PMBA graduating class pays it forward

The Nanyang Professional MBA (PMBA) Class of 2020 recently concluded their academic journey in Nanyang Business School (NBS). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person convocation ceremonies for the Class of 2020 have been postponed. However, this did not stop the cohort from celebrating the major milestone via a virtual cocktail reception. 

Conducted over Zoom, the virtual cocktail reception was a reunion for PMBA participants who exchanged the latest news and reconnected with one another. Their professors also joined in the celebration, offering the graduating class their well wishes and wise advice. The virtual celebration lifted the spirits of the attendees, despite the sombre mood and social isolation during the circuit breaker. 

A toast to success! Participants and professors of PMBA Class of 2020 at the virtual cocktail celebration. 

To mark their graduation, the graduating class also decided to do something special – paying it forward. 

“While we were discussing how to make our graduation memorable, one of the participants Cheryl Chong came up with the suggestion of giving back to the school – an idea which the whole class gladly supported,” shared class representative Derek Gong.

The 30 participants pooled together a sum of $5,500 to create the “PMBA Class of 2020 Bursary” which will help fund the university studies of NBS undergraduates in need. 

“We know even in an advanced country like Singapore, there are still some students who have difficulty paying for their college education. As we are graduating, donating to someone who has just enrolled came naturally,” added Derek.

Associate Professor Lewis Lim, Academic Director of the PMBA programme, commented, “I was very heartened by this highly altruistic act of our Nanyang Professional MBA graduates. Through this act, they have shown themselves to be business leaders with a social mission. This is the kind of MBA holders we had hoped to produce at Nanyang Business School.”

The graduating class also hopes future postgraduate participants will continue the tradition of giving back. “Advanced degrees, including MBAs, are not only about personal success, but we also have a greater responsibility to give back to the society.  We would like to encourage future postgraduate participants to give back to the school in their own innovative ways,” added Derek.

NBS PMBA Class of 2020 

On behalf of NBS, we would like to thank PMBA Class of 2020 for their contribution and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours.