Her family's modest Ao Dai business provided for Mai's early education, but it was her academic excellence that later earned her scholarships covering up to 70% of her tuition. To bridge the financial gap, she worked part-time as a private English tutor.
Driven by a passion for business innovation, Mai aims to contribute to Vietnam's transformation into a global high-tech economy. Her experiences in various startups have given her firsthand insight into the challenges of early-stage ventures. Looking ahead, she envisions supporting visionary entrepreneurs as a venture capitalist, fostering innovation and sustainability in developing countries.
The belief deposited in me and the support I received from scholarship donors has been an incredible boost to my confidence and my aspirations.
Navigating Vietnam’s traditionally male-dominated business world, Mai has firsthand experience of gender inequality. This has strengthened her commitment to building a more equitable society. "My journey isn't just about personal success; it's about breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations."
There are many reasons to support scholarships:
- Transforming lives: Many MBA students rely on savings, company sponsorship, and loans to finance their studies. However, those from emerging markets often face additional hurdles due to limited savings, weaker currencies, and challenges in obtaining favourable loans. 47% of MBA’24 survey respondents said they could not have considered INSEAD without a scholarship.
- Creating a ripple effect: Scholarships transform the lives of recipients and facilitate the inclusion of diverse and talented students in our MBA programme – ultimately strengthening the diversity, quality, and impact of our INSEAD alumni community.
- Boosting competitiveness: Many peer schools have significant endowments and annual funds. Their annual scholarship budgets run as high as €40M+ per year and average scholarships can reach €40k+. In the intense competition for top talent, offering financial aid is critical as candidates are increasingly inclined to factor scholarships into their school selection process.
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