ALUMNI SCENE GIVING
SCHOLARSHIP IGNITES YOUNG CEO’S POTENTIAL
A LEGACY TO LIFT LAW STUDENTS
M
adam Agnes Sng (Law ’84) has nominated the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Law as the beneficiary of her Central Provident Fund and has also pledged her body to research and education at the University. But it was not a straightforward decision. Mdm Sng asked herself questions such as whether she should donate her organs together with her body to science or whether her organs should go toward saving other lives? If she should spread her funds so that she can help as many as possible or if she should give all to one fund to create a deeper impact? Then came the Eureka moment. “In Singapore, education is a great leveller. With a sound education, you can achieve many goals. It doesn’t matter who your parents are. When I help young students pursue their education, there is a multiplier effect when they in turn go on to help many others when they do well later in life,” muses Mdm Sng. The Law alumnus lived in four countries (Germany, Egypt, Bulgaria and Romania) in 11 years of working overseas with her German husband, who was a regional director in a not-for-profit foundation. Over the years, Mdm Sng’s travels exposed her to political and social issues, and the difficult living conditions of some of the locals in her host countries. That experience and the pockets of poverty she also saw in Singapore when helping out with community services were catalysts for Mdm Sng’s wish to contribute where she can. The integrity of an institution like NUS made the choice an easy one, as she could be confident that donations would be managed in an accountable way. Mdm Sng has very fond memories of the then relatively small and close-knit NUS Law Faculty. Although she has not worked in the legal industry since 2011, the noble profession is dear to her. With her
28
gift to the Law Faculty, she hopes to honour the memory of the late top criminal lawyer Mr Subhas Anandan (Law ’70). “I met many inspiring professionals and had the privilege to work for a few members of the Judiciary who left an indelible impression on me. They not only have a superior intellect, but also great humility and compassion. Mr Anandan was a champion of pro bono work and a firm believer of fair representation and giving everyone a second chance,” says Mdm Sng. The former Singapore MDM AGNES SNG Chinese Girls’ School student is now back home in Singapore with her husband, and works in administration. “I remember schoolmates who had to work to finance their studies, and yet many of them achieved very good results. Students like them should have the opportunity to fully enjoy all aspects of university life without worrying about finances, wherever possible. That is the other factor that motivates my contributing,” she says.
When I help young students pursue their education, there is a multiplier effect when they in turn go on to help many others when they do well later in life.
FOR IVY TSE WING MAN (BUSINESS AND ENGINEERING ’11), receiving the Lee Kong Chian Global Merit Scholarship as a National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduate opened up a world of opportunities and gave her the freedom to discover the passion that would shape her future career choice. The Scholarship – established from gifts from the Lee Foundation and awarded to individuals who demonstrate academic excellence, all-roundness and leadership qualities – gave Ms Tse the opportunity to throw herself into the many activities on offer at NUS outside the academic programmes. In her Third Year of study, she got into the NUS Student Exchange Programme and spent a semester at the University of Waterloo in Canada. The experience was one she will never forget and she believes all students should have a chance to spend time overseas and broaden their horizons. “Beyond immersing myself in the culture and seeing the world out there, travelling is also a process of selfdiscovery,” says Ms Tse. Throughout her time at the University, she played an active role in community service, serving in several stints including the Sheares Hall Voluntary Corp, NUS Rotaract Club, NUS CSR Student Movement and also led a team to Laos under the NUSSU National Volunteer Action Committee. Ms Tse’s community engagement work at NUS allowed her to ignite her passion for helping young people to discover themselves and realise their potential. This led to her career switch from the corporate world to a role in the not-for-profit sector in 2012. Today, Ms Tse is the CEO of the Halogen Foundation Singapore, a local charity with a focus on transforming young people through leadership and entrepreneurship education. “My previous job in the corporate world had a great culture and challenging work environment. However, when I reflected on what I wanted to devote the next few decades of my life to, it became really clear that purposeful work had to be at its core.” she shares. She recognises that the financial support from the Scholarship played a big part in supporting this pursuit for passion. As Ms Tse explains, “The Scholarship helped tremendously in relieving me of obligations such as repaying my study loans upon
Ms Ivy Tse (back row, centre) with Halogen Foundation Singapore staff.
graduation. I do not think I would have made that same leap so freely if I had financial obligations.” As someone whose life path has been shaped by the generosity of others, she feels strongly in giving back to society. “I think giving needs to be a mindset that comes from within. It is a mindset that allows us not to fear that we have less by giving, but to embrace the notion that sometimes ‘giving up’ might actually enrich our lives and yield abundance. We need to stop seeing giving as sacrifice but consider it as a way of living — who we choose to be, what we stand for and our relationships with one another.”
We need to stop seeing giving as sacrifice but consider it as a way of living. MS IVY TSE WING MAN
JUL– SEP 2016 29