Hanh Duong is a first-year MSFS student, concentrating on International Development. She is Vietnamese but spent four years at Tokyo International University in Saitama, Japan for her undergraduate degree. She just received her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations in August 2022. During her undergraduate studies, with like-minded friends, she co-founded International Relations Student Association and pursued reward-winning extracurriculars. She is also a Model UN enthusiast in which she actively joined Model UN conferences in Japan and other countries. During her studies, Hanh pursued an internship at CHANGE – an environmental non-profit organization in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam as a fundraising and partnership assistant. CHANGE has had a profound impact on her research interest and career orientation in the future. Hanh's research interests focus on Asia-Pacific region, specifically the US-China-Southeast Asia relations, and the political economy of development in Southeast Asia. At Georgetown University, she wants to learn new things and improve her analytical skills in economic policies and expand her knowledge in topics like foreign direct investment, debt, and green growth.

"The program can make my vision clearer and provide me with the necessary steps to achieve my career goal to become a policy expert and researcher. As Georgetown is situated in the political heart of the world, Washington DC, the environment will connect me to a network of young professionals and experts in the fields. Thus, providing a wide range of internship and career opportunities in development projects at international organizations such as the World Bank and other international organizations. Furthermore, Georgetown University’s prestige is also a seal of recognition, which provides better opportunities for different grants and academic funding for my future research. Finally, the academic resources and interdisciplinary curriculum of the program will enable me to choose courses that will enhance my expertise and soft skills as well as expand my knowledge to be able to evaluate an international affairs issue comprehensively."