Opportunity to develop independence
DISCIPLINE and independence cannot be earned overnight, according to Grace Hsu, a past Hongkong Bank scholarship winner.
Grace, who studied at the University of Toronto for two years, said that combined with experience and opportunity students get to learn how to be on their own.
Each year, the Hongkong Bank offers scholarships to two students, who show academic excellence and are in financial need, to go to Canada or the United States to take a first degree in economics, philosophy or political science.
Another past winner, Sally Chiu, currently studying at Columbia University as a first year student, agreed with Grace because, ''you can't call home every time you have a difficulty, unlike when I was in Hongkong I could always talk it over with my family''.
''I have no relatives in Toronto, so I had to learn how to survive on my own. This scholarship enabled me to acquire an independent mind as well as to budget my money,'' said Grace.
Sally said it was not easy having to make major decisions on her own in the beginning, but eventually she gained experience and matured.
When asked what their ambitions are, Grace has already set her mind to work in a bank in Hongkong after graduating as an economics major.
While Sally is still trying to find out which major to take, she thinks that communication in business might be the ideal direction for her, as she feels that today's world is becoming more interdependent.
Both outstanding students are now working in the Hongkong Bank as interns and will be returning to school in late August.
