Donor-supported international scholars share their Yale-NUS experiences

The vibrant and diverse international student community in Yale-NUS is one of the unique aspects of the residential liberal arts and sciences college, with students hailing from over 70 countries. This is made possible partly through donor-funded scholarships that support international students through their Yale-NUS education. For the recipients of these scholarships, the valuable opportunity to study at the College has changed their lives for the better.

Five of these recipients, Matthew Ling, Oshea Reddy and Gytis Greicius from the Class of 2024, as well as Lydia Spencer and Soroush Saleh from the Class of 2025, shared how it has been a rewarding experience – exposing them to new cultures and perspectives, and changing their worldview. All five recipients spoke fondly of their experience with the welcoming and inclusive Yale-NUS community, and how important this has been for them in building a home away from home, especially as international students.

“Aside from academics, it is clear that Yale-NUS places a great deal of emphasis on community, and I can confidently say I have never felt more a part of a school community than I do here,” remarked Soroush, a recipient of the Kewalram Chanrai Scholarship. The Kewalram Chanrai Scholarship was established through an endowed gift to Yale-NUS by the Kewalram Chanrai Group, a founding benefactor of the College, in 2013.

Lydia Spencer (extreme right) at one of her first practices with Yale-NUS Improv. Image provided by Lydia Spencer.

For these international students, meeting students and faculty from all walks of life has been engaging and eye-opening. In particular, Lydia, who is on the Dean’s scholarship, shared that interacting with so many people from different backgrounds has shed light on what aspects of her own culture she prioritises and wants to embody. “Living independently for the first time in my life has taught me how to build a community around me and create my own support system and family while living abroad. I have truly found my place and my people,” Lydia added.

Gytis Greicius is a second-year prospective Mathematical and Computer Science major from Lithuania. Image provided by Gytis Greicius.

Similarly, Gytis, a Yale-NUS Global Leader scholar, has also had a positive college experience. “I have found great joy in the process of searching for common ground between me and other Yale-NUS students, faculty or staff, while at the same time appreciating how the unique differences in our upbringing and experiences seamlessly gather and grow around these commonalities,” he shared.

The recipients’ world-broadening interactions with other students complement their education at Yale-NUS, which aims to integrate knowledge from across disciplines and around the world. Matthew, a recipient of the Tizian Schenker Scholarship, appreciates how the College not only encourages intellectual exploration, but also validates uncertainty in choosing academic paths, which has allowed him to explore fields that he never would have ventured into before.

Fourth from left: Matthew Hon Fai Ling on his Week 7 trip to St John’s Island to learn about Marine Aquaculture and the Singapore Food Story. Image provided by Matthew Ling.

“The liberal arts has cultivated my ability to think about the world and has given me a toolkit to understand daily life and the human experience,” he explained. The Tizian Schenker Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship established at Yale-NUS, in memory of the late Tizian Schenker with gifts from his family and friends.

On the interdisciplinary nature of the liberal arts and sciences, Soroush commented, “As the facets of our world mesh further and further together, so too should the facets of our education”.

Soroush Saleh (first from left on top row) celebrating the birthday of one of her suitemates in September. Image provided by Soroush Saleh.

Indeed, the advantages of a liberal arts education translates to career pursuits as well. Oshea, a recipient of the Prima scholarship, shared that her experience with the Common Curriculum pushed her to take up an internship with a tea factory estate’s management and human resource department over the semester break. The Common Curriculum is a set of courses which all Yale-NUS students study in their first two years, which introduces them to foundational concepts and modes of inquiry across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. While she had not previously been interested in commerce, agriculture, and business, the Common Curriculum gave her confidence in her ability to adapt and learn as much as she could from the experience.

Oshea Reddy (centre, bottom row) at Ubi Caritas Midterm Retreat which she describes as one and a half days of spiritual healing with the Catholic community on Yale-NUS campus. Image provided by Oshea Reddy.

The opportunities that Yale-NUS afforded to these students extend well beyond the academic and career-related. With a wide range of student organisations at Yale-NUS College – a product of a diverse student body – Gytis is currently learning Chinese and Muay Thai, while Matthew has begun teaching the basics of ballroom dance a year after joining the Yale-NUS Ballroom Society.

Matthew (right) at the Yale-NUS Performance Hall Foyer in October 2021 for the Yale-NUS Ballroom Halloween Soirée. Image provided by Matthew.

The recipients expressed their heartfelt and sincere gratitude to the donors who funded their scholarships and allowed them to embark on their life-changing journeys at the College.

“Studying at Yale-NUS has been my dream for a long time, and you have helped to make that dream a reality. Thank you so much for your support and I hope I can make you proud,” expressed Sourosh.

“You have enabled me to explore the world in a way I never could have without this gift. You have uplifted me by putting me in the most beautiful community I could have ever hoped to be a part of, and you are gifting me my dream future,” added Lydia.