Temasek Foundation has partnered with NUS College to support talented undergraduates in growing as global citizens, alongside their pursuit of education.
From left, the inaugural recipients of the Temasek Foundation – NUS College Sunburst Scholarship, Xu Yuxin, Dat Le Mai Tan Daniel and Carla Felisha Liu. Photo credits: Nguyen Thu Hoai
To plant the seeds of service and leadership for future generations, Temasek Foundation has partnered with NUS College to support talented undergraduates in growing as global citizens, alongside their pursuit of education. The 2022 Temasek Foundation – NUS College Sunburst Scholarship was awarded to Carla Felisha Liu, Dat Le Mai Tan Daniel and Xu Yuxin.
Carla Felisha Liu with students she tutored at Edu Beyond.
Carla, a first year Physics major from Indonesia, was extremely pleased when she received news of the scholarship. “Previously, there were several financial concerns that held me back from attending NUS College (NUSC). [The] scholarship will allow me to focus, enjoy, and make the best out of my educational journey without being burdened by monetary pressures,” she shared.
“The scholarship has opened up many prospects that otherwise would not have been available to me. I will ensure to take advantage of my time at University to contribute for the better of our society,” added Carla. “I would like to convey my sincere gratitude to Temasek Foundation for enabling me to pursue my education at NUS and NUS College.”
Carla hopes to develop broader perspectives at the College and resume her work in projects such as Edu Beyond – a non-profit online tutoring initiative in Indonesia. She is also excited to embark on NUSC’s Impact Experience Project, a required module programme stretching two years, that allows students to delve into specific issues in the Singapore society and beyond. The programme aims to nurture students to design and pitch their projects to community partners, and thereafter create and innovate targeted solutions.
First year Business Analytics major, Xu Yuxin also shared how the scholarship encouraged her to pursue worthy causes. “Service learning has always been a passion of mine and I look forward to creating a permanent and positive impact on the community with my NUSC peers.”
Inspired by her volunteer work documenting cancer survivors’ advice for other patients going through cancer treatment, Yuxin shared, “I would like to volunteer as a peer mentor or house committee member next year when a new batch of first years come in… I would like to pass on the guidance that the seniors have kindly given us to the next batch.”
Photo credits: Nguyen Thu Hoai
Yuxin hopes to chart her journey at NUS College with initiatives that take on “intellectual challenge, cross-cultural development and community engagement”. The Singaporean also talked about how she wants to serve patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, a cause close to her heart due to her own experiences with a family member who was diagnosed with the condition. “I wish to spend more time with dementia patients… [to] potentially devise better ways to detect early signs of dementia and improve the quality of life of dementia patients.”
Dat Le Mai Tan Daniel is a first year student from Vietnam, and a Life Sciences Major at the NUS Faculty of Science.
Fellow recipient Dat Le Mai Tan Daniel shared, “I am honoured to receive this scholarship, and recognise that [the] Temasek Foundation aims to support people, and I really love their motivations.” Journeying from his hometown in An Giang Province, located in the Mekong Delta in the southern part of Vietnam, Daniel remarks that the scholarship inspires him to pursue innovation in areas of technology, in order to improve the quality of life for those who are struggling.
Daniel is also looking forward to new experiences and adventures at NUSC. “I am really excited and feel blessed. This scholarship gave me a boost in confidence… that somebody acknowledges my [academic] efforts and is encouraging me to continue my endeavours.”
Vice Dean of Outreach, Associate Professor Quek Su Ying also shared her excitement on the generous scholarship from the Foundation. “On behalf of the College, I would like to sincerely thank the Temasek Foundation for their impactful gift. The scholarship will no doubt nurture service-mindedness and leadership qualities in its recipients, and these are qualities that very much align with what NUS College is about.”
“We hope the recipients of the Temasek Foundation Sunburst Scholarship at NUS College will continue to enrich their academic journey with initiatives that uplift communities in Singapore and beyond. This platform will enable the scholars to catalyse their peers to contribute towards a more caring community,” added Shirley Tee, Associate Director of Programmes at Temasek Foundation.
This story was first published on 5 October 2022 on NUS College Website.
