1 out of 3 senior Pharmacy students SAY YES!

Setting an inspiring example for the rest of the NUS Class of 2007, 31.4% of the Department of Pharmacy’s graduating students have made a Commencement Class Gift towards student bursaries.

Inspired by the University’s Annual Giving campaign, a group of senior students launched a class drive to raise funds for financially needy students at their department. The student-led initiative for Commencement Class Giving is a first at NUS and it has seen 27 Pharmacy students, one professor and one tutor showing their support with gifts totalling $1,549.

Ms Phuah Wey Ling, one of the leaders of the ongoing drive, said she was able to rally support from her classmates by personally appealing to them to help “show that we care for our juniors” and to “leave a lasting imprint on the University long after we have graduated”.

Praising the students’ efforts, Prof Chan Sui Yung, head of the Pharmacy Department, remarked: “Although they have yet to receive their first paychecks, they have opened their hearts and wallets to contribute back to NUS to benefit current and future Pharmacy students”.

"I've seen friends who struggled to make ends meet and pay loans or school fees by taking up tuition. At times, they would even take in as many as 7 or 8 tuition kids. This inevitably took a toll on their academic performance and deprived them of the opportunity to experience the vibrant life of an undergraduate. Yet circumstances do not always allow needy students to do away with part-time jobs and concentrate solely on their studies.”

Soon Swee Sung
Pharmacy Class 07

“The Pharmacy Department has given me a lot of opportunities and wonderful mentors. I thought it's only right for me to give back in any way possible. Furthermore, I have always counted myself fortunate to have been able to go through tertiary education without having to worry about financial problems and I am aware that not all students are like me. Thus, if giving means that some pharmacy students will get a chance to fully concentrate on their course without having to worry about their daily living allowance, then I'm more than happy to give.”

Yap Peiling
Pharmacy Class 07

“I gave because, although it is not a lot, I believe that together, the combined efforts of our class would go into making the road to graduation less bumpy for students who could really use a helping hand."

Quek Kiah Shen
Pharmacy Class 07