Vietnamese female student wins 11.3 billion VND scholarship from 5 prestigious American art schools

In addition, Tra My was also accepted by other universities with valuable financial support packages including: Parsons School of Design (ranked second in the world in Design, awarded 1.2 billion VND); Cleveland Institute of Art (granted 1.1 billion VND); Miami University (granted 2.6 billion VND); Augustana College (granted 2.7 billion VND).

Truong Thanh Tra My is a freshman at Denison University (USA) for the 2018-2022 school year.

Improve yourself through drawing

After studying one year of high school at Chu Van An High School (Hanoi), Tra My transferred to Stuart Hall School (USA) for two years.

Because she had learned English since grade 1 and practiced confident communication since childhood, when coming to America, Tra My not only studied hard in class, achieved high scores, but also integrated very quickly with friends from all countries. The Vietnamese girl scored 1460/1600 on the SAT; 115/120 on the TOEFL test.

Tra My (second from left) and friends in the US.

In the US, this female student participated in many extracurricular activities and painting competitions and achieved excellent results. She won first prize in the Staunton Town (USA) painting competition for two consecutive years (2017, 2018); third prize in the Richmond County Spring Painting Competition 2017; and an Honorable Mention in the Animal Action Art & Writing competition of the International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2017.

I am also the President of the Stuart Hall Art Club for the 2016-2018 term; Assistant Dormitory Manager for the 2017-2018 school year; Admissions Ambassador for the 2016-2017 school year; Member of the Content Committee of the Chu Van An High School International Club, Member of the Design Committee of the RAMA Project for the 2016-2017 season; Tutor and Volunteer for Charity Painting in the US.

My's painting won an Honorable Mention in the 2017 International Fund for Animal Welfare Animal Action Art & Writing competition.

Due to her family's limited financial situation, Tra My's application to study fine arts abroad was not easy.

“While other students only need to take the SAT and write essays on the Common Application, I had to spend more than a year preparing my application and writing essays as required by art schools.

In the US, in addition to going to school all day, I also have to take care of myself and complete my homework, participate in tutoring activities, and do freelance drawing, so the time to submit my application is quite tight. I have to take advantage of every second, every minute and try my best to make each work successful immediately.

Painting has helped me improve myself, practice discipline and the qualities necessary for art such as perseverance, strong will and concentration," My said.

Commenting on her strengths in surpassing thousands of candidates, Tra My said that the short preparation time impressed the school's Admissions Board because it showed that she had used every minute effectively to complete dozens of meticulous works.

In addition, she combines many materials from oil paint, watercolor, acrylic paint to 3D painting, using glass and razor in her work. Moreover, My has proven her ability to develop in the art industry in a university environment through awards.

My shared: “When I hold a pen to draw, I seem to have the whole world in my hands. Because I like it so much, I am determined to study it. Fine art, for me, is not just a temporary hobby but a passion and an ability that I want to focus on developing into a solid career.”

Don't think the art industry is… unrealistic

According to My, in many countries, art is often considered an unimportant subject. But in America, even in small towns like the one where she attended high school, they highly value beauty and art. They encourage and support young talents, artists, whether they are street singers or professional painters.

Photo of Tra My at the 2018 Staunton City Painting Contest.

“The fine arts industry not only trains painters but also produces creative artistic minds. With that knowledge and skills, you can pursue many fields and careers, not just painting for hire or teaching painting.

In this industry, drawing well is not enough. You need determination and passion to practice, to fight to make your artistic dream come true. Not only that, you also need to have a practical mind to find suitable job opportunities. Therefore, it is wrong to say that the art industry is unrealistic, dreamy or uncertain,” Tra My affirmed.

Regarding her future plans, My "revealed" that she will study Communication and Fine Arts at Denison University in Granville, Ohio (USA), continue to paint and exhibit for galleries, and help and inspire those who have the same passion for art as her.