Nine students receive UTAR-Jinbodhi bursary

UTAR-JinBodhi Bursary recipients

Front row, from left: Sister Wen You, Melissa Stefanie, Brother Wen Jun, Prof Choong, Brother Xu Te and Lim with UTAR-JinBodhi Bursary recipients

Bodhi Meditation Malaysia (BMM) presented financial aid to nine students from UTAR. The bursary presentation ceremony was held on 5 December 2022 at Sungai Long Campus.

Present at the ceremony were Vice Chairman of BMM Brother Xu Te, UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong, Director of Centre for Foundation Studies (Sungai Long Campus) Melissa Stefanie Netto, Head of Department for Department of Accountancy, Faculty of Accountancy and Management Lim Wei Yin, committee members of BMM Brother Wen Jun and Sister Wen You, scholarship recipients, staff and students.

Prof Choong and Brother Xu Te speaking at the ceremony

UTAR Vice President Prof Choong, on behalf of the University, expressed his appreciation to BMM for their generosity in providing UTAR students with financial assistance. He said, “We are here to witness nine students from June 2022 intake who are here to receive the 2022 JinBodhi Bursary Award. The funds committed for these nine recipients are RM168,116.50.”

He added, “Tertiary education is instrumental in fostering growth and reducing poverty, as well as driving economic competitiveness to contribute to social and economic development. The development of today’s youth is a critical element for a vibrant global community. Therefore, this bursary not only recognises the students’ academic efforts and achievements, but also helps and motivates them to excel further and reach their goals in the future.”

On the other hand, BMM Vice Chairman Brother Xu Te thanked UTAR for the coordination in assisting to provide financial aid to students in need, giving them a chance to pursue educational goals. He said, “Over the past few years, BMMB has set up various bursaries to support the needy students who are from primary school, secondary school and university to ensure they have access to continued learning. We strongly believe that students in need of financial assistance should not be denied a good education; education is the only way to change their life for the better.”

He added, “UTAR-JinBodhi Bursary was started in 2018. Many student recipients have successfully graduated and these are the fruitful results of the cooperation. This makes us happy and gratified. Therefore, BMMB hopes to continue to cooperate with UTAR to cultivate talents and develop more future leaders for the nation.”

A sharing session was held in which the recipients shared their gratitude messages and how the bursary had brought relief to their respective families.

Clockwise from right: Chak, Loh, Na, Ng, Por, Tan and Teh sharing their gratitude messages and how the bursary had brought relief to their respective families

Chak Wen Fang, a UTAR Foundation student, expressed her appreciation for being chosen as one of the bursary recipients. “I am grateful to be given a chance to obtain this bursary. I have been living with my grandparents since I was young. The bursary could help reduce the burden on my grandparents because they do not work. Now I can fully concentrate on my studies without worrying about my finances.”

Foundation in Arts student Lim Wei Qi said, “My family has been facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, they are having a hard time supporting my education. My mother is a kidney disease patient. She has stopped working for 10 years. But now, she has to go to work to help my father deal with the financial crisis. I started working at the age of 16; now I do online business to earn my living expenses.”

Dietetics student Loh Zi Xiang comes from a single-parent family. She said, “All my living expenses are supported by my mother. I am grateful that I can benefit from the bursary to continue my bachelor’s study and reduce my mother’s burden. I thank Jinbodhi for giving me a helping hand, especially during this difficult time.”

Accounting student Na Wan Ping said, “I am truly happy to receive this UTAR-JinBodhi Bursary. UTAR-JinBodhi Bursary helped to lessen my family’s burden. We no longer need to worry about our financial struggles. Receiving the bursary definitely gives me the motivation to work harder to achieve excellent results in my academics.”

Banking and Finance student Ng Zhen Darh said, “With this bursary, I can focus on my studies instead of mulling over ways to finance my study. Now I am confident that I can provide my family with a better life in the future.”

Computer Science student Por Teong Dean comes from a single-parent family. He thanked UTAR and BMM for their support in solving his financial problem. He said, “Before receiving the bursary, I got a part-time job to reduce the burden on my family, now I can fully concentrate on my studies without worrying about my finances.”

Chinese Studies student Tan Xiao Jun has five siblings and his father passed away two years ago due to heart disease. He said, “Before receiving the bursary, my eldest sister had to support my family expenses as well as my study expenditures such as tuition fees and living expenses. Now I can finally reduce her burden. With the bursary, I have more motivation to study.”

Teh Yee Wei from the Faculty of Accountancy and Management said, “I am very much grateful for this opportunity. The bursary really means a lot and it took the pressure off of my parents. Receiving the bursary definitely gives me the motivation to work harder to achieve excellent results in my academics. I promise I will put in my best effort to excel in my studies.”

 

From left: Brother Wen Jun, Brother Xu Te and Prof Choong (most right) with the recipients