Don’t Let Doubt Steal Your Biggest Opportunity: How I Became a Top 1% CEE Finalist

"I almost missed out on one of the biggest opportunities of my life — all because I doubted myself and thought 10 hours before the deadline was not enough to make a difference." I hope no one ever finds themselves in that situation.

Nine months ago, with the clock ticking and doubt creeping in, I faced a tough decision: Should I apply for the 2024-2025 Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program — a prestigious fellowship sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by IREX — or let the opportunity pass?

I questioned whether I could craft a strong enough application in such a short time. But instead of giving in to uncertainty, I trusted my experiences, passion, and vision for change — and took a leap of faith.

To my surprise, I was selected as one of the Top 120 Finalists for this Global Exchange Program out of 8,500+ applicants from over 100 countries.

This is an Official Letter from the Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).

🌍 What Helped Me Succeed?

✅ Clarity of Purpose: I focused on sharing my vision for "Bridging the Gap: Empowering Students Through Mentorship" — a project close to my heart that connects students with mentors to help them develop essential skills and unlock new opportunities. This vision was inspired by my meaningful work with V.Gen Network for Vietnam, where I've witnessed firsthand how education and mentorship can empower young people to grow and thrive.

✅ Proactive Preparation: Over the years, I’ve kept a Reflection File — a simple yet powerful habit of documenting my roles, achievements, and lessons learned. When time was tight, this resource became my secret weapon, helping me pull together a compelling application in just a few hours.

✅ Belief in My Potential: Despite feeling rushed, I reminded myself that authenticity matters more than perfection. This mindset helped me silence my doubts and submit my application with confidence.

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Although the program has been postponed to March 2026, this unexpected turn has given me even more time to refine my vision and prepare for this incredible journey.

I am deeply grateful to Mr. Alex Joensen and Ms. Fiona Dempsey from IREX, and Mr. Cesar Rolon, my expected host organization representative, for their invaluable guidance and support throughout this process. I truly hope to meet them and other CEE Fellows in person soon and express my gratitude.

I would love to hear from others who are navigating their own leadership journeys or seizing unexpected opportunities. Let’s connect and inspire each other!

🌐 Learn more about the CEE Program here: https://www.irex.org/project/community-engagement-exchange