One day, Huy Nguyen wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and bring communities together through the power of music. The self-taught guitarist and co-founder of indie-rock band Nayomaze, believes music is a ‘shared experience’; one which he enjoys creating. 

Getting up on stage and organising events as a member of UNIS Hanoi’s High School Senate are activities that Huy, 18, could not have imagined doing when he first joined the School five years ago. “I was an introvert,'' confesses Huy. “When I first arrived, I was weirded out by UNIS Hanoi because it was so different to what I’d previously known. But there are many chances to pursue passions here and so this environment really helped get me out of my comfort zone, and transform my identity.”

During his time at UNIS Hanoi, Huy has been integral to bringing the High School student body together through events. His ability to connect and collaborate with people saw him rise to the rank of Vice President of the High School Senate. When he’s not organising parties and festivals, Huy has been playing soccer and volleyball.

But the UNIS Hanoi school experience has not been all fun and games for the budding entertainment entrepreneur. For his IB Diploma, he took courses like psychology and visual arts in order to understand concepts such as consumer behaviour, design-thinking and decision-making. 

After graduating from UNIS Hanoi, Huy hopes to study marketing at university in Australia, aspiring to return to Vietnam shortly after in order to contribute to the development of his home country. He adds, “Vietnam is transforming rapidly and I want to play my part by building the entertainment industry here. Maybe my band Nayomaze will be big enough to sell out arenas here in Vietnam by then!”