More than 700 graduates receive scrolls
HER father is a farmer and her mother, a housewife.
Despite knowing the financial constraints her family would go through as they enrolled their second of five children into a private varsity, Wong Xiang Bing’s parents wanted her to pursue her ambition.
“It was difficult for them, but they supported me.
“Thankfully, after completing my matriculation, I received a scholarship from MAHSA University when I applied for the Bachelor of Pharmacy course,” she said.
Wong was one of the 721 students who recently received their scrolls from MAHSA University chancellor Tun Zaki Tun Azmi during the varsity’s 14th convocation ceremony, at its Bandar Saujana Putra campus.
Hailing from Sarikei, Sarawak, the 23-year-old knew becoming a pharmacist was always her calling.
She persevered in her studies and won the Vice-Chancellor’s Award.
Actively involved in competitions, Wong says it was not difficult to juggle her extra curricular involvement and her studies as the competitions worked as additional supplements to her course.
“I made friends and learnt a lot while competing.
“Take part in various activities the university holds, besides focusing on your studies, because you gain extra knowledge, experience and friendship,” she advised her juniors.
Growing up in a single-parent home with her mother and grandmother, fellow Vice-Chancellor’s Award recipient Debbie Leong dedicated her award to the women who brought her up, along with her uncle.
The Doctor of Dental Surgery graduate felt grateful and overwhelmed with her award.
“I’d be lying if I said dentistry is easy.
“There were many ups and downs. A common misperception people have about dentistry is that we only learn about teeth, but there is more to dentistry than that,” added the 24-year-old.
Chancellor’s Gold Medal Award recipient Pearly Ng, believes the journey differs for every medical student.
“However, at the end of the day, it is important to know how to manage your time, schedule and to give it your best,” said the Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) graduate.
Having her family as her anchor, Ng insists medicine is not just about learning through books.
“Being a part of the university’s medical society helped me through the years in college because we don’t just study, but we participate in competitions and camps, as well as conduct blood drives.
“All of this helps in enhancing our knowledge beyond our classroom education,” she added.
In congratulating the graduates, MAHSA University founder and pro-chancellor Prof Tan Sri Dr Mohamed Haniffa Abdullah said they have done the varsity proud.
“As you embark upon your respective careers or extended education, remember that MAHSA remains a part of you.
“Like the varsity, never be content to stay where you are. Instead, always spur yourself onto greater things - always aiming to learn more for yourself and do more for others,” he added.
Dr Mohamed Haniffa said it is important to produce job ready graduates, instead of those who are afraid to face the world.
“Therefore, we have introduced programmes such as industrial attachment (during the course of their studies) and for medical students, they start shadowing medical officers in their final year of studies.
“We are increasing the scope of our programmes to reach an even wider spectrum of students from around the world, to enhance the level of teaching and learning, and to enrich more lives,” he added.