Student Life > International Students > Student Achievements

SHI LI SHAN
DIPLOMA IN ECONOMICS
WITH DISTINCTION

Ms Shi Li Shan is often hightlighted as a role model and an inspiration to all international students. She could hardly speak a word of English when she first enrolled for the Diploma in Economics programme but this did not deter her from aiming high. Li Shan received a distinction for her Diploma in 1999 and with one of the highest grades worldwide. She was awarded a full LSE undergraduate scholarship and direct second year entry into the B.Sc Mathematics and Economics degree at LSE.

“I am absolutely thrilled with my excellent results and would like to take this opportunity to say thank you so much for offering this wonderful programme! Under the guidance of Stansfield and its lecturers, I have achieved top results among all external students world-wide and have been awarded a full scholarship from LSE. The full-time lecturers at Stansfield have been dedicated and helpful. Most importantly, the College has motivated and encouraged me to work hard to achieve my goals.

It was therefore no surprise to anyone when Li Shan went on to graduate with a First Class Honours degree and was offered further sholarships from both LSE and Cambridge to complete her masters. Li Shan has since completed her Masters degree with top distinctions and is currently pursuing an M.Phil in Economics at Cambridge University. She is looking foward to a bright future ahead of her.

Says Li Shan, “ I would also like to convey sincere thanks from my parents back in China to Stansfield. I hope that Stansfield will become the best private University in Singapore.”

TAY CHO EING
B.Sc. ECONOMICS & MANAGEMENT
FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE (1998)

Tay Cho Eing, 24, is part of a growing trend at Stansfield: a graduate with a first class honours. Tay originally enrolled in a Canadian university specialising in chemical engineering. He came back from Canada after graduating and resumed his national service.

During this time, he decided to look for something different from what he had done before as he felt that the degree that he had was too technical. He decided to pursue another degree, this time in Economics & Management. He decided to enrol in one of Stansfield’s part-time courses even though he was still in national service. Tay even took up extra subjects in the third year in order to qualify for a scholarship.
Through determination and sheer hard work, his efforts paid off when Tay graduated with a First Class Honours and topped that achievement further by being the first in Singapore to receive a prestigious scholarship from the London School of Economics to pursue a Masters in Economics & Finance in the United Kingdom.
TAN ZHUANG JI
B.Sc. (ECONOMICS) BANKING & FINANCE
FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE (1998)

Tan Zhuang Ji, 27, knew what he wanted and set out to achieve his goal: a first class honours for his degree. Tan was a full-time consultant for a training consultancy firm, but joined Stansfield’s full-time programme so that he could be totally committed to his studies.

Zhuang Ji became interested in the University of London programme after he saw Stansfield’s MRT advertisement. “I have always been interested in Economics, and LSE was the college.”

Zhuang Ji didn’t believe in getting lecturers to ‘spoon feed’ him, instead his approach to studies was different and he shares his philosophy towards studies during his graduation ceremony.

“An education, rather than knowledge, is to be pursued, not given. Most of the time when I attended lectures, I would listen carefully and then ask questions. I would then hit the books.

I went straight to the source because I wanted to find things out by myself and not have someone hand me the answers. But of course I could not do it alone. The lecturers who were extremely helpful in guiding me through the discussions with them and my friends helped me to stay on the right track.”

“When I think about my time in Stansfield, it will be the last 3 months that I will remember. During my last year on the programme, I faced a lot of distractions in my personal life, and I found it difficult to concentrate.

In fact, I didn’t really study until the last 3 months. I was completely overwhelmed. But what spurred me were the rest of the students. I know in some colleges, competition is tough and students become selfish but not Stansfield students. I was impressed that my fellow collegemates were generous and unselfish. This generosity was not confined to the studentsbut the staff of Stansfield as well.”

“I have received my degree, but I leave Stansfield with fond memories, and with the confidence and realisation that with determination, perseverance and generosity, you can achieve what you set out to do.”
NASREEN FADOO
B.Sc. ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE (1999)

Top valedictorian for year 1999, Nasreen Fadoo, has this to say to aspiring graduates, “Have faith and persevere”.

Despite being an ex-Rafflesian, she readily admits she still had to put in 101% effort and hard work. Nasreen’s mother is a UOL graduate herself, and shared that Nasreen decided to take on the challenge of a demanding but reputed degree because it would provide her with opportunities worldwide. Nasreen shared with us recently, “It was hard work having to tackle the programme especially when I had also just gotten married. I also had to be prepared to move overseas with my husband but fortunately it got easier as we settled in.”

