Sunway Success Story from Zimbabwe returns for visit

In 1997, 14 Zimbabwean youths made their way to Malaysia to study in the Victoria University business degree programme in then Sunway College in Malaysia. They would not have been here had it not been for the full scholarships each received from Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah, Chairman of the Sunway Group, through the Sunway Education Trust Fund, the predecessor of today’s Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, which owns and governs Sunway University.

Spencer (front row, second from right) with the Sunway football team in 1997

13 years on, Spencer Chihota, one of the recipients of the scholarship returned to his alma mater at the Victoria University twinning programme office at Sunway University recently, to meet up with his former lecturers. It so happened, that Spencer was in Kuala Lumpur as part of the Zimbabwean delegation for Intrade 2010 and came in the capacity of Director and Chairman of Finance & Investments for the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board for the Government of Zimbabwe.

Spencer with Ms. Elizabeth Lee (right) and Mrs. Irene Teoh

Mrs Irene Teoh, who was a Coordinator of the programme in 1997 was very happy to see him and said “Spencer and the other Zimbabwean students were exemplary students of the VU Bachelor of Business programme. They excelled in their university studies and continued to excel in their careers”

After completing his degree in Sunway, Spencer continued his studies and became a qualified chartered accountant and was employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Harare, Zimbabwe. Currently, he is a partner in a local accounting firm in Harare.

Mrs Teoh said “I remember Spencer was an academically bright student who also found time to be active in football”.

Spencer enthused “It was an invaluable eye-opening experience to study in Malaysia and attending Sunway. I thank Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah for giving me and my fellow students then, the opportunity to study here. I am indeed a product of one of Tan Sri’s institutions and his success inspires and drives me and I would be happy even if I can achieve close to Tan Sri’s achievements one day”

Me Irene Teoh added “Spencer is an excellent example of how Tan Sri’s philanthropy, kindness and understanding has touched and transformed a life and we at Sunway continue to be inspired by students like Spencer”