KUALA LUMPUR - Benedick Adam Jawan, 21, was willing to work tirelessly at a plywood packaging factory in Bintulu, Sarawak, to save money for his tuition fees at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
The Diploma in Human Development graduate said that by working at the factory, he was able to fund his first semester fees at UPM Bintulu Campus (UPMKB).
"Earning a diploma isn’t easy, so I studied hard and even received the Tok Nan Chair scholarship. Although my mother is a housewife and my father is a lorry driver, I have shown everyone that hard work pays off.
"My parents are my inspiration. My motivation is if others can do it, so can I. Achieving any goal requires overcoming many obstacles and challenges,” he said in a statement issued by UPM recently.
Coming from an underprivileged background, Benedick Adam is determined to change his family’s life and inspire his siblings.
"There are many ways to pursue higher education, but it depends on our own efforts. Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” he said.
The Tok Nan Chair scholarship initiative, established between UPMKB and the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Sarawak, directly supports local students' educational funding in the fields of Social Sciences and Humanities. - BERNAMA