Leavey MBA Students Explore Vietnam’s Dynamic Business Landscape
Global Perspectives course connects classroom theory with real-world practice through immersive experience in Ho Chi Minh City
Last month, Sixteen students in Leavey’s Evening and Online MBA programs spent a week trading their usual classrooms for the fast-paced streets and conference rooms of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Their journey was part of Global Perspectives, an elective led by Management Lecturer Phyllis Brock, that blends academic rigor with hands-on exploration to illuminate how business operates across borders and cultures.
“The course gives working professionals an extraordinary opportunity to see how global business works in practice,” says Brock. “Students move beyond theory, engaging directly with executives, entrepreneurs, and innovators across a variety of industries. It’s one of the most distinctive learning experiences our program offers.”
For many students, the appeal of the course extended beyond academics. “Part of what drew me to the course was the chance to see how business is done globally—and to think about how I can make a positive impact beyond my own community,” said Evening MBA student Paramjot Singh. “Hearing from entrepreneurs who returned to Vietnam to build something meaningful really inspired me to think about what impact I could make in my own home country.”
Connecting Global Concepts to Real-World Practice
Before departure, students spent the summer quarter studying Vietnam’s economic landscape - its industries, trade patterns, and government systems - while researching the firms they would soon meet. Each morning abroad began with student-led briefings that set the stage for the day’s company visits, ensuring discussions were informed, analytical, and deeply engaging.
“Throughout the trip, we could see elements of everything we’ve studied—finance, marketing, operations—all playing out in real time,” said Singh. “It really brought together what we’ve learned across the MBA and showed how those pieces connect in practice.”
Over six days, the group encountered a range of organizations spanning finance, manufacturing, technology, healthcare, retail, and media - an experience that reflected Vietnam’s evolution into one of Asia’s most dynamic business hubs.
The week opened with a session on Vietnam’s business and cultural landscape featuring Kien Pham, Investor and Co-Founder of The Vietnam Foundation. His remarks provided essential context on the nation’s rapid economic ascent, entrepreneurial spirit, and growing role in global trade - insights that framed the rest of the week’s explorations.
From there, students met with business leaders who offered windows into the country’s rich commercial diversity. At The Running Bean, Owner Hanh Vu and Manager Hieu Le shared how Vietnam’s thriving café culture has created new opportunities for locally inspired entrepreneurship. At METUB Network, Founder and CEO Phuong Ha described how her company is redefining digital marketing and social commerce for Vietnam’s creator economy.
Later, students toured Thai Duong Company Limited, where CEO Duong Tran walked them through the production lines of one of the company’s three factories. The visit showcased both the artistry and efficiency behind manufacturing for global brands - including the now-iconic Trader Joe’s tote bag - and highlighted the firm’s investments in automation and export strategy.
Technology and finance rounded out the itinerary. At MoMo, Vietnam’s leading e-wallet and fintech platform, Co-Founder Diep Nguyen discussed how innovation and accessibility are reshaping financial services for millions of Vietnamese consumers. A visit to Ho Chi Minh City Securities Company (HSC), hosted by CEO Johan Nyvene and Managing Director Quan Nguyen, offered an insider’s look at Vietnam’s evolving capital markets and the trends driving investment growth.
Students also connected with Frank Nguyen, Santa Clara alumnus and Founder of One Medic JSC, who described how his healthcare technology company is expanding access to care across Vietnam through digital solutions - demonstrating the global reach of the Bronco network.
The trip was made possible in part through support from Leavey's Sustainable Business Institute (SBI), which provides scholarships to MBA students participating in Global Perspectives courses with a sustainability focus. Through this partnership, SBI helps ensure that experiential learning opportunities like this one remain accessible to working professionals while advancing its mission to promote responsible, values-driven business leadership.
Immersion Beyond the Boardroom
Beyond formal meetings, the group experienced Vietnam through its culture, cuisine, and community. In their free time and through optional excursions, students immersed themselves in the energy of Ho Chi Minh City - its layered history, sensory vibrancy, and constant movement.
Highlights included a motorbike food tour through several districts, where local guides led students to sample regional dishes and experience the rhythm of daily life up close. They also joined a guided tour of Ho Chi Minh City’s most significant landmarks, including the Reunification Palace, Central Post Office, and Ngoc Hoang Temple, which offered glimpses into Vietnam’s complex history and rapid transformation. The visit also coincided with Vietnam’s Independence Day, one of the country’s most significant annual celebrations, giving students a glimpse of the city’s festive energy and national pride.
These cultural experiences deepened the academic insights gained throughout the week. Together, they underscored how history, values, and innovation intertwine to shape the modern business landscape - and how understanding culture is essential to understanding commerce.
Expanding Horizons Through Experiential Learning
For Evening MBA student Katherine Hawkyard, the trip brought classroom concepts vividly to life. “You can study global strategy in theory,” she reflected, “but it’s completely different when you’re sitting across from the people navigating those challenges every day. It pushes you to think beyond spreadsheets - to understand the human side of business.”
“This trip reminded me how essential it is to approach business with an open mind,” reflected Evening MBA student Angela Nguyen. “Growing up in the U.S., you develop a certain way of thinking, but seeing how companies operate here shows there’s always more than one right way to do things.”
That balance of professional insight and personal growth is precisely what Global Perspectives aims to cultivate. The course - unique to the Evening and Online MBA program - integrates research, direct engagement with business leaders, and international immersion into a cohesive learning experience rarely found in part-time programs.
By engaging with entrepreneurs and executives across multiple sectors, students develop the analytical skills and cultural awareness needed to lead in a globalized economy. They return to Silicon Valley not just with new knowledge, but with renewed perspective - a deeper understanding of how business connects people, ideas, and possibilities across borders.
As Brock puts it, “They come home not just with stories from another country, but with a new way of seeing business - and their own potential as global leaders.”