Sunway University - Stories of Success

More Achievements for Sunway’s SHTLM Students

editor — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 07:12:44 +0000

Sunway University’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Management (SHTLM) students recently garnered more awards during the Nestle Coffee Competition 2012. Joanna Foong Xian Mae emerged champion while Natasha Binti Mohd Yusof emerged 2nd runner-up in the competition. Organised by Nestle, the competition was open to all colleges and universities around Malaysia.

Joanna Foong Xian Mae beat 19 other participating colleges and universities when she clinched the champion’s trophy for her original creations. To Joanna who is a first year student in the Diploma in Culinary Arts, this is an entirely new experience for her. Joanna elaborated that it was tough juggling between her tight schedule and training for this competition which took up a lot of her time. However, she managed to find her own authentic creations, for one hot coffee beverage and one cold coffee beverage that turned out to be winning recipes.

Joanna named the hot beverage Nasi Lemak after the famous Malaysian dish as it induced similar flavours. She used dried chilli, sugar, dried belacan paste, coconut milk and anchovies that gave the beverage a perfect blend of spiciness, sweetness and added texture from the coconut milk. For her cold beverage, Joanna created the Berry Bliss, where she used blueberries, ginger, basil leaves and coffee to give it a sweet and tannin flavour to the creation.

Natasha Binti Mohd Yusof, a Diploma in Hotel Management student who is in her final semester had previously taken part in this competition in Year 2010. She said, “The contest was more competitive this year as the standards have increased.” Natasha created the Holanaisé for her hot coffee beverage while the cold coffee beverage was named Kamikaze, where a mixture of wasabi for spiciness and lemon and pomegranate was used to create a sweet and sour flavour.

Joanna explained that the whole competition was an eye-opener for her. “It helped me realise that there are many career options culinary arts. This experience might have changed my perception about what I might intend to do in the future,” she said.

Natasha understands the need for exposure in the Hotel Management discipline that she received through various competitions. “Every time I participate in a competition, I am judged for my product and personality. I’ve received many offers to work in hotels. It is through competitions like this that people recognise you and your talent. It sure is a great feeling being recognised the general managers of leading hotels.”

The winners also attributed their success to the support of their coach, Daniel Chong Ka Leong who also was awarded with Best Coach of the Year. Daniel said, “The award is an encouragement to me, but truthfully the best coach in the eye of the participants should be their family, lecturers and friends. I am just a facilitator.” Daniel compliments Joanna’s humbleness and courage to step out of her comfort zone and Natasha’s hard work and commitment as a contributing factor to their achievements.

The Nestle Coffee Competition saw participants and coaches conducting their training at the Nestle headquarters to ensure commitment from both parties. Daniel said, “It was four months of hard work, juggling between lecture hours, student’s timetables and examinations. Two months was spent brainstorming, experimenting and perfecting the ingredients and concoction for the beverages. Our training restaurant was turned into an experiment laboratory in preparation for this competition.”

The competition was held for three days where the first two days were qualifying rounds and the third day was the grand finale. The judges this year were industry and technical experts including the International Chain Hotel general manager, president of MFBEA (Malaysian Food and Beverage Executives Association), hotel F&B directors and food and beverage experts. The participants were judged based on grooming, preparation, hygiene and safety, organisation and presentation, technical skills, measurements, creativity, taste/consistency/texture, appearance/colour and name of the creation.

Natasha, Daniel and Joanna with their winning awards from the Nestle Coffee Competition 2012.

57 Sunway ADTP students for Dean’s List

editor — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 03:31:09 +0000

57 outstanding students from the Sunway University American Degree Transfer Programme (ADTP) made the Dean’s list recently. The August to December 2011 semester students produced 15 Summa Cum Laude achievers, 14 of whom scored 4.0 in their GPA with one who scored 3.97 GPA. The Summa Cum Laude which means “with highest honours” is a Latin phrase often used to recognise academic excellence at an undergraduate level.

