made some really great connections through the PAL Program.

How has Monash Arts helped you become job-ready?

My Arts degree taught me how to write clearly and effectively. I have always had a passion for writing and being able to convince someone for a good cause but found it hard to articulate my thoughts, especially considering English is not my mother tongue. At Monash, I learned how to explain a background issue and examine a problem from different perspectives and then find potential solutions. This skill is central to my career right now. In my current role I am required to concisely explain development problems to the donor, propose a solution and then convince them that my organisation is the one who should be implementing the solution to solve that problem.

What advice would you give to international students?

Keep an open mind and take every opportunity that comes your way. Also, build a support network. Knowing that you can always talk to the right person is a huge plus. Last but not least, call your parents more often. Just as you are living away from them, they are living away from you.

Written by Arts intern, Himangi Singh, 2022