“Because I am a beneficiary of a very selfless gift, I must give back to society as selflessly as I have received,” said Yeo Gek Min when describing her appreciation for the Lee Kong Chian Scholars’ Programme. This statement resonates well with her sister, Denise Yeo, a fellow Scholar.

Both sisters are genuinely appreciative of the benefits they have reaped through this programme and admit that receiving a good university education would not have been possible without this gracious gift from the Lee Foundation. The programme was a journey of opportunities that led to a path of self-discovery and broadening horizons.

An important focus of the programme, according to the sisters, was the ‘Pay it forward’ model that Dr Lee believed in. Both Gek Min and Denise are inspired to contribute back to society. Gek Min intends to engage in pro-bono work, once she passes the bar exam, so as to make law accessible to the lay person on the street. Denise plans to set up a Chinese language school to proliferate an appreciation of the Chinese culture in Singapore.

Yeo Gek Min graduated from SMU in 2014 and is currently preparing for the Bar exam in December so that she can pursue her career as a lawyer.

Denise Yeo is presently undertaking a Double Degree in Business Management and Social Sciences at SMU.