Additionally, 24 students achieved the “Magna Cum Laude” (high honours) which is for 3.70 to 3.89 GPA along with 18 other students who qualified for Cum Laude (with honour) for being in the 3.50 to 3.69 range.

The Dean’s List Recipients with their certificates.

Deserving students have always been recognised for their outstanding academic achievements at the Dean’s List Honourees Ceremony for each cohort since 1990. This year’s awards were presented by Mr Juan Tavares, Director of International Admissions, Western Michigan University.

Kimberly Woo Sze Yen a Summa Cum Laude achiever with a GPA of 4.0 said, “I feel amazing and unspeakably glad to be one of the recipients of the Dean’s Lists award. It is truly a remarkable achievement in my life. I’m really fortunate to be enrolled in the Sunway ADTP because it has been an unforgettable experience for me. The lecturers and students here are extremely nice and inspiring, the lessons are fun and being in ADTP is just insane in a very good and positive way.”

Chin Khai Yi, also a Summa Cum Laude achiever with a GPA of 4.0 said, “I felt happy and satisfied when I received the award, but I had to work really hard to achieve that. Nevertheless, the award serves as a motivation to my studies in ADTP. ADTP in Sunway University was a terrific experience. I took up subjects I never knew existed and learnt stuff the fun way. It was an out of the box learning experience and I’m glad I chose this course.”

Ng Jas Min said, “I thank God for such a blessing to be a recipient of a Dean’s List award. This is the first time I obtained a 4.0 GPA in a long semester. The myriad of lectures, homework, tutorials and assignments combined altogether was definitely a challenge. Essentially, striking a balance between studies and leisure is my ‘secret’. Sunway ADTP lecturers are undoubtedly helpful in class and also during consultation hours. I am forever grateful for their dedication and passion. Majoring in Aerospace Engineering, I have taken subjects beyond my field (i.e Introduction to Theatre) in Sunway ADTP which allow me to obtain a wholesome education and also enrich my entire ADTP experience. It has been such a thrilling and rewarding journey so far.

Sunway A-Level high achievers garner scholarship to University of Auckland

editor — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:10:26 +0000

Sunway College’s Cambridge Advanced Level Programme (A-Level) students are slowly starting to see their dreams turn into a reality as they continue to gleam with achievement. Stephenas Teh Wee Seng and Teh Shin Yee are not only high achievers but have received scholarships to pursue their degree in University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Stephenas clinched the “Top in the World” Award for Accounting at AS Level during the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards recently. The Sunway Cambridge Advanced Level Programme (A-Level) student who is also a Petronas scholar scored 4 A* in Math, Accounting, Economics and Law after sitting for his A-Level examinations last year. Classmate, Teh Shin Yee, who scored 1 A* for Accounting and 2 A for Math and Economics garnered The Dean’s Asia Scholarship worth $26,040 at the University of Auckland Business School.

Stephenas (left) with Rajesvaran Murugan, Deputy Director of Programme A- Level.

Stephenas who will be pursuing his undergraduate studies in Accounting and Finance said, “I knew the A-level course was a difficult one. I didn’t really know what to expect when I started but I aimed to do my best. It was my faith and my determination that helped me. This is really God’s blessing for me. The lecturers were really good and went all out to help their students.” Stephenas was a debater in the A-Level programme. His team took part in the National Novice Debating Championship at UiTM in March 2011 and emerged runner-up in the competition.

Teh Shin Yee received The Dean’s Asia Scholarship worth $26,040 to pursue her undergraduate studies at the University of Auckland Business School.

