Tung Pham ’25

In my SOM application, I wrote about my dream of starting a sports-tech company. I love endurance sports—running, swimming, cycling—and I’ve seen how they’re transforming Vietnam, especially in how we approach physical education for children. Our schools have traditionally focused on skill-based sports, leaving a gap in endurance training. I discovered endurance sports on my own, and while the endurance community in Vietnam is growing, it’s still fragmented. I believe technology can change that. When I shared my idea with my cousin, an SOM alum, he said, “If you’re thinking about tech, sports, and education with broad societal impact, why not Yale SOM?” And just like that, everything clicked.

I wanted an MBA to bridge the gaps in my skill set, particularly in finance and analytics, so I could become a more well-rounded leader. But during my first year, I discovered that SOM has one of the best quantitative finance programs around: the Master’s in Asset Management degree. Even better, I realized I could do it alongside my MBA in just two years. Of course, that meant signing up for an intense curriculum with Yale’s top-tier finance professors, and it’s been undeniably challenging. But it’s also been an incredible learning experience, equipping me with new skills in investing and machine learning while opening doors to fields like decentralized finance, where technology meets asset management. If I’m going to maximize my time at SOM, I might as well do it with a joint degree—and a very steady supply of caffeine.

One of the most rewarding experiences this year has been my role as a teaching assistant for the course Game Theory. I’ve had the chance to support different cohorts, from undergraduates to MBA and even executive MBA students.

EMBA students have way more experience than I do. Some have been in the industry for 15 years! When I walked into my first office hours, I was beyond nervous. How was I supposed to bring value to people who have been navigating the real world far longer than I have? But to my surprise, the students were incredibly warm, engaged, and deeply respectful—common traits in the SOM community. Some showed up to my office hours every week, not just to discuss game theory but to share their own experiences and, occasionally, to offer me career advice and guidance.

At my final office hours, some students thanked me for “teaching” them—but honestly, I felt like I had learned just as much from them.