LEAD TO SUCCESS | LEARNING TO LEAD THROUGH REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES

"One lesson I realized a bit late was that I need to speak up and share my ideas. During group discussions, I often listened and kept my thoughts to myself, which made our teamwork less effective. I believe I'll do better next year."

For Cam Thu, a SAL Scholar from the Class of 2026, the Lead to Success program was more than completing a research project. It became an opportunity to reflect on how she learns, collaborates with others, and gradually grows as a person.

Held annually as part of the SAL Scholarship Program, Lead to Success is a student-centered leadership development program built on experiential learning. Through research, teamwork, and presenting their ideas, students strengthen essential skills such as public speaking, critical thinking, collaboration, independent research, and design thinking.

Over the course of more than two months, 20 SAL scholars worked together to explore two topics closely related to student life: "The Impact of Peer Pressure on Students' Academic Performance" and "Building Self-Discipline in the Learning Environment."

Rather than stopping at research findings, both teams transformed their work into practical guidebooks designed to help students manage peer pressure and develop stronger self-discipline in their studies. Throughout the process, they continuously exchanged ideas, challenged one another's perspectives, and refined their work together.

The program also gave every participant the opportunity to experience different leadership roles. The 20 students were divided into two teams, with members taking turns serving as team leaders. This allowed each student to gain hands-on experience in organizing tasks, coordinating teammates, and making decisions throughout the project.

For Kim Anh, a SAL Scholar from the Class of 2024, serving as a team leader brought valuable lessons about leadership and collaboration.

"This project helped me develop many important skills, including emotional management, communication, problem-solving, and other soft skills. The biggest lesson I learned is that as a leader, I need to assign responsibilities clearly from the beginning and communicate expectations openly with my team."

Every presentation, discussion, and feedback session became an opportunity for students to reflect on how they learn and work with others. Some realized they needed to share their ideas more confidently, while others gained a deeper understanding of the responsibility that comes with leading a team.

Perhaps the greatest value of Lead to Success is not simply the two guidebooks created after months of research, but the personal growth each student experienced along the way. From learning to listen and express their ideas to leading a team, they gradually developed the skills and confidence needed for the next stage of their journey.

For SAL, leadership is about much more than leading a team. It is a lifelong journey of understanding yourself, learning from others, and growing through real experiences.