THE Boy who Made Good - Singapore Institute of Management

Overseas Education | feature
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Singapore Institute of Management
The Boy who
Made Good
Thanks to the bond-free SIM-Richard K M Eu
Scholarship, a working-class boy from the suburbs
is now preparing to make a difference in the world
with his Economics degree.
Y in Jiany
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By Farhan Shah
S
eventeen years ago, a Chinese boy from
the mainland migrated to Singapore
with a minimal grasp of the English
language. Today, that same boy, who has now
grown to become an outstanding 23-yearold, is studying at one of the most prestigious
academic institutes in the world – Yale
University – with the help of the Singapore
Institute of Management-Richard K M Eu
Scholarship, a sponsorship given to only the
best and the brightest minds in the fields
of Banking, Business, Economics, Finance,
Statistics or Technology.
David Yin Jianyang, the aforementioned boy,
is currently in the third year of his Economics
programme. Despite the name of the major,
David reveals that “only one-third of (his) classes
are about economics, with the rest consisting
of foreign language, humanities, science, and
writing classes”.
The Journey into Yale
David’s journey into the world of supply
and demand began when he was in Junior
College. While choosing his ‘A’ Level subject
combinations, David veered towards the
sciences, opting for physics, chemistry,
mathematics and science research. He decided
to fill the last subject slot with economics
and it turned out to “be an important, almost
life-changing, experience”. He loved the
different frameworks and concepts utilised
in economics, and even consumed a variety
of tomes dedicated to the field, such as the
best-sellers Freakonomics and The Undercover
Economist. Realising his burgeoning passion for
the subject, David decided that he would major
in it in university.
David then looked for a suitable scholarship
that could meet his exacting demands yet let
him fulfil his lofty academic aspirations. After
considering a few offers, David decided to go
for the SIM-Richard K M Eu Scholarship. His
reason: its bond-free nature, which played a
major role in his decision. “Honestly, the lack of
a bond makes a huge difference. Although I am
still interested in working in the Public Service, I
do not want my options to be restricted by any
obligations I have to meet.”
Valuable Life Lessons
David admits he thought long and hard before
deciding to enter the scholarship selection
process, which consisted of an application
essay and, if one is picked, an interview. The
amount of research he put into figuring out
whether the scholarship was the right one for
him that made him more prepared than the
average applicant. David also revealed that he
felt the stars were aligned for him throughout
the entire selection journey. After all, luck
This article was reproduced from the BrightSparks Higher Education 2014 publication with the permission of JobsCentral Pte Ltd.
The contents cannot be reproduced, modified or further circulated without the prior written consent of JobsCentral.
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feature | Overseas Education
The Yale education has taught me humility and
“self-awareness,
and given me a broad perspective on
life. I have a better appreciation of diversity and the
smaller things in life. In comparison, the education
I received in Singapore was very much focused on
exams and academic achievements.
”
favours the prepared mind and in his time at
Yale so far, the scholarship has opened many
doors for David.
“I have had the privilege of interacting with
impressive mentors and peers, working on
cool projects and learning from people with
completely different backgrounds. I also had the
chance to intern at the Forbes office in New York
during the summer holidays as well as conduct
a research project alongside the chairman of
China Life Insurance last year,” says David.
On top of that, David also started the China
Hands magazine in 2012, which centred on USChina relations. Founded by a team of six, the
publication grew astronomically, involving 60
writers from 14 different universities. It was an
experience that David learned much from and if
given the chance, he would do it all over again
in a heartbeat.
However, the biggest lesson he has learned
from his education in Yale has not been about
managing a group of writers or understanding
intricate economic concepts. Instead, it is about
becoming a better and more compassionate
human being, able to tackle any problems
life may throw at him. “The Yale education
has taught me humility and self-awareness,
and given me a broader perspective on life. I
have a better appreciation of cultural diversity
and the smaller things in life. In comparison,
the education I received in Singapore was
very much focused on exams and academic
achievements.”
The Unique Yale Experience
Having said that, David reveals that studying
in Yale is not exactly a walk in the park. In fact,
the scholar felt that it was quite a daunting
experience, to live, work and study with some
of the brightest minds in the world, especially
at the beginning. “Everyone will question if he
or she was an ‘admission mistake’ at some
point,” says David with a chuckle. However,
after having spent more than three years in the
heart of America’s famed liberal arts education
system, David no longer questions his place in
the university.
Moreover, David has also acquired a taste for
the vibrant social scene in the country with its
myriad of parties and mixers. Of course, he does
so with restraint because ultimately, his aim is
to make an economic difference to the world.
It has been a long journey for the boy from
Shanghai but he has come this far and with the
help of the scholarship, David has the required
boost to make it even further.
This article was reproduced from the BrightSparks Higher Education 2014 publication with the permission of JobsCentral Pte Ltd.
The contents cannot be reproduced, modified or further circulated without the prior written consent of JobsCentral.
For more career- and education-related articles, please visit http://community.jobscentral.com.sg.
About SIM Scholarships
The two SIM Scholarships – named after
SIM’s pioneering leaders Dr. Richard K M
Eu and Professor You Poh Seng – were
launched in 2010, saluting the duo’s
foresight, commitment and significant
contributions to management development
in Singapore.
Open to Singapore citizens only,
the SIM-Richard K M Eu Scholarship
is awarded for undergraduate studies
while SIM-You Poh Seng Scholarship is
awarded for postgraduate studies. Both
are bond-free and valued at S$100,000
each, covering studies at reputable local
or overseas universities in the fields of
Banking, Business, Economics, Finance,
Statistics and/or Technology.
Applications for the 2014 SIM Scholarships
open on the day of the GCE ‘A’ Level results
release and close on 30 April 2014.
Visit http://www.sim.edu.sg/simscholarships
for more details.

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