Jockey Club boosts scholarship to meet new academic structure

03/05/2013

To complement the new academic structure for senior secondary and higher education, the second phase of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarship Scheme starting from the current academic year 2012/13 will run for a period of five years.  Three Scholarships will be awarded to local students and one to a Mainland student for each of the Hong Kong’s eight UGC-funded tertiary institutions and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.  The Scholarship will cover the students’ four years of academic and living expenses.  To date, the Club’s total contribution amounts to almost HK$200 million.

The achievements of 25 outstanding students who most recently graduated were celebrated last night (4 March) at a Graduation Dinner hosted by the Club.  Attendees included Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson, Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (HKPC & SAPD) President Dr York Chow, Club Steward Philip N L Chen; representatives from nine tertiary institutions, as well as families and friends of the Scholars.

Mr Stevenson announced the launch of the second phase to benefit more students. “In the second phase, we will increase the number of students from three to four for each of our nine partner tertiary institutions. In addition, to tie in with the new four-year curriculum for undergraduate study, each Scholarship will cover four years instead of the existing three. This will bring the Club’s total financial commitment to nearly HK$200 million and we are confident that the next five years of the Scheme will produce further outstanding young Scholars.”

This year's guest speaker, Dr York Chow noted that the younger generation today had a much better footing in life and encouraged the Scholars to treasure what they had and continue to develop themselves. He believed that the second phase of the Scholarship Scheme would nurture many more future leaders for Hong Kong.

The 25 Scholars who graduated this year from the nine tertiary institutions included 9 from the Mainland.  Three of the Scholars, Li Sum Yuet, Sam Yip and Chartina Jia shared their thoughts and experiences.

After graduating from Jockey Club Ti-I College, Sum Yuet set her sights on a career in the movie industry, enrolling in the School of Creative Media at The City University of Hong Kong. “To make my movie dreams come true, I wrote on my application form for the Jockey Club Scholarship that I needed money to make a movie for my graduation project,” she recalled. Her short film The Sleeping Paint was showcased at the 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival, while Flowers with Aphasia won the Best Film (Open Division) in Fresh Wave 2012 International Short Film Festival. She is currently a trainee scriptwriter for renowned film director Fruit Chan.

Hong Kong Polytechnic University Nursing graduate Sam Yip had vowed to become a nurse to help the needy after his father was diagnosed with cancer when he was in secondary school. “The Jockey Club Scholarship has helped alleviate my family’s hardship and allowed me to pursue my dream to become a nurse. I have also had a chance to contribute to society through the Jockey Club Scholars Alumni Association,” Sam said. “I have organised activities such as Music and Health Day, Campus Visit Programme for the elderly and students and learnt a lot through the process.” Sam is currently a nurse at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Becoming an English teacher was quite an achievement for Guangzhou born Chartina Jia, as she only started to learn English when she was in primary 4. A zealous learner, she was admitted to The Hong Kong Institute of Education and won the Jockey Club Scholarship to pursue her dream to become a teacher. “As an English teacher, not only must my English be good, but also my ability to teach my students what I’ve encountered. The Scholarship allowed me to gain extraordinary experiences, through doing an exchange at York University in Toronto, working as a volunteer and building roads for kangaroos in Australia, and joining The Global Citizenship Programme at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where I got to meet and learn from world leaders.” Chartina is now working for Diocesan Boys' School as an English teacher.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarship Scheme was established in 1998. Scholars are chosen by their respective tertiary institutions on the basis of outstanding academic ability as well as their community service record and other talents. Renewal of the Scholarship will be subject to the student’s satisfactory performance.  So far, 343 students have been awarded Scholarships, of whom 108 are from the Mainland. 

To date, 281 Scholars have graduated and taken up their chosen careers or further studies.  These Scholars share the Club’s philanthropic values and its desire to serve as a Force for Good in society, and have become actively involved in community services through The Jockey Club Scholars Alumni Association.

For more information on The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarship Scheme, please visit: http://charities.hkjc.com/charities/creating-possibilities/english/related-projects/projects/hkjc-scholarship.aspx

About the Jockey Club Scholars Alumni Association

Launched in 2002 with the Club’s support, and officially inaugurated in 2004, the Alumni Association aims to build a strong network of Scholars who can make good use of their diverse backgrounds and expertise to serve the community. The Association has organised a number of community service projects for elderly people, secondary school students, single-parent families, at-risk youth, young new arrivals and children with disabilities. The Club believes the Scholars’ enthusiasm helps promote the spirit of volunteerism, philanthropy and commitment to the community.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not only one of the world's leading horse racing organisations but also a world top 15 charitable organisation and Hong Kong’s largest community contributor, donating HK$1.7 billion in 2012. It is also a major taxpayer, Hong Kong's single largest by far, generating over HK$16 billion a year for public funds. The Club pioneers technology applications for sporting and betting entertainment, striving for the highest levels of customer service. As a membership club, it is recognised as one of Asia’s most prestigious, with more than 23,000 members. These multifaceted roles make it a well-respected and remarkable organisation, dedicated to its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Hong Kong people.