Shin Yee was surprised to receive the scholarship award. She shared, “I listened attentively in class and spent an ample amount of time looking for extra materials to support my revision. It also required a lot of discipline and a sacrifice of personal time.” The selection committee was most impressed with Shin Yee’s application, for it highlighted not only her strong academic credentials but also showed her to be a well-rounded person who cares for her family and community. Shin Yee has been active in many clubs such as the Sunway LIFE club that is determined to create awareness on human trafficking. She was also an active committee member of the A-Level Student Council, Treasurer in ALSCO, and active in organising various student activities. “I believe students should participate in clubs and societies to reach their fullest potential,” shared Shin Yee who will be pursuing her Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting.

Shin Yee also worked full-time in Sunway Integrated Properties where she learned a lot through this corporate experience. She was able to apply the knowledge that she had gained in Industrial Organisation, when she was working there. Shin Yee felt gaining an experience in the corporate world has been an eye-opener for her. She also helped the Sunway University Marketing department as a student helper during events. She shared, “I love meeting and talking to people. It taught me how to speak to different people and handle different situations.”

Sunway’s AUSMAT students ahead of the game

editor — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:58:07 +0000

20 Australian Matriculation Programme (AUSMAT) students achieved an ATAR of 99 and above while 147 students achieved an ATAR of 90 and above in the 2011 AUSMAT WACE examinations recently from a cohort of 400 odd students. The students produced astounding results that reflects the quality of the Sunway AUSMAT programme and the dedication and commitment of the teachers in educating the students. In addition to that, 8 Sunway students received the special certificate of distinction award for five subjects out of a total of thirteen subject awards. The students were recognised for appearing within the top 0.5 per cent of those sitting in the WACE examination in the world.

Zhang Wei Ng and Say Ting Toon were highest in Accounting and Finance while Radhika Divya Chelliah in Career and Enterprise. The English masters, Jun Hwang Chan and Pauline Lim Wen Jun were top in English while Nicholas Keevan Rajah and Uhendran Subpramaniam aced the WACE examinations in English as an Additional Language & Dialect leaving Alliyza Esther Qin Shi Lim to top Psychology.

From left to right: Uhendra, Eunice, Alliyza and Nicholas.

Nicholas said, “I feel proud having achieved top scorer of AUSMAT Sunway, the biggest AUSMAT provider in the world. I was surprised as I did not think the exams were easy but I knew I had to go through it in order to attain success.” Nicholas said the internal examinations were a lot harder compared to the finals as the Sunway AUSMAT lecturers were strict when it came to marking. This motivated him to work harder for the finals. Speaking about his experience being part of the Sunway AUSMAT programme, Nicholas said it was an unforgettable experience as he benefited from the programme. Nicholas who preferred exams more than assignments said it was advantageous for him as he was forced to cope with the syllabus and was thankful he had the help and guidance of his lecturers. “Their dedication made learning interesting for me and helped me with my journey towards personal development. I had to learn to be systematic and organised throughout my course of study in Sunway. Nicholas will be pursuing his studies in Bachelor of Commerce and majoring in Accounting under a JPA Scholarship in the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Elizabeth Lee, Executive Director of Sunway Education Group shaking hands with Nicholas, while (from left to right) Uhendran, Vanitha, Deputy Director of AUSMAT, Alliyza, Eunice and Ruma Lopes, Director of AUSMAT looked on.

Uhendran who is also a JPA scholar said he felt honoured to come out top in English as an Additional Language of Dialect. He shared, “My experience studying AUSMAT has truly been enriching especially during the I CARE AUSMAT assignment. We were required to approach people and persuade them to make a contribution in exchange for an item such as food. The fun and excitement that I gained from the assignment reflects a true Sunway AUSMAT experience.”

Alliyza said she is proud of her achievement and was pleasantly surprised but content all her hard work finally paid off. Alliyza said, “The AUSMAT teachers are very committed as they would make time for us every time we wanted to see them or ask them a question. I used to call my Psychology lecturer, Ms Jane if I needed assistance and clarifications about something. Through her guidance, I was able to understand things easily and I thank her for that.”

