BE AN ACTION DREAMER - HONG LEONG FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP

- M A -S C H O L A R S H I P 
- E X P E R I E N C E -

Bonjour Readers!

*Drum rolls* Tada!

It's been undoubtedly a tiring semester for me as I was locked up on the campus by academic assignments, presentations, social events, and RESEARCH! In this segment today, I'll be sharing with you'll my scholarship experience.

Obtaining an academic scholarship, it's not easy as we think method as it requires a series of independent skills and abilities...LOL! 

From a humble upbringing, I always had in my mind to pursue undergraduate studies through obtaining a scholarship. Therefore, I applied for several scholarships, and some of them rejected my application for various reasons.


I'm not a straight-A student. I was drawn to Arts throughout my secondary education, such as drawing and designing, but it didn't go fine with me. After receiving the SPM result, I  fixed my mind on pursuing a Diploma in Mass Communication in a private college. During my active years in Diploma, I have maintained a pointer  3.5 and above every semester, and yes, I got on the dean list! 



In many cases, academic bursaries for communication are challenging to obtain because the area of arts and communication is not well valued as other fields of study (based on my personal point of view). I'm glad that the Hong Leong Foundation granting scholarships for various programmes. While I was in the third year of Diploma, I came across the Hong Leong Foundation Scholarship, and I was pretty excited as I merely met all the scholarship qualification. The sole reason I approached the HLF was they offered the scholarship for any courses as long as it is a full-time undergraduate study at recognized public and private universities and colleges in Malaysia.


I have received an email from the Hong Leong Foundation, cordially inviting me to the interview session for the 2016 Wisma Hong Leong Scholarship Award of the Year. It was one of the most frightening experiences for me because candidates from different institutions were present. The first session was the essay writing session, in which it is obligatory for all said candidates, and each candidate is given only 30 minutes. After successfully completing the essay, I was taken to the interview location by one of the staff. Waiting for the interview is so fun, haha! Nothing to worry about, the interview was fantastic! If you are fully prepared for the interview, then yes, it will be great for you! Therefore, the interview questions are easy and straightforward, like your personal introduction, which course, and your main reason for applying for the scholarship.


With supreme confidence, I expected the announcement of the scholarship results. The lovely day has arrived, at the time, some of my friends earlier received their official status of the result, and I did not get anything. I waited for a few hours... And here you go...

Disappointment and complex emotions! Literally cried!! I knew God had a better plan, and I made myself calm and moved on!

Days passed...

Knowing my following phase is the Degree study, I scarcely prepared for it. Stressed too! Enrolled in the Degree program in the year 2017. I repeatedly try for a few scholarships, and the Hong Leong Scholarship was on my user list. 😂😅And I did apply like the previous year. Email received for the interview session (boom)!



I attended the interview and sat for the essay writing and attended the interview. This time I had 50% confidence, but unfortunately, after a couple of anxious months, I received an email from HLF saying I didn't get through the scholarship.

Simultaneously, I also attended another scholarship interview, also known as the IOI group Scholarship (Yayasan Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng), a CSR Initiative of the IOI Group. The interview was held at IOI Group at Putrajaya. It was one of the unfortunate interviews' for me ' as I didn't prepare thoroughly. The Interview was conducted by Dato Joanne and a few officers from the Corporate Communication and Public Relations Department. The interview-based on my communication field and how I'm going to contribute positively to the company in a sustainable future as a scholar. While waiting for the scholarship results, I did not receive any email or phone calls and realized one of my friends from UTAR got the scholarship which means I'm not selected (as usual).


Due to my previous scholarship experience, I decided not to apply for any scholarships at the moment. Not give up, but I realized I've been wasting my time, in fact, unable to concentrate on my studies (overthinking). I decided to perform well for every semester and maintain CGPA 3.5 and above to obtain a first-class degree which later I can convert my PTPTN loan to a scholarship (quick thinking)!


As every year, the Hong Leong Foundation invited candidates for the scholarship application. The campaign was launched in April until June 2018. This time, I utterly ignored all the scholarships that I've received through email, friends, social media, and so on. As the Hong Leong Scholarship's due date approached nearer, I convinced myself up and told myself, let's do it again! It was only two days left for the scholarship application and around 3.27 a.m. I jumped out of bed, washed my oily face, and fill-up the application form again.


Few weeks passed, I received an email from HLF inviting me for the interview.

So I went for the interview session as usual, and I said to myself, ' Suresh, you won't get the scholarship at all, as usual! In the meantime, I also tried for other  Scholarships, but no email, no calls, or I don't know if they saw my application or no 😂.

It was in the afternoon, and I received the exciting news through email from the Hong Leong Foundation. The email stated that I have made it through the interview and have been provisionally offered the Hong Leong Foundation Scholarship.

Indeed, I made it! After three years of struggling and rejections, at last, I made it!

'One of the Happiest Moment '

Dear readers, if you're reading my post and being a scholarship seeker, give it a try for this scholarship. Don't scad of your academic failure; destroy the unreasonable fear within you! That's Life, Don't give up, guys! Remember, when you fail to get any scholarship, please remember one thing. Many other deserving students out there might have the most exceptional accomplishments, and some are even from underprivileged backgrounds. Previously, when I was rejected, I just said to myself, they're other students who really need the scholarship. Let them grab the opportunity; your turn will come shortly, but just stay positive and shine like a lucky star!

Thanks a million, Hong Leong Foundation, for awarding the academic scholarship. Thank you again for choosing me for the interview with the media session, and it was a fantastic interview with local journalists. Being a communication student offered me a unique insight into how a journalist writes a report, the way of reporting and interviewing. Who knows, in the future, I might interview the shining stars, huhu.

They're more talented youngsters who are eagerly seeking scholarships, and hopefully, you present them with your award to fulfil their lifelong dreams. As I observed personally, some teenagers really need financial assistance, but they are unaware of scholarships. They're not lazy, but it's the ' FEAR' within them; it's just their conscious mind ' Don't apply, lah for sure we don't get '! Hey, guys, look at me now! I really work hard day and night for this precious gift, many rejections, failures, typical stereotypes & social discrimination, but I blow them away and naturally made it today.

Alternatively, you may read my full story from the news coverage pas below : 

Press Release 1 

https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/09/28/students-succeed-against-all-odds

Press Release 2 

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2018/10/07/32-get-hong-leong-scholarships/

THANK YOU FOR READING!