just came back from genting. had a gruelling bus ride back. sigh. and checked my email and found out that i was the reserve valedictorian.
ok. the story started out last week. when someone called me and told me that i was nominated to be the valedictorian for the mathematics dept. then another person called me and told me i was a CANDIDATE to be a valedictorian. the other person apparently came from physics dept (i guess, since this was another dept attending the ceremony). yeah. so they asked for drafts for the valedictorian speech, and judged based on the speeches. So, hers was better than mine, so too bad for me i guess.
Well. think the following points are why i nv got to be the valedictorian.
1. i forgot to thank my parents and mika in the final part of the speech. (ok. i actually plan to add it in in the final draft.)
2. i forgot to thank CSC for being such an integral part of my varsity life.
3. Cause CAN project is on 9 Jul 2006. The same day as my commencement ceremony. So, those who could not decide between hearing me speak and going for CAN Collect, can now go for the CAN Collect!! for more details, log onto http://www.nuscsc.net/~can haha. i so bhb.
Since this speech will never be spoken, i might as well post it here.
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Mr Chancellor / Mr Pro-Chancellor / Mr Provost / Dean of Science, Fellow Graduates, Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning. First of all, I’d like to thank the faculty for giving me the honor of standing here today to represent the graduating class of 2006.
Today, we don our academic gowns to receive our degree scrolls. These scrolls represent the knowledge that we have acquired over the past 3 or 4 years and symbolize the fruits of the efforts that we have put in. Yet, these fruits would not have been born, if no seeds were sown. Today, on behalf of the class of 2006, I’d like to thank one special group who helped us along the way, our mentors.
A friend once told me that the university education is distinguished from other forms of education in that, her mission is to nurture through a mentor-apprentice relationship. He then told me a story of a fellow undergraduate.
Well, this fellow undergraduate had a peculiar timetable. When my friend looked at it, he noticed something strange about the 10am-12pm slot on Friday. It wrote “KOPI”. “K-O-P-I. KOPI.” Was there such a module called KOPI? If it was really just drinking KOPI, was there really a need to remind himself to drink KOPI every Friday at 10am? So, my friend just asked his friend. And he realized. Oh. This friend of his actually arranges to meet up with his lecturer to drink KOPI every Friday after lesson.
Indeed, many of us here would have developed similar relations with our lecturers. The other day, I heard rumours that a current undergraduate sends his honors project supervisor home in his car every now and then. More ridiculous rumours include a student washing clothes for the supervisor. No, that student is not standing in front of you today. No, I’m not the one. To be honest, the most I’ve done for my lecturers was to send them Christmas cards. And probably after today, I may have to treat them to a meal.
But let us return to the topic. Were these students trying to bribe their supervisors? Well, they did fare well in their exams and projects. The KOPI-drinker did score an A+ for that particular module. However, the reason is not that these students had pleased their supervisors or lecturers. Rather the reason is that they had created a close bond with their lecturers, and this bond has created wonders.
It is only through this bond, can the brilliance of the academic mind be illuminated. It is through this bond, can virtuous habits of an experienced life be rubbed off. It is through this bond, can values of a great character be passed on. The KOPI-drinker did so well, simply because he had unconsciously learnt to think like his lecturer through the many KOPI-cum-chit chat sessions.
Yes. The KOPI-drinker understood well the fact that, the student need not restrict his relation with his mentor to the classroom. Indeed, most of us here will have some close lecturers, who have taught beyond the theorems and formulae, and shared with us precious experiences from their lives.
For me, Professor Ling San, the present head of the Department of Mathematics in NTU, had always been a role model. I’d like to thank him here once again. Indeed, I have forgotten most of what he has taught on coding theory. But I’ll always remember his warmness, his modesty and his generous capacity to listen to students. These are great attributes. Great attributes which I’m trying to practise at my workplace.
There are also many other mentors who appeared in my life in these four years, and amongst them are Associate Professor Leung Ka Hin and Associate Professor Tan Kai Meng. I’m sure if we were to write a list of lecturers who have touched at least one of us seated here, the list will be very very long.
Today, we shall leave the university to join the workforce. While mentors do not appear explicitly as lecturers, mentors will appear in other forms. They may appear as superiors, senior colleagues, co-workers or even subordinates. These mentors shall have inspirational stories, keen insight, worthy values to share and pass on.
Indeed to quote the late philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, “In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil.”
Hence, we need to explore and uncover these mentors and be their pupils. We shall develop the mentor-apprentice relationship similar to the ones we have nurtured in university.
So, join me in applauding to all mentors, those in the university and those in life!
As we remain standing, my fellow graduates, this is a proud day for all of us and for our parents and loved ones, who have supported us in our journey here.
Therefore, before we leave this hall, let us take this opportunity to turn and face our family and friends, and show our appreciation with a round of applause.