Eunice Lee Chao Ying who scored an ATAR of 99 and above said the Sunway AUSMAT programme is a knowledge gaining experience. “I recall being very timid when I first started the programme. However, through many oral presentations, I gained confidence and it helped me with my public speaking abilities,” she said.

SUNWAY-TES PRESENTS RM200,000 WORTH OF SCHOLARSHIPS TO NGO ONE CARING HEART MALAYSIA

editor — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:33:54 +0000

Feb 3, 2012, Bandar Sunway : Sunway-TES Sdn Bhd, a member of the Sunway Education Group, presented RM200,000 worth of scholarships to pursue CAT (Certified Accounting Technician) and ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) programmes to One Caring Heart Malaysia, a non-profit organisation.

Mr. Teo Ee Sing, Executive Director of Sunway-TES presented the scholarships to Ms Sarojini Ruth Rajahser, Deputy President of One Caring Heart Malaysia, witnessed by Y.B. Senator Datuk Heng Seai Kie, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development in the presence of Puan Sri Datin Seri (Dr.) Susan Cheah, EXCO member of Sunway Group; Elizabeth Lee, Executive Director of Sunway Education Group; Puan Sri Cecilia Lim and Dato Anne Eu, advisors of One Caring Heart Malaysia.

(From L-R) Elizabeth Lee, Executive Director of Sunway Education Group; Puan Sri Datin Seri (Dr.) Susan Cheah, EXCO member of Sunway Group; Mr. Teo Ee Sing, Executive Director of Sunway-TES; Y.B. Senator Datuk Heng Seai Kie, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development; Ms Sarojini Ruth Rajahser, Deputy President of One Caring Heart Malaysia; Puan Sri Cecilia Lim; and Dato Anne Eu, advisors of One Caring Heart Malaysia.

One Caring Heart Malaysia’s objectives are to nurture youth and single mothers by providing training in line with economic transformation programme to uplift standards of living of the nation. It also organises events and seminars to promote skills development and encourage social entrepreneurship for nation-building projects.

The biggest Parents Day event in Sunway Lagoon which it organised last year, enabled thousands of children from various homes to have a fun and memorable day at Sunway Lagoon. This project was endorsed by “The Malaysian Book of Records” as the biggest Parents’ Day event.

Today, with the support of Sunway-TES, One Caring Heart Malaysia has extended its care to another project to assist 5 financially disadvantaged families whereby an individual from each family is able to study CAT or ACCA in Sunway-TES.

Mr Teo said “This is part of Sunway-TES’ Corporate Social Responsibility effort to empower less-fortunate individuals with the gift of education. Accounting is a versatile and practical profession that enables graduates to be employed in all types of industries. Through this gift, the recipients can look forward to a bright future.”

Sunway-TES is a provider of the world-renowned Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) courses from the United Kingdom. In 2003, Sunway-TES was awarded Premier Plus Status by ACCA UK and in 2007, Sunway-TES achieved Approved Learning Partner – Student Tuition, Platinum Status also by ACCA UK. Sunway-TES has maintained both these awards which is a reflection of its high quality of accounting education.

Y.B Datuk Senator Heng expressed “We, at the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development have played a major role in coordinating the welfare of women in the economy. I’m proud to see the Sunway Education Group assist our needy youths. We would like to see more institutions coming in to participate in such a worthy cause. Social entrepreneurship is to be encouraged to enable the less fortunate an opportunity to learn a skill to start. Sunway-TES has set a good example of contributing towards CSR Programme for the society. Their initiative is a good example to all”.

MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION OFFICITES GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY OF THE SUNWAY UNIVERSITY NEW BUILDING

editor — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:17:57 +0000

A celebrated milestone in Sunway University’s continuous growth

Bandar Sunway, 20 January, 2012 – Sunway University has added yet another milestone to its history of growth with a ground breaking ceremony for its new academic building (“the New University Building”) today. The ceremony was officiated by Guest of Honour, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Minister of Higher Education, who signed a plaque commemorating the event.

