Book vendors provide a kitty for community scholars

Everyone knows there is a veritable feast of scholarships out there. Not only designed to curb a brain drain, scholarships provide a better life. Sunway University College offers a boost in this direction to the financially strapped, through the yearly Tun Dato’ Seri Omar Ong Yoke Lin Community Scholarship.

The criteria candidates have to meet are that they must come from a charitable residential children’s home, poor community or single parents and the family income must be less than RM1,800 per month. The scholarship provides full tuition fee, all related fees and accommodation. The funds come from the Sunway Education Trust Fund, started in 1997 by Tan Sri Dato’ Seri (Dr.) Jeffrey Cheah, Founder of Sunway University College who dreamt of contributing to society through education. Sunway University College is the only private institution of higher learning that provides such a scholarship.

 

Sunway went ahead to set up a book allowance for the scholars recently. Ms Wong Sook Jean, Chief Librarian of the Tun Hussein Onn Library at Sunway, is an ISO-certified library, approached book supply companies for donations for the scholars. “We are very grateful to our book suppliers for their contributions which would help the community scholars in a meaningful way”.

The book supply companies contribute a total of RM5,000 per annum for three years, 2008-2010. The companies are EMO Book Services Sdn Bhd (RM1,000 per annum), Koperasi Kedaibuku Universiti Malaya Ltd (RM1,000 per annum), PV Knowledge Sdn Bhd (RM1,000 per annum) and Universiti Book Store Sdn Bhd (RM2,000 per annum). They came for a presentation ceremony at Sunway University College which was held recently. A total of 21 community scholars benefit from this donation and they will be able to request for books through the library. The books can be from prescribed book lists or any books that the students require.

Emmanuel Yong, a community scholar who lives with his mother, and who has already requested 6 books said “The book allowance makes things very convenient for us. I am grateful to Sunway and the book supply companies for their support”

To date, 35 students have been offered the community scholarships since January 2002. Out of these, 11 students were from charitable homes such as Rumah Care, Rumah Faith, Rumah Keluarga Kami, Rumah Ozanam and Shepherd’s Centre. 7 students have since graduated 3 with a bachelor’s degree, 3 with a diploma and 1 with a certificate.