Tien, 25, addressed his class at the May 8 commencement for Duke's Master of Quantitative Management: Business Analytics program at the Fuqua School of Business. Standing in cap and gown, he paused his prepared remarks, introduced his parents in the audience, and sang two lines from "Uoc mo cua me" (Mother's Dream), a 2020 ballad by composer Hua Kim Tuyen that closes with the line "My child, dream the dreams for me."
He sang the verse in Vietnamese, then translated it into English for the rest of the room.
"This is probably the only part of my speech my parents will fully understand," Tien said, his voice breaking.
Nguyen Huynh Nhat Tien sings during his speech at Duke University's master's commencement, May 8, 2026. Video courtesy of Nguyen Huynh Nhat Tien
Tien, from Ho Chi Minh City, had told no one what he planned to do. His parents found out only when he walked on stage. It was their first visit to the U.S. since he left for college in 2019, and it coincided with what he described as the proudest moment of his life.
