Goh Foundation pledges S$1.2M to Singapore Management University

The Goh Foundation, which was established by philanthropist Mr Goh Cheng Liang, has pledged S$1.2 million to the Singapore Management University (SMU) to start the Goh Foundation Scholarship. This is the first time that the Goh Foundation is contributing to a university to fund scholarships. Each year for four years, 30 one-year scholarships, each worth S$10,000 will be awarded to deserving students facing financial hardships. In total, a pool of 120 scholarships will be available under this award for needy SMU students.

Mr Goh Hup Jin of the Goh Foundation said, “Education is one of the key areas that we feel strongly about as it is an area that levels the playing field. Those from the humblest of backgrounds are able to rise above their circumstance and get an equal chance in the world through education.”

The first 30 scholars received the scholarship awards from the Goh Foundation in December 2005. Of the 30 scholars, 25 are senior year students and five are first year students. With these 30 new Goh Foundation scholars, there are now a total of 274 scholarship-holders in SMU, including the Lee Kong Chian and SMU scholarships as well as many sponsored by banks, financial institutions and MNCs. For the new 2006 intake alone, there will be a range of 120 different scholarships available. Effectively, one in nine students to be admitted in 2006 will have a chance to qualify for a scholarship.

Said Professor Howard Hunter, President, SMU, “We are honoured that the Goh Foundation has so generously chosen to make this pledge to SMU. One of our fundamental tenets at SMU is that no deserving student will ever find himself or herself deprived of a university education here because of financial hardship. The Goh Foundation Scholarships will go a long way towards helping us achieve this objective of providing aid to deserving students and alleviating the hardships on their families.”

The S$1.2 million pledge will be given in four tranches of S$300,000 each year. The Goh Foundation scholarships are open to full-time Singaporean undergraduate students pursuing any degree programme at SMU. Students must demonstrate good academic results, leadership skills and character, active co-curricular activities and community involvement. As it is a financial aid scholarship, the applicants' family's per capita monthly income must be less than S$900 per month.