The ground breaking ceremony was telecast live from the site of the New University Building to the Multi-Purpose Hall where it was witnessed by the Minister of Higher Education, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, AO, Chancellor of Sunway University and guests.

YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Minister Higher Education (right) and Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Jeffrey Cheah after the official signing of the plaque to commemorate the gound-breaking.

With the construction of the New University Building, Sunway University continues its commitment to caring for its community of students and staff, ensuring its facilities meet the changing needs of its growing population with the provision of top-notch, integrated facilities on campus. The New University Building, which will be completed in 2014, is a12-storey tower block providing 880,000 sq ft of space that can accommodate 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students. A 3-storey Learning Commons for 1,100 students, library, lecture theatres, auditoriums, mini theatres and seminar rooms are some of the new facilities of the building. A basement car park with 1,100 parking bays and an underground walkway linked to Monash University are the other attractions, providing a total floor area of 1.26 million sq ft

Souvenir Presentation by Sunway University to the Minister witnessed by the Board of Trustees, Jeffrey Cheah Foundation. (From left to right) Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr.) Ramon Navaratnam, Tan Sri Datuk Seri Lee Lam Thye, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah and Tan Sri Rainer Althoff

The building with a projected construction cost of RM350 million will have an environmentally-friendly design with energy and water-saving features as well as allow for ample natural lighting and a ventilation system that will promote sustainability and a greener environment. In recognition of its environmentally-friendly design, the University will be seeking to achieve the BCA Singapore and Green Building Index certification for the New University Building.

The New University Building is part of a large-scale expansion exercise that Sunway has embarked on to serve its campus community. The expansion exercise will include a new Graduate Centre, modeled after Harvard Business School, and is nearing completion within the first half of this year.

With a history dating back to 1987 when it was still known as Sunway College, Sunway University has thrived, being upgraded to University College status in August 2004 and achieving University status in 2011. Through the years, Sunway has actively sought to establish partnerships with foreign universities and institutions to further broaden the breadth and depth of education they offer. In 2006, it partnered with Lancaster University, one of the Top 10 Universities in the UK, to validate and benchmark its degree programmes; and in 2010 it partnered Le Cordon Bleu to validate Sunway University Diplomas in Hotel Management, Events Management and Culinary Arts.

Sunway University shares the Government’s belief that education is the key catalyst for industry transformation and nation building. Within the 12 National Key Economic Areas that the Government has identified, each sector has recognised the supply of talent as a vital source for success, making education critical to Malaysia’s future.

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah said “The Sunway University new building when completed opens the way to a well-connected seamlessly integrated education and living hub in Sunway with easy accessibility for all who work, study, live and visit”.

“Our cohorts of students here at Sunway University have been growing year-on-year. Today, we have more than 4,000 local and international students enrolled in our home-grown programmes. This expansion exercise will enable us to continue to provide our students the best we can offer, complementing our programmes with facilities and infrastructure supporting our contribution to the nation’s pool of talent. With continued support from the Ministry of Higher Education and the Government, we hope to continue to contribute to Malaysia’s growth and future” he added.

Sunway University Business School champion PNB Quiz

editor — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:59:18 +0000

Derick Yee, Sonia Lim and Yap Wan Li who represented the Sunway University Business School (SUBS) during the national level Investment Quiz Competition organised by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) made Sunway University proud when they championed the 2011 competition. The students did not falter even though they were perceived to be ‘newbies’ in the competition and displayed strength and character throughout. This is the first time in 11 years a private institution (IPTS) has won.

Three students were chosen to represent the university in the final round that was held at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang in December. The trio from Sunway University competed against 32 teams during the semi-finals and landed themselves in the finals against 3 other teams including Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia.

From left to right: Yap Wan Li , Deric Yee Seng Kit and Sonia Lim Suan Li, SUBS’s Bachelor of Science (Hons) Accounting and Finance students.

