7 July 2008

Commencement 2008: Celebrating excellence

COMMENCEMENT 2008: Singapore President and NUS Chancellor Mr S R Nathan presiding over the first Commencement ceremony.

THIS year, 8,733 students will be graduating, with 5,788 receiving their bachelor degrees and 2,945, their higher degrees. Taking centre stage at the main ceremony (7 July) at NUS' University Cultural Centre, was United Overseas Bank (UOB)'s Chairman Wee Cho Yaw. He was conferred Honorary Doctor of Letters in recognition of his accomplishments in the areas of banking, education and community leadership. 

	DOCTOR OF LETTERS: Dr Wee Cho Yaw with NUS President Prof Shih Choon Fong at the Commencement ceremony. Picture by courtesy of Lianhe Zaobao.

One of Singapore's most successful bankers, Dr Wee has earned several accolades for his entrepreneurial achievements. He was named Businessman of the Year by the Singapore Business Awards in 1990 and in 2001, ASEAN Businessman of the Year in 1995. He was also the recipient of the Inaugural Credit Suisse-Ernst & Young Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. Dr Wee was also recognised by the Government of Singapore for his distinguished public service through the Public Service Star in 1974.

Reading the citation, Prof Tan Tai Yong, Dean, Faculty for Arts and Social Sciences said Dr Wee "understands that the well-being of a population and community can only be assured through education and he has personally played an important role in fostering education in Singapore". Dr Wee has deep involvement with NUS and for 20 years, 1980 to 2000, had served on the NUS Council. In 2004, he has actively promoted education as chairman of the management committees of eight schools in Singapore, six under the auspices of the Hokkien Huay Kuan, as well as Chung Cheng High School and Nanyang Junior College.

 In his address at the ceremony, Dr Wee discussed the current economic crisis, believing that it was the worst he had encountered during his 48 years with UOB.  "As I see it, the crux of the problem lies in the transformation of the financial industry and a corporate culture that encourages financial players to focus on short-term gains," he said. The liquidity crunch can only be resolved by concerted efforts of the world's major central banks – and that it may take one to two years for the crisis to stabilise, he added.

He also shared with graduands who would soon be stepping out into the working world that integrity,  team spirit and passion are what he values most in employees.  "Fellow graduands, whether you choose to be an engineer, a doctor, a lawyer, an administrator or entrepreneur, I hope that, like me, you will be fortunate to find careers that excite and stimulate you. When you truly enjoy the work that you do, the sky is the limit!" was his exhortation to the cohort.

Going far? Be ready to give up

REFLECTIONS ON LIFE: NUS President Prof Shih Choon Fong delivering his last Commencement address to the 2008 cohort at the first ceremony.

ALSO sharing his experience with graduands, NUS President Prof Shih Choon Fong passed along some words of wisdom which his mother taught him: "It's very good to want something, but you mustn't want something so much that you can't bear to live without it. To go far, be ready to give up what you already have."

He said this principle has helped him through life. "It taught me to be passionate, but not obsessed; to be determined, but not define myself by either my successes or my failures. I have learned that non-attachment gives the mental and emotional resilience to get beyond failures and setbacks. You can also enjoy your successes without taking yourself too seriously," he said.

"I take comfort in knowing that ultimately, my decisions at each of the crossroads (in his life) were not held back by the familiar, the comfortable, or attachment to what I might have accomplished," he added.

This was Prof Shih's final Commencement address as he would be leaving for Saudi Arabia to take up his appointment as Founding President of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.