“Global in scale, caring in nature,” is a phrase coined by Chong Shyang Long, a current scholar of the Lee Kong Chian Scholars’ Programme, to describe the programme.

Shyang Long is grateful for the opportunity to attend several overseas exchange programmes in places such as the United States of America, Germany and Hong Kong. The global nature of this programme has enabled him to learn from the best professors and meet people from all over the world to form essential networks. It has also given him the chance to see first-hand how international businesses operate, as opposed to merely learning theories in a classroom.

Above all, he acknowledges that the message of giving back to society is central to this scholarship, hence the term ‘caring in nature’. The Scholars’ Programme has also given him the chance to participate in community service projects in countries such as India and Thailand. These trips have made him realise how fortunate he is and serve as a daily reminder to give back to the less fortunate. This spirit of giving back is instilled so strongly in Shyang Long that he had volunteered to lead a group to India for a second time to build sustainable initiatives. He aims to emulate Dr Lee’s philanthropic values in the small ways that he can.

Shyang Long is a final year student in SMU and has recently completed an internship at Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Division.