For their efforts the trio won a cheque worth RM 5,000 for Sunway University and they each received a RM1,000 equivalent of Amanah Saham Gemilang units. The students topped the quiz by getting the most number of diagonal and horizontal strikes and boxes during the competition.

The competition was part of PNB’s aim to promote awareness and educate university students on the relationship between risks and return in long-term investments. The depth of terminologies and current issues in investments and economic developments in university students was put to the test.

From left to right: Yap Wan Li , Deric Yee Seng Kit and Sonia Lim Suan Li with the replica of the PNB Investment Quiz 2011 Champion’s Trophy.

Yap Wan Li said, “It was a memorable and fruitful experience overall. We did not only learn about the technicality of financial knowledge but also developed strategies throughout the competition as we progressed.” The three students had to prepare for both their final examination and competition at the same time. They ensured they remained calm and collected throughout the competition.

Yap shared, “Winning the game was secondary while enjoying the whole process was a priority. It was this mindset which pulled us through the semi-finals that later contributed to us winning the competition. Knowledge is essential, but skills like teamwork and strategising your game is equally important too.”

Yap added, “It was a progressive feeling of excitement as we could see that we were leading the competition judging by the total scores collected along the way. However, we could not help but feel a deep sense of pride when we were announced champions of the PNB competition.” We are glad to have made our university proud by being the first private university which has won the competition since it was first held.”

Sunwayian A-Level students shine at Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards ceremony

editor — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:22:55 +0000

Six Sunway College Cambridge GCE A-Level students received the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards 2011 recently. Stephenas Teh Wee Seng and Wong Sue Yinn clinched the “Top in the World” Awards for Accounting and Psychology respectively, at AS Level.

Sue Yinn received her award from YB Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, Deputy Minister of Education

Three others, Nguyen Phuong Hai Quynh (from Vietnam), Tham Yow Wai and Krityshaa A/P Karunagaran each achieved a “Top in Malaysia” award for Mathematics at AS Level and Danielle Kot Beng Hooi received a “Top in Malaysia” award for Psychology at A Level.

Stephenas (left) with his accounting lecturer Soh Hian Gek.

Sue Yinn said “Most of the credit goes to our psychology senior lecturer, Miss Ida Ngui. She knew our weaknesses and helped us patiently. Getting this award would definitely be out of reach for me if not without her constant guidance and dedication. Not forgetting also, my parents and friends who always encouraged me and supported me. The A-Levels programme definitely contributed to my achievement. It taught me to embrace certain values and qualities such as time management, concentration and self-discipline. All in all, getting this award acts as a motivation for me to work not only harder, but smarter in order to attain the goals I want to achieve in the future”.

From left to right: Sue Yinn, Krityshaa, Dr John Guy, Senior Education Advisor with CIE; Nguyen Phuong Hai Quynh and Stephenas. Absent: Danielle Kot and Tham Yow Wai

Due to its record since 1987 of producing pass rates that have been consistently above 98% with at least 27% of its students having achieved 3As or more, the Sunway A-Level programme is one of only 4 Cambridge International Fellowship Centres in Malaysia. There are currently 60 Fellowship Centres worldwide among the 1,100 centres in over 150 countries.

Tham Yow Wai

Sunway Cricket Team to play Malaysian National Cricket Team

editor — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:27:09 +0000

The dynamic talent of the Sunway Cricket team was proven when they were recently handpicked by the management of the Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) to play in a series of matches against the Malaysian National Cricket team. Sunway’s Cricket team who participated in various tournaments organised by numerous State Cricket Associations had advanced into the finals of each tournament. The Chairman of the MCA was impressed by Sunway’s track record for Year 2011 and thus offered them an opportunity to partake in a five match series with the national team in preparation for their upcoming 2012 ICC World Cricket League Division Five tournament that will take place in Singapore in February.

A Sunway Cricket player in action during the match.

