Area of Focus: Education
Partnership agency: Ngee Ann Polytechnic
The young Lien Ying Chow had a dream of obtaining a formal education and this deep desire stayed throughout his life. His passion moved him to become a founding father of Ngee Ann College, Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s predecessor in 1963.
As the then Chairman of Ngee Ann Kongsi, a philanthropic foundation, Dr. Lien was instrumental in obtaining the Kongsi’s support to provide financial assistance to the polytechnic and its establishment. He was the mastermind behind the strategy of developing properties and using the income generated to finance its construction. This made a continual stream of support to the polytechnic possible. He also became the Chairman of the first Board of Governors of Ngee Ann College.
“I never had the chance to attend school after leaving China as a boy, so helping others get an education has always been very important to me,” said Dr. Lien, on what spurred him to help needy students and to become a prime mover in the area of education. Ngee Ann College later became Ngee Ann Polytechnic, one Singapore’s key institutions of higher learning.
Dr. Lien’s legacy in education is very much alive today, and continues to impact many youths. Since the 1980s, needy students at Ngee Ann Polytechnic have received grants, scholarships and study awards through the Lien Foundation.
Now, the dreams of youths are again being made possible through the Foundation’s launch of a first-of-its-kind interest free study loans for overseas studies at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic. This is part of the S$10.5m endowment fund, called the Lien Ying Chow Education Initiative which also includes bursary awards for students needing financial aid. The fund received S$5m from the Lien Foundation that was matched dollar for dollar by Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Another S$0.5m came from Overseas Union Enterprises Ltd.
Each year, about eight to ten interest-free study loans will be given to top Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduates who enroll for undergraduate studies in niche areas at good overseas universities. “This award means that I would be able to fulfill my lifelong dream of studying abroad and experiencing a student’s life overseas,” said Justicia Phuang, one of the winners of the recently launched Lien Ying Chow Undergraduate Study Loan award. Currently pursuing a degree in English Language and Linguistics at the University of York in U.K, Justicia added, “It is a very precious dream to me and I am so happy I’m living that dream right now.”
The Lien Ying Chow Education initiative will also make another 200 bursaries of S$1500-S$2000 each available for needy students. To further spur their academic performance, the Foundation will award an additional $300 to these bursary holders if they achieve excellent results.
These students also have the chance of applying for a higher bursary amount, with the understanding that they will “pay it forward” – or plough back the additional amount to benefit other needy students when they start working. 15 achievement scholarships of S$2000 each will also go to students who top their course of study.
Dr. Lien’s vision and passion for education lives on today right in the heart of the polytechnic. To commemorate Dr. Lien’s longstanding contributions to Ngee Ann Polytechnic since its beginning, the polytechnic’s library is now named the “Lien Ying Chow Library” and it hosts the “Lien Ying Chow Gallery” which showcases his inspiring life story and his role as a founding father of Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
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