Engineering with Heart
Engineering with Heart: How Financial Aid Helped Jia’En Grow, Give Back and Dream Bigger
For Jia’En, a Year 3 undergraduate in Information Engineering and Media (IEM) at NTU’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), studying engineering has always been about more than just numbers and circuits.
“I chose NTU EEE as it was the only school that offered IEM within Singapore. As someone who enjoys working with numbers but also has a strong interest in the arts, I was really drawn to how engineering could intersect with the arts, media and design,” she said. “Although I find electrical concepts fascinating, I didn’t want to be limited to purely technical work. Thus, IEM felt like the perfect blend of creativity and engineering for me.”
The School’s strong reputation and vibrant community also helped shape her decision. “I was attracted by how vibrant the school community is, with the various clubs and CCAs that provided opportunities to apply what I learn beyond the classroom to real, hands-on experiences before entering the workforce.”
Exploring Student Life and Leadership
Since joining NTU EEE, Jia’En has been actively involved in the student community. As Student Life Director of the EEE Club, she helped plan social events such as Exam Welfare and EEE Week to give students a break from academic life. Currently, she serves as the Honorary Financial Secretary for the Club, where she uses her skills to better serve the community and foster closer ties among student bodies.
Beyond the Club, Jia’En led an Overseas Volunteering Trip under EEE LEAD, where her team installed electrical lights and fans for underprivileged villages in Laos. She has also participated in clubs such as MLDA and Outreach, where she helped promote EEE to prospective students during Open House events and school camps.
One of her proudest moments was the successful planning of SSSocial ConnEEEct, a networking event between EEE and the School of Social Sciences. “Through the sleepless nights and continuous support from my peers around me, I was thrilled when the event went off without a hitch,” she said. “Seeing the happy faces and the fun the students had while making new friends across the different schools made the arduous planning worthwhile.”
A Supportive Community
What inspires Jia’En most within NTU EEE is the strong sense of camaraderie among students. “Although we often joke that EEE is ‘killing us’, I think it is nice to see how everyone supports one another during midterms or finals,” she shared. “Even when I didn’t do well on a quiz, walking into iHub and hearing five other students complain about the same question somehow makes me feel better every time.”
A Helping Hand that Makes a Difference
Jia’En is a recipient of the Higher Education Tier 1 Bursary. “As my family income fluctuates from month to month, receiving this bursary helped me to be able to better plan out my finances with certainty,” she said. “It allowed me to focus more on my studies without constantly nitpicking at my expenses.”
“Beyond the financial help, it motivated me to use this opportunity to make the most out of my university life in NTU, to constantly engage with new foreign opportunities and contribute back to the EEE community.”