She cites having strong family support as an important factor in contributing to her success. Adding to that, she strongly recommends that students obtain the recommended textbooks to further reinforce the effectiveness of the lecturers. Having the constant support of Stansfield lecturers and consultants certainly did serve her well. With a UOL degree in hand, she has managed to carve out a career in another first class global company, SIA, and intends to climb the corporate ladder, but for now, she quips, “I am spending more time with my family!”

CLARIBELLE
PONTIOSO GUANGtCO
B.Sc. INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND MANAGEMENT
FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE (2004)

Years of hard work paid off when Claribelle Guangco, 22, received her First Class Honours in B. Sc. Information Systems and Management. She initially joined Stansfield College, which was known then as Stansfield School of Business, as a Diploma in Economics student in 2001. Her first success with the UOL programme came with obtaining a Distinction for her Diploma. “I thought that my first year in the local university in Philippines was tough enough! But the Diploma programme made me appreciate the higher and more demanding standards of University of London”, she says.

The journey for Claribelle was not easy. Throughout her course of study, she experienced financial difficulties and uncertainties that could have made her give up her studies. However, staff and lecturers at Stansfield helped her along the way. “I was very thankful when I received the Merit Scholarship from Stansfield which covered my second year tuition fees at a time when I was financially unable to support my studies.” She thought that hiccups in her journey were over until she received her second year results. “I was disheartened when I scholarship for my final year. I thought my dream of obtaining a first class honours was over”. However, the immense support given by her family, friends, lecturers, staff and classmates at Stansfield enabled her to bounce back with determination to be the second B.Sc. Information Systems and Management first class honours graduate from Stansfield.“I knew that I only have one chance to do well, and my success will be much reward for my parents and everyone who helped me along the way. I carried on with my final year with firm resolve to excel. The emotional support I received from people around me gave me that needed boost of esteem and belief to push away negative thoughts in my head.”

When asked about the important lessons she has learned in her journey, she quipped “The UOL programme hasinstilled in me a critical and balanced thinking that I find useful in my work and personal decision making. I have come to appreciate that learning is a continuous process without boundaries. I have learned to work independently while relying on the support and encouragement of others. Finally, I have learned that success is a team effort as much as it is an individual journey, and my journey has just began!” Claribelle intends to pursue her Masters in Information Systems at the London School of Economics.

LUANNE THESEIRA
B.Sc. ECONOMICS & MANAGEMENT
UPPER SECOND CLASS UPPER DEGREE (1997)

Luanne Theseira, 28, commenced her B.Sc. (Econ) degree with a certain amount of apprehension. However, she succeeded and graduated with a second class honours degree. After completing her Business Studies Diploma, Luanne entered her chosen field in public relations, starting first as an account executive in an advertising firm and working her way to become the Public Relations Manager at a well-known hotel. “I took the course more for

self-fulfilment than anything else,” she says. Although her job did not require further qualifications aside from her ability and experience, she took the course seriously. “ I saw the encouragement the Government was giving graduate women.”

Luanne admits that she was not consistent with her studies due to her work pressure and family commitments. She made it a point however to attend class regularly and kept herself updated by reading extensively, keeping journals and newspaper clippings on issues relevant to her studies. She was able to relate her work experience to most of her year two and three subjects. In her final year, Luanne was expecting her first child and nearing full term, “I was afraid that the baby would be born during the exams!” Was it worth the effort? “If I am competing for a position with other graduates, I know that I will not be side-stepped because I now have the advantage of both the paper qualifications coupled with my work experience!”

IVAN CHEW
B.Sc. (ECONOMICS) INFORMATION SYSTEMS & MANAGEMENT
FIRST CLASS HONOURS DEGREE (1996)

Ivan Chew, 24, had twice the reason to feel elated at the University of London graduation ceremony held in 1997. He was the first to graduate with a First Class Honours in the B.Sc. (Econ) Information Systems & Management Studies for the University of London external programme and was also the first to do so at Stansfield. Ivan enrolled onto the UOL programme after having completed his Diploma in Business Studies from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He joined as a part-time student initially, but decided to switch to the full-time programme halfway through the course. Judging from his excellent results, he did the right thing.

Not surprisingly, he was one of the several students identified by the schools as having ‘1st class’ potential in his second year. Ivan’s lecturers were informed accordingly and ‘special attention’ was given to him and the others who were similarly identified. They were required to do more research and reading on their own and were also encouraged to contribute in class by being more vocal.

As to how Ivan got his First Class, he shared, “I’m first and foremost glad that I met the right people who had the same desire to do well in their studies.” He is also thankful for having ‘pestered’ his lecturers whom he praises for their commitment and concern. Ivan works for the National Library where he gets to put into practice what he learnt and he also intends to further his studies by doing a Masters in Information Management.