A promise made 28 years ago
When her name was called to step onto the stage to receive her certificate of merit and her Bachelor of Law degree with distinction, Ngoc Thuy was as nervous and excited as any other new graduate standing nearby, even though she was long past her student years. At 46, the beauty queen embraced what she called a dream come true.
Speaking to VietNamNet , Ngoc Thuy said that the biggest feeling on her graduation day was pride in herself. "It was the happiness of having my dream come true, the pride of keeping the promise I made to myself 28 years ago," she said.
For Ngoc Thuy, her degree wasn't a starting point from scratch. For 16 years, she handled numerous civil and family law cases in both the US and Vietnam. Friends often tease her for going against the established practice, gaining over 10 years of practical experience before finally going to school to get her degree. During the enforcement phase of a long-running dispute, she didn't hire a lawyer but represented herself, reaching a settlement with the plaintiff in just three months. According to Ngoc Thuy, that "professional internship" gave her confidence in the path ahead.