SINGAPORE, Jan 30 — The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) has received a donation of S$50,000, the largest donated sum from an alumnus so far.

It came from Mr Ang Yew Shen, who was a part-time marketing student at the business school in SUSS and had graduated in 2016. He is now working as a director of sales.

This donation will go into an endowment fund, which will contribute towards the Ang Yew Shen Study Award.

The award offers an annual cash reward of S$3,000 to the most-improved final-year full-time School of Business student pursuing undergraduate studies at SUSS. The award was named after Mr Ang, who is turning 33 this year, on the university’s suggestion.

Mr Ang and SUSS, represented by Professor Cheong Hee Kiat, the university’s president, signed a gift agreement on campus on Friday (Jan 28) to mark the launch of the study award.

The marketing graduate told TODAY that he wanted to make an impact with his donation because he experienced first-hand how difficult it could be when finances were tight.

Growing up, Mr Ang’s father, who is a taxi driver, would work through the night on many days to make enough money to support the family as the sole breadwinner.

When asked why he decided to donate such a substantial sum on a personal basis, he acknowledged that it was not an easy decision because the money could have been used for other purposes such as personal investments.

After graduating and working as a financial adviser, Mr Ang first started thinking of giving back to society when he received a company award in 2018.

“I didn’t feel as happy as I expected. I felt a sense of emptiness. That made me think about what I really wanted to do apart from working,” he explained.

Then, he started thinking of making a large-sum donation towards the end of 2020. At the time, he wanted to donate S$32,000 because he was turning 32 the next year.

He eventually decided to make the donation to his alma mater because he felt that this sum of money would make the greatest impact there. He later decided to increase the amount to S$50,000 in order to better help undergraduates.

While speaking to the media on Friday, Mr Ang recalled how, as a part-time student, he would juggle night classes at SUSS and his full-time work.

A regular with the Republic of Singapore Navy at the time, he had to commute from his home in Sengkang, where he lived with his parents and siblings, to Changi Naval Base and SUSS in Clementi for night classes.

However, he is grateful that he made the choice to study marketing in SUSS, and he would often tell people that his four years of part-time studies there was an important journey that contributed to his success today.

He wanted to make this donation now when he is still young and also because he thought that it may have a greater impact when students see someone around their age being able to contribute to the university.

“By donating this S$50,000, I wanted to show that someone who comes from a humble background can also become successful,” the oldest of three children said.

Mr Ang also explained that he decided to give this award to the most-improved student, rather than those who are top scorers or performers in their co-curricular activities, because he wanted to give “invisible students” a chance to be seen.

So with this donation and award, he wanted to encourage these students and motivate them to work harder in their final year.

At work, he encourages his clients to set aside some money to give back to society, in the form of donations to an organisation of their choice, after they received returns from their passive income such as investments.

University’s endowment fund

Mr Ang is SUSS’ youngest endowment fund donor.

Autonomous universities here, which include SUSS, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, raise donations to build up their endowment funds.

The funds generate a steady stream of investment income to supplement annual government funding, student fees and various grants to support university spending.

SUSS told TODAY that it has quite a number of donors to its endowment fund. It has received a one-time donation of S$2 million before from an estate and another from a corporation, for example.

Anyone may donate to the university’s endowment fund, not just alumni.

For more information on how to donate, go to SUSS’ website. — TODAY