Without leaving the business world, the female CFO brings the business world into the classroom.

Many people choose to leave the business world to become lecturers, but Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham chose a more challenging path. Despite holding the position of Chief Financial Officer at her company, she didn't give up her job to teach. Instead, she decided to balance both roles: managing her business and teaching at Dai Nam University, ensuring that each lesson delivered to her students is infused with real-world experience.

Few people know that this decision wasn't a sudden turning point, but was sown during her years as a student at Dai Nam University.

From accounting student to chief financial officer

In 2008, Nguyen Thi Tham became a student in the second cohort of the Accounting program at Dai Nam University.

Graduating from Dai Nam University marks the beginning of Nguyen Thi Tham's journey to conquer the field of finance and accounting.

Back then, the young woman had only one simple wish: to learn a trade solid enough to become independent through her own abilities. She loved the logic and meticulousness of numbers, but never imagined she would one day hold high-level management positions or embark on a career in research and teaching.

The years spent studying at Dai Nam University laid the foundation for Nguyen Thi Tham's career journey and her aspiration to become an inspirational figure.

After graduating, instead of choosing a stable job, she entered the challenging corporate environment. From Chief Accountant, Finance Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Deputy General Director to Chief Operating Officer, each position brought pressure and new experiences, helping her grow through each stage of her career.

The deeper she delved into the job, the more she realized that the numbers on financial reports were never just dry calculations. Behind every balance sheet lay the effectiveness of a business decision; behind every expense was the growth of the business; and behind every number, sometimes, was the livelihood of many people.

Those years helped her understand that accounting is not just a profession, but also a foundation for understanding how a business operates, grows, and creates value.

When the business world meets the lecture hall

The further she progressed in her career, the more she realized the gap between textbook knowledge and business practice.

"I've always wondered how to help students feel less overwhelmed after graduation. There's always a gap between theory and practice. That gap can only be narrowed when the lecturer has truly gone through the practical experience, having enough in-depth knowledge to understand that behind every model, every number, are people and very real-life stories," she shared.

That thought became even clearer after several conversations with Dr. Le The Anh, her former teacher.

"He not only taught me knowledge, but also helped me understand that a teacher can change a student's life through the belief, enlightenment, and opportunities they quietly offer."

That's when she realized that what she had accumulated in the business would be more meaningful if passed on to the next generation.

Without leaving the business world when stepping onto the lecture podium, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham brings practical business experiences into every lesson for her students.

Instead of leaving the business to teach, she chose the more challenging path: running the business during the day, researching in the evenings, lecturing on weekends, while simultaneously pursuing a Master's degree in Economic Law and a doctoral program in Accounting.

Her demanding work schedule leaves her with almost no free time, but for her, it's a way to both continue growing and help students gain insight into what's happening in the job market.

Bring real-world math problems into every lesson.

In 2023, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham officially became a lecturer at Dai Nam University.

For her, it wasn't about returning to the starting point, but about returning to the place where she laid the first bricks for her career journey.

Each of Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham's lectures is built upon real-world financial, accounting, and management scenarios she has encountered in businesses.

What sets her classes apart is that students don't just learn from textbooks. Real-life financial and accounting scenarios, management decisions, successful lessons, and costly mistakes all become material for students to analyze, debate, and find solutions to.

According to her, a lesson is only truly valuable when the learner understands why that knowledge is necessary and how it will be used in their future work.

For Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, the happiness of a lecturer comes not only from academic results, but also from the growth and proactiveness of students after each class.

What made the female lecturer happiest wasn't the impressive grades, but the moments when students proactively stayed after class to ask more questions about careers, necessary skills, or simply to seek advice on their future paths.

"That's when I knew I wasn't just teaching a subject, but accompanying them on their journey of growth."

"Learn how to use AI, but don't let AI think for you."

When asked what message she wanted to convey to students in the AI era, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham did not mention competitive pressure but emphasized perseverance.

"Don't rush to become a prominent person. First and foremost, persevere in becoming a better version of yourself every day."

According to her, just as a tree cannot grow simply by trying to reach for the fastest growth, a person who wants to develop sustainably needs deep roots. Those "roots" are knowledge, discipline, honesty, and a lifelong learning spirit.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham's journey from alumnus to lecturer is a testament to the spirit of lifelong learning and the aspiration to spread practical values to the younger generation at Dai Nam University.

In this era of rapid technological development, AI will become an indispensable tool. However, what ultimately determines each person's value is their thinking, judgment, and responsibility for their decisions.

"Learn how to use AI, but don't let AI think for you. AI can help us work faster, but only knowledge, courage, and kindness will help humanity go further."

Perhaps that is also the journey of Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, who traveled far to accumulate experience, then returned bringing everything she had learned to equip young people who are preparing to enter the profession.