It may have been a long way to come for Bernard Tan to get an education, but it paid off for the Singapore 23-year-old.
Mr Tan earned a Tourism Hospitality Education - International Centre of Excellence (THE-ICE) scholarship to study at The University of Queensland.
He spent the past two-and-a-half years at UQ’s School of Tourism, sometimes securing one of the best seats at the library at 7.30am for some uninterrupted study.
The outcome was not only a degree and a grade point average of 6.3, but his nomination as the 2009 valedictorian for UQ’s Faculty of Business, Economics and Law.
"I felt extremely excited and honoured. I did not expect to get nominated as valedictorian,’’ Mr Tan said.
"It affirms that my efforts both academically and otherwise have not been wasted. It also shows that an international student can excel and do well at UQ.’’
Mr Tan said he found a very high level of competition among students at UQ and an "experience package that is truly wholesome and undoubtedly world-class’’.
"It is the Australian culture of friendliness and good humour that contributes to making the university education at UQ unique.
"These values injected into a premier education system like the one at UQ makes study a little less overwhelming and the stress a little more bearable.’’
Since finishing his studies at UQ, Mr Tan has returned to Singapore, where he hoped to find work in tourism marketing.
The most important lessons he took with him from UQ were not necessarily learned in books, he said.
"I learned to be independent and that knowledge cannot just be garnered from the books and journals you read, but also from the numerous people you meet and talk to along the way.
"My message to students is to explore and expose themselves to as many areas as possible in order to find their calling.
"Leverage on the education offered at UQ as their springboard to the future, but don’t forget to have fun along the way.’’
Mr Tan hopes his career will allow him to travel, with a specific wish to make it to Europe and see Venice.
Media: Erik de Wit (0417 088 772). Photo available.
