As our undergraduate Class of 2018 was preparing for their graduation ceremonies, they took a moment to reflect on their time and experience at Hult. It’s been a transformative few years, during which students learned about the world, developed as leaders, and made lifelong friendships.

Although we were sad to say goodbye to this incredibly talented and diverse group of Hult students, we also couldn’t wait to see them apply what they learned during their studies and make a real impact in the world.

We caught up with Emily Nguyen, to hear about her Hult experience, her thoughts on graduating, and what the next step might be for her.

How did you feel when you received your diploma?

Knowing that I was going to finish school soon and join the workforce made me so excited. The idea of graduating felt amazing and scary at the same time, because I knew I’d be taking on more responsibility for myself, and most importantly, for my family.

When I felt afraid that I might not meet my own expectations, I overcame this feeling by taking a step back and reflecting on everything I’d learned during my three years at Hult. This process helped to remind me what I’m good at, what interests me, and what I want to continue doing. From these realizations, I knew exactly what type of work suited me best and what I was going to look for when job hunting.

Now, I’m thrilled to begin a new chapter of my life in a world that’s full of opportunities.

“I’m thrilled to begin a new chapter of my life in a world that’s full of opportunities.”

What do you miss most about the Hult classroom?

I miss the structure and guidance from our professors. Having the structure of the classroom means we were very clear about what needed to be done and how professors expected our work to be completed for the whole of the semester.

The roadmap is set out perfectly and gives us small steps or tasks to complete to arrive at our final destination. However, I know this is not always the case in real life. I need to take what I’ve learned at Hult into the working environment, which requires the ability to look at the big picture and create our own “syllabus.”

What do you miss most about San Francisco?

I miss hiking up Mount Tamalpais and waiting for the sunrise. I miss going to Baker beach to watch the sunset at 9pm when the days are long in the summer. I miss the San Francisco pier where I used to run in the morning, and Dolores Park where I hung out with friends. And of course, I miss Chinatown and the Vietnamese community which is full of beautiful, photograph-worthy hidden spots and amazing restaurants that always offered me comfort food whenever I felt homesick.

San Francisco is a great city. It offered more than I ever imagined before coming here.

“San Francisco is a great city. It offered more than I ever imagined.”

How did you celebrate graduation?

My family joined me on my graduation day. And I took them on a road trip to explore California. They got the chance to see the amazing scenery of Yosemite, experienced exciting weekends in Tahoe, and enjoyed the sunny weather and stunning views in Big Sur, Monterey, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs.

These places hold the most beautiful memories of my college life. Visiting them for the last time before moving back to Vietnam was the most memorable moment to celebrate my graduation.

What do you plan on doing next?

I’m planning to work before studying further. In my case, I know that securing a job and working for a while will help me to discover what I like and what it is that I want to do long-term.

Do you have any advice for future Hult students?

My advice for future students is to do as many different things as you can during your spare time at Hult. Not only did this help me to understand myself better, but it also helped me to think more about who I want to become.

The mistake I made during my college years was that I always waited until I thought I was ready to do something. After a while, I came to the realization that I was never really ready until I just started doing it.

“My advice is to do as many different things as you can at Hult. The mistake I made was that I always waited until I thought I was ready to do something. After awhile, I came to the realization that I was never really ready until I just started doing it.”

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