On Tuesday, 30 July 2013, SMU President, Professor Arnoud De Meyer, welcomed Mr Koh Soo Keong, Chairman and Independent Director of Ascendas Funds Management (S) Limited (Manager of A-REIT), who was visiting SMU’s campus for the first time.  The visit marked the start of a closer relationship to come, as Ascendas Funds Management (S) Limited, on behalf of A-REIT, has recently made an endowed contribution of S$500,000 to the Singapore Management University.

The gift will be used to establish and fund two A-REIT Study Awards each year to motivate outstanding SMU undergraduates with demonstrated financial needs to achieve academic excellence.  An A-REIT Seminar Room at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business has also been established.

“Today marks a new milestone in SMU’s relationship with A-REIT.  Your generous contribution will be used for the advancement of education at SMU, and we are truly thankful for your support.  A-REIT’s gift will help us ensure that no deserving student be denied an education at SMU because of financial reasons,” said Professor De Meyer, when he addressed the donors at the newly launched A-REIT Seminar Room.

[Photo: Professor Arnoud De Meyer expressing his thanks to Ascendas Funds Management (S) Limited.]

The privileged inaugural recipients of the Awards are accountancy undergraduate Goh Chen Sin and business undergraduate Shawn Lim Quan Cheng, who will be in their third and fourth year of study respectively when the school term reopens later this month.

“Our company has been a strong advocate of corporate social responsibility. We believe in giving back to the community-at-large through the support of various social causes.  We are pleased to be given the opportunity to provide assistance to needy students through the provision of this study award.  We are hopeful that these study awards go on to provide an enhanced platform for the bright but needy recipients in their pursuit of higher education,” said Mr Koh.

[Photo (L to R): Mr Tan Ser Ping, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Ascendas Funds Management (S) Limited (Manager of A-REIT); LKCSB student Shawn Lim Quan Cheng; Mr Koh Soo Keong, Chairman and Independent Director of Ascendas Funds Management (S) Limited (Manager of A-REIT); SOA student Goh Chen Sin; and SMU President, Professor Arnoud De Meyer, outside the A-REIT Seminar Room]

Shawn, who is currently on an internship with an SME that provides social media services, hopes to set up his own start-up company one day.  In his spare time he is involved in various innovation projects.  In fact, in 2012, he was awarded the SMU Innovation Award for implementing his business idea ‘Mosaict’, an online collaborative brainstorming platform.

“The award will definitely empower me to pursue my interests, and spend more time innovating and solving problems for our society,” said Shawn, who is also an avid artist.

Chen Sin, on the other hand, is looking forward to be a project leader in a consulting project in the forthcoming school term, as well as performing in an annual guitar concert at the Esplanade.  In expressing his thanks to the donors, he said, “I want to say ‘thank you’ to A-REIT for this study award, without which it would be hard, if not impossible for me to engage in these opportunities.”

In his closing remarks, Professor De Meyer said, “SMU is greatly encouraged by A-REIT’s steadfast belief in our young institution and support for our vision.  I am confident that this will be only the start of a fruitful partnership with A-REIT and we look forward to your continued support for SMU.”

[Photo: Plaque outside the newly named A-REIT Seminar Room at SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business.]

[Featured Photo: SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer presenting Mr Koh Soo Keong, Chairman and Independent Director of Ascendas Funds Management (S) Limited (Manager of A-REIT), with a token of appreciation.]