“Both my parents were extremely happy when I told them I got the scholarship. They felt that all the hard work has paid off and they were very proud of me. They also expressed their gratitude to IMU for accepting me as one of their scholars,” Keertana Ganeshwaren quipped excitedly. Keertana has received a full scholarship to pursue a degree programme of her dreams, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Nutrition. Adding on, Keertana said “I was aware that IMU offered scholarships to high achievers during my Foundation in Science (FiS) course. It was my mentor who sincerely believed that I had the potential to get the scholarship.”
What advice will Keertana have for her FiS juniors? “My advice to the FIS juniors would be to study hard. Pay attention in classes and do the tutorials because they really help. Also, if you ever do have trouble coping, your lecturers and mentors are the best support you can find to help you get through.”
Another happy face from FiS who obtained a full scholarship to pursue Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Medical Biotechnology is Gan Wen Chong. Gan credited his achievement to his parents’ unique way of parenting of not over crediting Gan for his achievements, even during his schooling years. That has taught Gan Wen Cong to study for the sake of learning, instead of emphasizing on gaining recognition or material rewards. 
On the question of how has his one year of studies in FIS helped him with his achievement today? Gan answered, “FIS in IMU has definitely boosted my confidence in one year, and I am still thankful for that. I discovered myself and my purpose thanks to the bountiful experiences and exposure in my foundation year, in addition to all the wonderful people I met during this time. I don’t think I would be the same person as I am today if I didn’t go through my foundation year at IMU.” So what advice can Gan Wen Cong offer his juniors who are studying Foundation in Science? “For all my juniors, I know sometimes it may seem tough, and you might feel like it’s too much to handle, but never surrender to the urge to give up! Also, many of you may have a preconception that your classes are only good for its grades and nothing else, and I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. Don’t just keep studying and do nothing else! There are so much more to learn, not just about your modules, but about yourself and also about life in general. I think it is imperative that one should look at life from every aspect to find silver lining in every cloud.” 
Chan Yee Qian was among the many hopeful faces who applied for the IMU Scholarship to study Bachelors of Pharmacy (Hons) and her family was well aware of that. “My parents knew that there will be a lot of competitors fighting for the same scholarship, so I would say they were both surprised and shocked when they found out about the good news, and most importantly feel proud and happy for it,” Yee Qian explains when asked on her parents’ reaction to Yee Qian receiving the full scholarship to study pharmacy. So, what does Yee Qian think, to be necessary qualities in order for a student to secure a scholarship? “I think determination and hard work are both very important,” Yee Qian states. How has the one year of studies in FIS helped Chan Yee Qian with her achievement today? Yee Qian explains, “I would say the one year of studies in FIS taught me more than I could imagine. During that one year of studies, I learnt how to manage my time wisely, how to communicate well with others and how to not give up even when I am facing an obstacle. Overall, not only did FIS taught me the hard skills, but also the soft skills that will not end in just helping me to secure the scholarship, but also will be very useful in my future career.” 
Another proud recipient of the partial scholarship to pursue Bachelors of Science (Hons) in Dietetics with Nutrition is Yen Pei Ling. When informed of the great news, Pei Ling’s family was very glad and proud of her, especially her mother, as they knew that IMU scholarship is very competitive to obtain but yet Pei Ling did it. Pei Ling feels that in order to secure the scholarship, a student needs to be a well-rounded individual who has to be strong in academic performance besides actively participating in school events or joining clubs and societies to develop soft skills and sharpen leadership skills. When asked how has the FiS programme helped her, Pei Ling explained, “FiS studies laid a solid foundation in my healthcare professional learning journey. Although it was quite intense, it was fun to get along with a group of peers with the same interest and the dedicated lecturers where I developed friendships with. One thing special about FIS in IMU is that the Cross Boundary Studies (a community service project) during the third semester which provided me a platform to develop my soft skills and gave me an idea on how to initiate a project on our own. This module has enriched my experience and broaden my perspective.” In 2018, eight high achieving FiS students won IMU scholarships to pursue their undergraduate degree. The Scholarships in the form of full or partial tuition fee waivers are for students demonstrating outstanding academic excellence, extra curriculum participation and leadership qualities. Read about the other four recipients of this scholarship at Deserving Students Receive IMU Scholarships.
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