Please join me in this gesture. Thank you.
ok. the story started out last week. when someone called me and told me that i was nominated to be the valedictorian for the mathematics dept. then another person called me and told me i was a CANDIDATE to be a valedictorian. the other person apparently came from physics dept (i guess, since this was another dept attending the ceremony). yeah. so they asked for drafts for the valedictorian speech, and judged based on the speeches. So, hers was better than mine, so too bad for me i guess.
Well. think the following points are why i nv got to be the valedictorian.
1. i forgot to thank my parents and mika in the final part of the speech. (ok. i actually plan to add it in in the final draft.)
2. i forgot to thank CSC for being such an integral part of my varsity life.
3. Cause CAN project is on 9 Jul 2006. The same day as my commencement ceremony. So, those who could not decide between hearing me speak and going for CAN Collect, can now go for the CAN Collect!! for more details, log onto http://www.nuscsc.net/~can haha. i so bhb.
Since this speech will never be spoken, i might as well post it here.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr Chancellor / Mr Pro-Chancellor / Mr Provost / Dean of Science, Fellow Graduates, Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning. First of all, I’d like to thank the faculty for giving me the honor of standing here today to represent the graduating class of 2006.
Today, we don our academic gowns to receive our degree scrolls. These scrolls represent the knowledge that we have acquired over the past 3 or 4 years and symbolize the fruits of the efforts that we have put in. Yet, these fruits would not have been born, if no seeds were sown. Today, on behalf of the class of 2006, I’d like to thank one special group who helped us along the way, our mentors.
A friend once told me that the university education is distinguished from other forms of education in that, her mission is to nurture through a mentor-apprentice relationship. He then told me a story of a fellow undergraduate.
Well, this fellow undergraduate had a peculiar timetable. When my friend looked at it, he noticed something strange about the 10am-12pm slot on Friday. It wrote “KOPI”. “K-O-P-I. KOPI.” Was there such a module called KOPI? If it was really just drinking KOPI, was there really a need to remind himself to drink KOPI every Friday at 10am? So, my friend just asked his friend. And he realized. Oh. This friend of his actually arranges to meet up with his lecturer to drink KOPI every Friday after lesson.
Indeed, many of us here would have developed similar relations with our lecturers. The other day, I heard rumours that a current undergraduate sends his honors project supervisor home in his car every now and then. More ridiculous rumours include a student washing clothes for the supervisor. No, that student is not standing in front of you today. No, I’m not the one. To be honest, the most I’ve done for my lecturers was to send them Christmas cards. And probably after today, I may have to treat them to a meal.
But let us return to the topic. Were these students trying to bribe their supervisors? Well, they did fare well in their exams and projects. The KOPI-drinker did score an A+ for that particular module. However, the reason is not that these students had pleased their supervisors or lecturers. Rather the reason is that they had created a close bond with their lecturers, and this bond has created wonders.
It is only through this bond, can the brilliance of the academic mind be illuminated. It is through this bond, can virtuous habits of an experienced life be rubbed off. It is through this bond, can values of a great character be passed on. The KOPI-drinker did so well, simply because he had unconsciously learnt to think like his lecturer through the many KOPI-cum-chit chat sessions.
Yes. The KOPI-drinker understood well the fact that, the student need not restrict his relation with his mentor to the classroom. Indeed, most of us here will have some close lecturers, who have taught beyond the theorems and formulae, and shared with us precious experiences from their lives.
For me, Professor Ling San, the present head of the Department of Mathematics in NTU, had always been a role model. I’d like to thank him here once again. Indeed, I have forgotten most of what he has taught on coding theory. But I’ll always remember his warmness, his modesty and his generous capacity to listen to students. These are great attributes. Great attributes which I’m trying to practise at my workplace.
There are also many other mentors who appeared in my life in these four years, and amongst them are Associate Professor Leung Ka Hin and Associate Professor Tan Kai Meng. I’m sure if we were to write a list of lecturers who have touched at least one of us seated here, the list will be very very long.
Today, we shall leave the university to join the workforce. While mentors do not appear explicitly as lecturers, mentors will appear in other forms. They may appear as superiors, senior colleagues, co-workers or even subordinates. These mentors shall have inspirational stories, keen insight, worthy values to share and pass on.
Indeed to quote the late philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, “In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil.”
Hence, we need to explore and uncover these mentors and be their pupils. We shall develop the mentor-apprentice relationship similar to the ones we have nurtured in university.
So, join me in applauding to all mentors, those in the university and those in life!
As we remain standing, my fellow graduates, this is a proud day for all of us and for our parents and loved ones, who have supported us in our journey here.
Therefore, before we leave this hall, let us take this opportunity to turn and face our family and friends, and show our appreciation with a round of applause.
Please join me in this gesture. Thank you.
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