“helped me strike the right balance between academics and athletics,” says Shehan Ambepitiya, once crowned “South Asia’s fastest man”
Shehan’s interest in sports is as strong as his interest in academics. He is a gold medal-winning sprinter who has also excelled in his studies. He holds a BBA in Marketing from the Nothwood University, and he’s reading for his Master’s in Business Administration offered by the University of West London (UWL). However, he admits that enduring the challenges of balancing academics and athletics would not have been bearable without the unwavering support from his loving parents and ANC community.
Shehan was already in the limelight when he joined ANC after his A Levels completed at Gateway College. As far as his achievements are concerned, he was a triple gold medalist at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games. He was also a finalist in the World Junior Athletics Championship 2008, and he was the first ever Sri Lankan to be a finalist in a World Junior Athletic Championship. Since 2008, Shehanhas represented Sri Lanka at a number of international events including World Athletics Championships, AsianGames, Commonwealth Games, and South Asian Games, bagging the gold for Sri Lanka.
He was also driven by high academic aspirations, and he had learned how to juggle many tasks at once. This led him to seek admission to BBA in Marketing degree program, and ANC offered him a 75% scholarship in recognition of his remarkable achievements.
Below are the excerpts from the interview with Shehan:
Q: Why did you choose ANC for your higher studies?
A: ANC was highly recommended by some of my friends who had already joined ANC right after their O Levels. Second, I was eligible for a 75% scholarship. This was a big plus as my parents were free of the financial burden to pay for my higher studies. Above all, the Northwood University offers its degree programs at ANC without any localization, so ANC is the only place where one can have access to a world class education without moving to the U.S.A. I could not afford to go abroad for my higher studies owing to my athletic practices and training. Thanks to ANC I could succeed in getting internationally recognized qualifications while attending to my athletic commitments.
Q: What sort of support did you receive from ANC as you tried to juggle academics and ath letics?
A: ANC staff and faculty members genuinely care about students and want the best for every student. Without their support, balancing my studies and athletics would have been a struggle. In the first place, everybody from my student counselor to academic heads knew that I was an athlete, so I would have athletic commitments that interfere with classes. It was MrChathuraLiyanage, the Head of Northwood degree Programs at ANC, who encouraged me to speak to both my lecturers and coaches ahead of time to make a plan for any possible conflicts. He also made sure I got all the lecture notes/ presentations e-mailed so that I could make up any missed lessons and be prepared for exams. I also had an amazing group of friends who would go out of their way to help me succeed in college. ANC also offers remedial classes free of charge, so I never had to lag behind even though there had been times I put athletics first.
Q: In addition to the obvious advantages of having access to US education, are there any specific features of the Business degree programs offered by the Northwood University in collaboration with ANC?
A: Northwood University is focused exclusively on business education. Ours was an industryoriented curriculum, and our lecturers arewell qualified industry experts drawn in to share their experience to keep students abreast of current trends and advancements in the corporate sector. Because of the emphasis on case method approach, we were encouraged to take a position and express our ideas in a convincing manner. ANC students are also given internship opportunities through the GPSI (Guaranteed Paid Student Internship) program. This ensures that ANC students land rewarding careers upon graduation. When I joined Derana as a marketing executive, I had already been exposed to the corporate culture, and I had some hands-on experience on dayto-day operations of a marketing department. In addition to that, the communication skills I honed in class through various activities have helped me succeed in my career as a marketer.
Q: What is your message to prospective students?
A: Any student can trust ANC with their higher education dreams. This led me to be enrolled on ANC’s MBA program, which is also a great investment. ANC offered me an alumni scholarship again. The MBA is awarded by the UWL, which is one of the top business schools in the UK. In sum, ANC ensures that students’ investment in knowledge pays the best interest, and I highly recommend ANC for any student, especially those who want to have the right balance between academics and extracurricular activities.
Shehan is looking forward to advance his career, to climb the corporate ladder as fast as possible, to take on more responsibilities while improving his athletic performance. ANC’s good wishes are with Shehan for him to reach the pinnacle of his career in near future and continue to bring glory to Sri Lanka. For more information, please contact 0777449955, visit us at www.ancedu.com| No.308 – 310, R. A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 03, or follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ancedu/