It was that time in the year again when TAR UC students, adorned in their graduation robes and mortar boards, along with their family and friends gathered at the University College Hall to celebrate a major milestone in their lives – the successful completion of their Bachelor’s degree or Diploma programme at TAR UC. Held over four sessions during the weekend of 26 – 27 November 2016, it was indeed a meaningful occasion for all the graduands as they finally received their scrolls signifying their well-deserved accomplishments.
Datuk Dr Tan Chik Heok, President of TAR UC, in his speech, encouraged the graduands with words of motivation on pursuing higher goals after graduation. “While today we celebrate your achievement, remember the journey does not end here. The road ahead will be a long one fraught with challenges and opportunities as well. I would like to beckon you to put your education to good use so that you can go far in your lives. You may fail the first time but the key is to keep trying. Persistence and determination will get you there,” he said.
There was a total of 54 graduands named as book prize winners throughout the four sessions of the convocation ceremony. One of the book prize winners, Goh Jia Yeen was also the President’s Award winner. A graduate of the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Food Science, she attributed a large part of her success to her lecturers. She said, “The lecturers here are indeed very friendly and helpful in guiding us to solve our problems. Whenever we do not understand anything, they would patiently explain it to us.”
Another book prize winner, Teh Mei Yee of the Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) programme was also awarded the ACCA Cup. She eagerly shared why TAR UC was her first choice when it came to pursuing her tertiary education. “As I was interested in obtaining the ACCA qualification, TAR UC was my first choice as it is recognised as ACCA’s Platinum Approved Learning Partner. The lecturers here are also very dedicated. They are very open and encourage two-way interaction with the students. I am very grateful to TAR UC for providing not only affordable education but one with excellent quality.” Other recipients of Perpetual Cups include the following:
Prize
Name of Student
Programme
MAICSA Cup
Valerie Chong Shiaw Yean
Bachelor of Corporate Administration (Hons)
FPAM Cup
Lye Yoke Teng
Bachelor of Finance & Investment (Hons)
SAS Alumni Society Bachelor’s Degree Cup
Nicholas Ng Eng Hoe
Bachelor of Information Systems (Hons) in Enterprise Information Systems
There was also a brief yet inspiring moment at the convocation ceremony when Tan Ee Beng, a visually impaired student from the Bachelor of Public Relations (Hons) made his way on stage to receive his scroll while being guided by a staff of TAR UC. He was very thankful towards his friends and lecturers for their unrelenting support throughout his journey towards completing his degree at TAR UC. “I am here today because of their support and concern for me,” he said.
At the ceremony, there was also a student from an underprivileged family who spoke of how TAR UC helped seek sponsorship for his education. Cheah Jenn Yeong of the Bachelor of Information Systems (Hons) in Enterprise Information Systems explained that he came from a financially constrained family where he even had problems paying the fees for his first semester. So, he approached his lecturer, Ms Chok Len Moi who then communicated about his situation to Assoc Prof Dr Ng Swee Chin, Vice President of TAR UC. Assoc Prof Dr Ng then approached Ms Christine Chong, Chief Operating Officer of Syscatech Sdn Bhd, a software company in Kuala Lumpur and it happened that the company was looking at sponsoring deserving students to pursue their tertiary education.
Cheah Jenn Yeong was therefore very grateful to both Ms Chok and Assoc Prof Dr Ng for their quick response in helping him with his difficulty. Speaking of his education at TAR UC and his current endeavours, he said, “I feel privileged to have been able to further my tertiary education in TAR UC since it is a highly reputable institution of higher learning. I currently work at Syscatech Sdn Bhd, the company that sponsored my studies, as a Software Engineer. And I am very much focused on helping my family financially so that my parents can have a better life.
