USF World News

Kha Do’s 15 seconds: “Be prepared to catch that bus!”

TAMPA, FL (May 22, 2024) -- As a graduate of the class of 2024, Kha Do knows fifteen seconds is all it takes to put you on the path to a new career. A missed bus on the way to an entrepreneurship class on his first day at USF became a sign that there was another vocation even more suited for him: data analytics.  Do, who is from Vietnam and came to USF by way of Seattle, changed his major from business entrepreneurship to BAIS – business analytics and information systems. “Looking back, I realize that missing that bus pushed me onto the right path” he said in the commencement speech he gave to the 2024 graduating class at Muma College of Business.

Not only a King O’Neal scholar (awarded for a 4.0 GPA), Do is also a recipient (in August 2023) of the Harold M. Rawlins Endowed Scholarship and a 25 under 25 honoree at the Muma College of Business. Do co-founded the Vietnamese International Student Association at USF and was Vice President of the Data Science Club. “Challenges are like that bus I missed. They might seem like a setback but another bus, another opportunity, is always coming around the corner. Be prepared to catch that bus!”

Do moved to Seattle, WA by himself when he was only 16. There he completed high school while earning college credit at the same time. Then in 2021 he moved across the country to come to USF in Tampa, Florida. As he said in his commencement speech, “growth happens when we step outside of our comfort zones.” Later he added, “I really believe that. Every time I moved; I stepped outside my comfort zone.”

When asked what attracted him to come to USF, Do first mentions what a great school it is. Then he talks about the large supportive community of Vietnamese students who are already here. Vietnam is one of the top countries for undergraduate enrollment at USF. “The Vietnamese students here are extremely talented. I can tell because they come from the best high schools back in Vietnam.” While USF already had a student association for students with Vietnamese heritage, “The current organization prioritizes promoting Vietnamese culture but doesn't offer much support to Vietnamese international students, like help with academics or housing. The organization I co-founded is for international students, so we called it V.I.S.A. – the Vietnamese International Student Association.” Going to college in another country is no easy feat, as Do knows from personal experience. International students have to juggle visa issues, sometimes learning a second, third, or fourth language, and overcoming cultural hurdles on top of college coursework and extra-curricular activities. International student associations often help young people navigate such challenges while studying in a foreign country.

Another attraction for Do to come to Tampa was USF’s School of Music. Do is an accomplished pianist and has played competitively since the 7th and 8th grades. His father is a classical guitarist, but it was his non-musician mother who really inspired him to play piano. Music is one of the great loves of his life. One of the first questions he asks when he moves to a new city is where he can play music. “I took many commencement photos at the USF School of Music as well,” he says, “because that was a very important part of my time here.”

Do already has a job lined up as an analyst at Bank of America in Plano, Texas where he was formerly a data management intern. “So I already know the team there” he said. “I’m really looking forward to it.” He plans to work 3-4 years before possibly attending graduate school and earning a PhD. After that, he says, “the sky’s the limit. You gotta be bold!”

Watch Mr. Do’s inspirational spring 2024 commencement speech here.