The Sunway team is made up of a number of international students who are pursuing their studies in Sunway. They come from countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India. The first match of five in the series started at the home of the Malaysian National Cricket team, Kinrara Cricket Academy, Kinrara Oval in Puchong recently. The Sunway players performed tremendously well against the illustrious opposition despite playing with their second squad. These students exercised time management skills as they were busy training for the match and preparing for their exams. Although the team came up short, Sunway’s bowler Sohail Khan took 3 Malaysian wickets in the finals contributing to Sunway scoring 6 for the match.

The players in concentration during the match.

Team Captain and American Degree Transfer Programme (ADTP) student, Ziaul Alam Rony said, “The experience playing against the Malaysian National Team was amazing. I did not have my first squad for the match but we tried our best to play decent cricket against them and put up a good fight.”

The Sunway Cricket players and the Malaysian National Cricket team shake hands after the match.

Rony conceded that there are some things to work on if Sunway defeats Malaysia in the upcoming games. “In my opinion, our bowlers bowled a good line and the fielding was superb, however we lacked strategy and confidence in batting. We hope to improve once the full squad returns in January next year. I think we will make a positive comeback in the upcoming matches.”

The Sunway Cricket Club deserves enormous amount of credit for being recognised by the Malaysian Cricket Association as one of the premier teams in the nation. Congratulations to SCC from all of us at Sunway.

Clean sweep for Sunway’s shining star

editor — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:02:23 +0000

19 year-old Katrina Ann Abdul Hadi, a Canadian International Matriculation (CIMP) student at Sunway College, despite her hectic training schedule as a swimmer, not only scored four A’s in her CIMP examinations but won five glittering gold medals in all the synchronised swimming events at the 26th SEA Games in Palembang, Indonesia this year.

The young achiever, who has made Malaysia proud, completed her SPM at the Bukit Jalil Sports School. Katrina represented Malaysia at the Commonwealth Games 2010 where she came in fourth and fifth placing for her solo performance while in the Asian Games in the same year, she came in sixth for her duet performance.

For her amazing achievements and for being an exemplary student, Katrina was given an upgrade of her Sunway Talent Scholarship – Sports, from 50% to a full scholarship recently. Should she decide to continue her studies at Sunway University, she will be offered a continuation of her scholarship into her university studies.

Asked how she managed to balance sports with her studies. Katrina replied, “As a national synchronised swimmer, I have to discipline myself to spend time studying as well,” she says. “It is not easy, but not impossible.”

For Katrina, studies have to be planned with her training schedule which always includes discussions with her coach, Long Yan from China. “A lot of planning is done before my exams including the CIMP exams,” she quips. “The CIMP is quite flexible and allowed me to balance my studies well with training.”

Typically her day starts at 6.30am in the pool with a training session until 9.45am. After that, Katrina attends classes. In the afternoon, after classes, she is back in the pool to train from 3 pm to 7.30 pm before she goes home and heads straight into her homework after dinner.

This is her routine six days in a week, Mondays through Saturdays. What drives her is certainly her passion for the sport and the determination to do well in her studies, too.

Katrina’s parents encourage her to do her best in everything she does. “My parents always encourage me a lot,” quips Katrina. Katrina’s mother is proud Sunway CIMP lecturer, Kimberly Ann Gagnon.
Prior to synchronized swimming which Katrina began at the age of 12, she was a gymnast. Swimming started more as a hobby. “I never dreamed that I would be a national swimmer,” she says. “It just happened!”.

A delighted Katrina could hardly contain her excitement after helping Malaysia to make a spectacular medal tally. “I came with only a three-gold target in mind and I’ve won five – that’s a real bonus. Right now my priority is to try and qualify for the London Olympics next year but it won’t be easy. My personal target is the 2016 Olympics and, hopefully, I’ll continue swimming until then,” says Katrina.

The Sunway Talent Scholarship – Sports is a scholarship provided by the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation.