A wholesome science course
“Iliked the balance of 50 per cent coursework and 50 per cent examination for academic performance,” said Jordan Kee Zheng Feng of the Foundation in Science and Technology (FIST) programme at Sunway College.
He said he chose Sunway due to the brand recognition, and other factors, including the world-class facilities, the generous scholarships and also because of his parents.
“My mother claimed that I have always been interested in technology, ergo FIST was automatically the best choice for me”, he explained.
“On my first day, I was anxious about college. I was worried that I would not be able to fit in, or make friends easily. My concerns subsided as I was greeted by the friendly student volunteers. I still remember the first person I met, Raphael John. He was the previous student president for the Sunway Foundation Programmes. I was impressed by the campus and facilities.
“Many months later, I can say for certain that FIST was not at all a bad choice. In fact, it was the best thing that has happened to me. Even though I was put into a small class, it gave us the needed attention from lecturers. If any of us had any difficulty with the syllabus, the lecturers were willing to help. They were patient and friendly, the subjects they taught were easily understandable and could be applied in real life.
“We learned important skills in life such as making strong arguments to convince people, delivering captivating presentations, and having good moral values. Critical thinking was one of the exceptional subjects that taught me how to think on my feet and handle any situation that life throws at me.
“The most important thing is that we all had a blast. Time flies when you are having so much fun. And because the programme is not fully exam-oriented, the various coursework assignments were enjoyable. We built bridges out of toothpicks, were given the opportunity to role play as safety officers at Sunway Lagoon, judged contestants from all around the world in a programming competition, created our own apps, and so much more.”
For the former student of SMK Tropicana in Selangor, some of the assignments were fairly difficult, especially in groups, where work had to be delegated. But he was able to overcome the challenge with thorough planning and communication with his team members.
Most interesting in the programme for Kee were the people.
“They were all from different backgrounds and walks of life. In the short few months I spent with them, they enabled me to see the world in a different perspective far different from my own. Meeting and befriending my classmates and lecturers allowed me to mature in many ways. It has made me a better person.”
During his time in the programme, Kee actively participated in extra-curricular activities, which include running for vice-president for the Sunway Foundation Programme Student Committee, volunteering for the Sunway Foundation Programme July intake orientation, being photographer for the Sunway Foundation Programme Talent Time, a committee member of the Sunway Foundation Programme Public Relations Department, where he help raised funds for charity, and was voted Best Table Topic Speaker at the Sunway Toastmasters Club 2017. Jordan was also a participant of the the Sunway Ambassador Leadership Trek in 2016 and attended the Asia Leadership Conference last year.
“FIST it is a wholesome course that teaches important and relevant skills. The subjects are structured in such a way that it provides fundamentals of diverse fields, enabling graduates to pursue many paths.”
Kee is pursuing BSc (Hons) in Computer Science at Sunway University under the Jeffrey Cheah Special Entrance Scholarship.
“Computing has been one of my best skills and this programme seems appropriate to hone in on the talent”, he said on his choice of degree programme. He aspires to be the first to bring artificial intelligence and machine learning to Malaysia.
The FIST programme at Sunway College offers more than academic learning. FIST, together with FIA, are Sunway College home grown programmes developed to prepare students for tertiary studies and are direct pathways to undergraduate programmes at Sunway University.
The Sunway Foundation programmes emphasise the importance of holistic development of well-rounded students in both numerical and communication skills through structured subjects in Mathematics and English.
Students also take specialist electives like Information Technology, Accounting, and enrichment electives like Culture and Ideas, and Critical Thinking Skills that offer them exposure to multiple disciplinary thinking and analysis.
To find out more about the Foundation in Science and Technology or Foundation in Arts programmes at Sunway College, drop by the campus on June 30 and July 1, from 10am to 4pm for the Sunway Education Open Day.