Start-Up at 19 and Undying Passion to Create Values for The Community at VinUniversity

Despite being a student at the College of Business Management at VinUni, Duong The Long is a Co-Founder and Director of Technology for a STEM-based education startup named BrickOne. Having started a business at 19, The Long continued to nurture his passion for community service when he participated in the Light It Together (L.I.T) organization to support children in the Vietnamese highlands.

Via hands-on experiences, Long has honed various skills, particularly during his time at VinUni. He shared: “I’ve considerably improved my speaking skills, in particular, learned to select whichever activity was suitable for me, and how to say “No” politely and effectively.  In the 2nd semester, I kept having problems with rejection, and I didn’t know how to solve them. I then texted my instructor, Professor David Koh, for a meeting to ask for advice. And to my surprise, he replied “Agree” within a minute.”

The two most valuable experiences for Long are joining L.I.T and being a co-organizer of the event “Smile Crafting” to raise money to support underprivileged children in mountainous areas. “We have received a lot of support from VinUni professors and staff to make this charity project a resounding success. They guided us on how to extend the funding resources, supporting with opening a fundraiser at VinUniversity and providing feedback to make this a more meaningful charity event” – The Long recalled the event and expressed his gratitude towards VinUniversity’s support.

In the next school year, he plans to develop his startup and community projects. Also, Long aims to join the Outbound Student Exchange Program to Europe to enhance his cultural understanding and life experiences. Long advices the third cohort at VinUni: “Be proactive and don’t hesitate to seize the chance!”