From love to generosity: NUS alumni couples and donors raised over S$677,250 for bursaries
When Mr Chua Hung Meng (Business ’81) met his late wife Ms Yeo Miu Ean (Business ’85), it was love at first sight. They bonded over their similar backgrounds – both of them came from humble families and lived frugally to pay for their university education. They even discovered that they stayed in the same HDB block after they started dating!
Understanding the plight of those who struggle financially, the couple volunteered regularly, even roping in their two children. When Ms Yeon passed away last year, the family contributed towards the NUS Business School Alumni (NUSBSA) Bursary Fund, setting up the NUSBSA - Yeo Mui Ean Bursary in her honour. The Bursary allows financially needy students to gain valuable international experience through student exchange programmes. Mr Chua also intends to create a Meng and Ean Bursary at NUS to continue the legacy of giving.
Mr Chua was among the 230 guests at the annual Celebration of Love and Giving Dinner held on 16 February 2024 at the NUS Society Kent Ridge Guild House. The NUS Campus Couples Alumni Group, supported by the Alumni Student Advancement Committee (ASAC) and NUS Development Office, organised the event in tandem with Valentine’s Day to thank alumni couples for supporting financially needy NUS students.
This year, alumni couples raised over S$677,250, with a portion of the proceeds channelled to the NUS Campus Couples Bursary and the rest to other NUS bursaries.
Since its inception in 2015, the NUS Campus Couples Bursary has raised over S$874,827 and helped 158 financially needy NUS students.
During the dinner, guests enjoyed a performance by The Jazzlings, Singapore’s largest youth jazz collective founded by NUS students and alumni. The special occasion was marked by a cheque presentation by Mr Yeo Keng Joon (Business ’85), the dinner’s organising chairman and ASAC member, to NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85).
Mr Yeo and his wife, Madam Kong Yuet Peng (Business ’86), met while they were undergraduate students and later pursued their MBA degrees at the NUS Business School. The pair established the NUS Campus Couples Bursary to give back to the NUS community, having both benefitted from financial aid during their education.
Recent NUS graduate Mr Indra Putra Kamsan (Engineering ’23), who received bursaries during his time at the University, shared at the dinner how the financial aid he received had changed his life. After his parents separated when he was young, his father struggled to provide for him and his siblings.
“When I was accepted into NUS, my excitement was dampened by the daunting reality of tuition fees and transportation costs on top of daily expenses,” he shared.
Mr Indra’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of education and the profound impact that collective generosity can have on individual lives and their families.
“With this financial support, I could focus on my studies and fully immerse myself in the rich university experience. Now, with a stable job, I am closer to achieving my goals of supporting my family and providing a comfortable home for my father, thanks to the support I received from the NUS community,” he shared.
By NUS Development Office
For more stories about philanthropy, visit https://nus.edu.sg/nusgiving
