Serving communities with a smile
Dorothy Teo is 2nd year undergraduate in the School of Accountancy at the Singapore Management University and a Quantedge Foundation Scholar since 2018. Dorothy intends to major in taxation and be a part of Singapore’s Accounting profession. She is passionate about travelling and wishes to visit Dubai one day. |
One skill set I would like to hone at SMU is in Human Resources, as I believe it is important to manage emotions and inter-personal conflicts at the workplace effectively. I hope to acquire good communication skills to express myself clearly, empathy to understand where people are coming from before making any judgement, as well as skills in negotiation and mediation. As I am someone who is often eager to get work done as soon as possible, I am also working at cultivating greater patience when working in teams and being deliberate in pausing to reflect on what is really important. |
"I believe it is important to manage emotions and inter-personal conflicts at the workplace effectively. I hope to acquire good communication skills to express myself clearly, empathy to understand where people are coming from before making any judgement, as well as skills in negotiation and mediation."
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"Community service takes me out of the rat race and allows me to take a break from all the hustle and bustle of the classroom."
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As part of the programme with Beyond Social Services for the GIC Sparks and Smiles Award I received in 2018, I mentored a Primary 5 boy. Over a period of 4 to 5 months, I built rapport with my mentee, providing guidance and encouraging him in his studies and personal life. I would meet him weekly to help him with his school assignments and we would occasionally go to Redhill Swimming Pool for a swim to relax. I also worked closely with Beyond’s staff to ensure that his (and his family’s) various needs are met. My experience as part of the GIC Sparks and Smiles programme made me realise that everyone has their own battles to fight, even at a very young age.
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You may feel overwhelmed initially, especially when you see how others are doing fine. Sometimes when you enter your class, you may see others appearing calm and knowledgeable – and you start to panic. Actually, everyone is panicking inside – it’s just a matter of how we each choose to portray ourselves.
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" I took one whole academic year to figure out SMU’s culture, and that is okay because everyone has a different journey to walk. Just because you are at Chapter 1 doesn’t mean that you will not reach your destination."
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