Vincent’s speech, which is reproduced below, typifies what the
all-round ACS brand of education imparts to its students. It
impressed his former ACS (Barker Road) Principal, Mr Ng Eng Chin who
complimented that it was “a speech that shows maturity and gratitude
for all the things God has blessed him with and to challenge others
also to reflect upon their lives and pursue what is important in our
journey of life”.
"Good afternoon distinguished guests, professors and faculty
members, family and friends, ladies and gentlemen. Class of
2009, I am humbled by this honour and privilege to represent all
of you on this podium.
I
have many to thank. Singapore Press Holdings for kindly
conferring me with this award, The Lee Foundation for sponsoring
my education at SMU, my family for your understanding and
support of my idealistic ambitions. Mum & dad, you have never
pressured me to study nor asked me to take a particular path in
life. For that I’m thankful because you allowed me to discover
myself and find my identity in God. Today is a bonus for you and
I hope that I have made you proud.
I
would also like to thank my SMU friends (you guys know who you
are), who have encouraged and blessed me along the way. To be
called your friend – Is my privilege.
I
would also like to mention my former principal from ACS Barker
Road, Mr Ng Eng Chin whom to me accomplished his mission of
touching and changing lives. All of you have made my journey at
SMU both possible and complete.
I
believe I represent the graduating class in saying a big thank
you to all our professors and faculty members for nurturing our
hearts and minds. And for being accessible to us and allowing us
to be your friends. And to the school’s administrative offices,
especially the Office of Student Life, a big thank you on behalf
of the class, for supporting us and seeing to a smooth SMU
education experience for all of us.
Singaporeans like to complain. It has been said that no matter
what the occasion is, or where they are, there is always
something to complain about. As SMU students, we are sometimes
guilty of that. Like “Why are the freshmen always booking the
groups study rooms?” or “How come food at the city campus is so
expensive?” or “Why is the business regalia the ugliest of all
the other schools?” or the dreaded, “Where is this group mate?
Why so-and-so did not send his part?”
Looking at the times that we are graduating into, it is not
surprising that there is even more to complain about, with the
economic crisis, soft job market, H1N1 and North Korea
threatening to launch missiles.
Complaining is easy. Giving thanks is hard. Today I would like
to remind us all, to give thanks. As a graduating class, there
are many things to be thankful for, but one thing stands out
above than the rest – We should be thankful that we are rich.
In
my reflections about this current economic crisis, I am reminded
that the most important account that we’ll ever need to manage,
is not our own bank savings or stock portfolios – as clichéd as
it sounds, what’s most important is the ‘account’ of our lives.
A
few weeks ago, I was at an ATM checking my savings balance. In
that moment I felt poor because I had taken out my life savings
and invested it in various pursuits. But today, as I check the
‘account’ of my life, I realise that I have been enriched by my
experiences and the relationships forged at SMU and I am
thankful for this.
Indeed, SMU has given us many opportunities and we grabbed them
for many reasons including conviction, passion or just for a
challenge. I had my fair share of that and many of you have done
so in your own way, you’ve jumped out of a plane, conquered
mountains, won at international competitions against all odds
and even started online fashion empires. We are thankful for
this.
It
is also heartening to observe that several of you in our
graduating class, have in the face of this tough job market,
embarked on entrepreneurial ventures in the profit and
non-profit world. As a word of encouragement, if an African
American can become the President of the United States, no
challenge is insurmountable. So continue to seize every
opportunity and do us the class of 2009 proud! We are thankful
for you.
In
doing all of these things at SMU, we learnt that at times, the
activities that we participated in purely because they looked
good on our resumes became chores or even ’work’.
Yet
in the times where we took a leap, we had fun and we stretched
ourselves in new ways that only SMU could provide.
Personally, in managing a café, I felt the joy of seeing
satisfied faces and it tested my time management skills. In
befriending the intellectually disabled, I learnt humility and
compassion. In pursuing videography at SMU Broadcast and
Entertainment, I met Jasmine, the love of my life. In being a
part of SMU, I have been blessed by true friendships.
For
all that we have been through, I am richer than I have ever been
and so are you. Let us be thankful for this.
As
we graduate today, our future is bound by the shared history of
these last 4 years at SMU. We have seen much in such a short
time, we have worked hard and we’ve learnt a lot.
Our
accounts are ‘rich’ today because we are from SMU. So let us be
thankful for SMU.
Since we are rich, may I humbly suggest then, that we invest
this wealth in the lives of others. For when we take a stake in
the lives of others, our riches will never cease and others will
be
thankful for us.
Class of 2009, congratulations! Be thankful, for we are rich and
we have graduated! Thank you."
