Tuong-Minh Ly-Le
March 24, 2020
Tuong-Minh Ly-Le (2020)
Minh works as a full-time public relations and marketing consultant at EloQ Communications, her own agency in Vietnam, and a part-time academic lecturer and researcher. Her research interest is crisis management and new media communication, and how to apply the research results to my practical, day-to-day consultancy. Minh also serves as a board member of the Public Relations and Communications Association Southeast Asia (PRCA SEA) Regional Board. She is currently based in both Vietnam and Canada, and would love to (re)connect with friends and peers from Truman.
What year did you graduate and what was your concentration?
I graduated in 2011 with a BA in Communication (Public communication concentration).
What extra-/co-curricular activities did you do?
I was the Performance Head for International Dinner and International Idol events for the International Club for two years. I was also part of the Ad and PR Club, and a charity group at Truman called LiFT (which I founded) during my junior and senior years.
Minh (center, front) and friends during the international flag parade on campus (2010).
Did you go to grad school? If so, where? Was it immediately after you left Truman or did you wait? Why?
Yes. I completed my Master’s degree in 2014 and my PhD last year at Bond University, Australia. I worked for 2 years before I applied for grad school. I didn’t want my grad school to be just an extension of my undergrad degree. I wanted to gain some work experience, understand my strengths and weaknesses in the profession so I could improve by taking a Master program.
What was your first job after graduation?
I went back to my home country (Vietnam) right after graduation, and became an Account manager at Vero Public Relations, a public relations agency in Vietnam with the head office in Thailand.
Minh celebrating the Lunar New Year (2019).
What work do you do/What are you doing now?
I founded my own PR and marketing agency in 2015, since which we have conducted many regional PR and IMC campaigns for overseas and local clients. The agency, called EloQ Communications, handles projects in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia, focusing on the kind of outside-the-box thinking that it takes to get noticed in today’s crowded marketing landscape. I serve as the managing director at EloQ.
How has your Liberal Arts/COMM education helped you?
I really like that Truman is a liberal arts school. It helped me grasp a general knowledge of different fields and equipped me with an excellent foundation to work in a variety of jobs and tasks, not only those in Communication. One lovely thing about liberal arts is that you get to take different classes to fulfill different modes, giving you an opportunity to explore yourself and to find what you’re truly interested in.
Which class did you dislike at the time you took it, but now you’re grateful you took it?
COMM 382: Communication Theory. I’m not very good at remembering theories; but this class gave me a clear advantage during my research in grad school.
What was your greatest accomplishment at Truman?
That I chose to be a COMM major.
Why is Truman a good place for a student to study?
I like that all Truman classes are small. It’s easy for you to get noticed and receive individual feedback and support from the professors. Another thing is that all the faculty and staff are very approachable and can customize instruction and guidance based on the students’ needs. I’ve never had a better, more enhanced learning experience.
What would you say a COMM student should absolutely do while at Truman?
Take as many elective classes and do as many extra-curricular activities as possible! While this may sound obvious, it is helpful because there are many career pathways for a COMM major, from a reporter, news anchor, public relations consultant, or researcher. The elective classes help you sample what it’s like to work in different areas of Communication. Joining Detours, KTRM, or the Ad & PR Club helps you gain practical experience to these areas.
Minh with Melanie Crist of the International Student Office and the Althides, her host family in Kirksville (2008).
What advice would you give someone who wants to go into the same line of work as you?
Never stop learning. The communication industry, regardless of which career pathway you choose, is constantly changing. With the disruption of new technologies and social media, joining this industry means that you must keep yourself new, updated, and ready for the rapid growth of the market.
What do you miss most about campus/Kirksville?
I miss the cozy and friendly atmosphere around the campus and in Kirksville. Kirksville will always be my second hometown.
If you could come back to Truman and teach a class for a semester, what would be its title and what would it be about?
“Public Relations – Connecting with stakeholders’ digital dynamics.” Social media has changed our ways of communication dramatically. The class will discuss how public relations is affected, shaped, and evolved in this social and digital media age, and how and how these facets interplay with traditional communication channels.
What did we not ask that you think is important for people to know?
I would very much like a chance to go back to Truman and maybe teach a class 😊
Also, my company is planning to do reserach for a white paper about crisis communication and its perception in different countries, with Coronavirus being the case study. If any Truman student or alumni is interested in participating in this survey, or recruiting participants for this survey, please let me know. You can find some of my blog posts about PR, social media, and crisis management on my company’s website.
Minh (3rd from left) presenting at the IBSM conference (2018).
If you would like to learn more of Minh’s story, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.