No Price on Potential
NUS alumnus Mr Lim Heng Toh and his wife Mdm Chan Pek Lin are honouring their parents' legacy by establishing bursaries to uplift future generations through education.
Mr Lim Heng Toh (right) and Mdm Chan Pek Lin (left) established two bursaries to support financially needy NUS students.
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For Mr Lim Heng Toh (Engineering ’78) and his wife Mdm Chan Pek Lin, education was the turning point that transformed their families’ trajectories.
Now, the couple is committed to giving others the same opportunity by establishing two student bursaries at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It’s also a full circle moment for Mr Lim, who is giving back through his alma mater.
Honouring the “Dare to Dream” Spirit
The core inspiration for these bursaries is rooted in the couple’s deep gratitude to their parents.
“Our parents were part of the pioneer generation of migrant Chinese who came to Singapore to seek a better life for themselves and their families,” the couple explained.
Driven by a keen desire for a better future, their parents worked tirelessly for their families despite having limited skills and resources. “Education was the enabler that lifted our families from poverty to a middle-class standard of living,” they elaborated. “Our parents’ sense of responsibility, discipline, and their ‘dare to dream’ spirit was the engine to their aspiration.”
To honour this legacy, Mr Lim and Mdm Chan established the Lim Yee Kim & Liang Yee Eng Bursary at the NUS College of Design and Engineering (CDE) and the Chan Siew Chat & Muey Chwee Ngan Bursary at the NUS Business School, respectively. For the couple, these gifts go beyond philanthropy: they are a loving tribute to their parents’ courage, determination and dedication to give their children a better life.
And while each Bursary supports different disciplines, they have the same goal: to uplift young people through education, just as it did for their own families.
Opening Doors for Others
Mr Lim’s experience at NUS taught him that second chances matter. “My years at NUS were marked by failures in various subjects, and I experienced financial stress throughout,” he shared. “I deeply appreciated NUS’ forgiving system. It allowed students like me who did not perform well a second chance to meet the standards.”
The opportunity to recover, improve and persevere shaped not only his academic path but his outlook on life. “Money should never be a hindrance to the development of young people,” he said. “Everyone should enjoy equal opportunities to be educated and be equipped to craft a meaningful career.”
The couple hopes that by easing students’ financial burdens, the Bursaries will give them the freedom to focus on what matters most: learning and personal growth.
Mdm Chan is confident that her gift will equip business graduates with the skills and perspective needed to help drive Singapore’s continued economic growth. “Business acumen and skills can help facilitate trade and commerce,” added Mr Lim. “Global collaborations and trade remain important pillars to our country’s growth and well-being.”
Mdm Chan’s gift will equip business graduates with important skills for Singapore’s economic growth, while Mr Lim’s gift will nurture future engineers.
As an engineer himself, Mr Lim is equally passionate about nurturing future innovators. “Science and engineering are the backbone of society’s development. Engineering innovations are important to new advancements in various industries,” he shared. “We believe that developing a continuous pool of engineering and business talents is important to Singapore.”
Beyond practical support, the couple hopes to inspire the recipients with the spirit of paying it forward: to remember their own roots and extend opportunities to others in turn.
“We should try to lead by example, rather than just preaching good behaviour,” reflected Mr Lim. “Honouring our parents through these Bursaries promotes a sense of rootedness and appreciation for where we came from, and need to be, in the future.”
It doesn’t take a lot to make a difference in a student’s life. Make a gift to the Plant-It-Forward Challengeto find out how you can help support students in need of financial aid and contribute towards a greener campus at the same time.
