Quynh Dang, one of five 2025 Medal of Academic Merit scholars at MiraCosta College, picked her major in accounting through a process of elimination.

She knew she wasn’t interested in a career in health care or the law, and she wanted an office job that offered stability.

“From the starting point, I didn’t know what I wanted to major in, but I knew for sure what I didn’t want,” she said. “I was searching for office work and accounting popped up. I saw there was a shortage of accountants, and the salary was good. I thought, ‘Why not?”

Dang has excelled at MiraCosta College since she made that decision. She has a perfect 4.0 grade point average and plans to transfer to San Diego State University when she graduates from MiraCosta College this spring.

Dang grew up in Vietnam and came to the United States in 2019, with her family joining her father, who had arrived in the U.S. four years earlier. As a student at Sage Creek High School in Carlsbad, she initially planned to attend a four-year university but realized that MiraCosta College was a more affordable alternative.

Although she already spoke English, she struggled with her fluency in her studies. Dang said MiraCosta College’s writing center and tutoring center helped her immensely.

“I was a bit shy at first to reach out to the departments to find out what resources there were on campus,” she said. “There’s help everywhere as long as you reach out.”

She said that being selected as an Academic Merit scholar, which includes a $1,500 scholarship, recognizes her work and motivates her to continue her education.

“This award feels like a statement to me that you did a good job and the effort you put forth is worth it,” she said.