Yugeswari D/O Murugesan
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Forging her own path
Yugeswari D/O Murugesan is a 2nd year undergraduate in the School of Accountancy at the Singapore Management University and a Quantedge Foundation Scholar since 2018. She intends to major in data analytics and extend her knowledge and experience in Accounting. She enjoys interacting with people through volunteer and community work, listening to music and watching horror movies. |
Tell us more about your journey from ITE to University.
Although I had achieved the required points in my ‘N’ levels to qualify for ‘O’ levels in Secondary Four, I took my teacher’s advice to pursue Higher Nitec in Accountancy as a safer but longer route towards my desired course at Poly.
Some people have said that the acronym “ITE” stands for “It’s the end”, implying that students who enrol in these institutions are without a future, with poor peer influence and low motivation to do well in school. My relatives and friends also questioned my decision to go to ITE.
For me, ITE was a turning point in my life. I am thankful for my Year 1 ITE lecturer, Ms Devaki Kannan with whom I still keep in contact. Firm and consistent in rewarding good behaviour and penalising bad behaviour, she kept us focused on our studies throughout our ITE journey and helped many of us to achieve our goal of qualifying for Poly. I revised my subjects every day after school, clarified the doubts I had about lessons with my lecturers and attempted the practice papers given. These efforts paid off as I saw my results and overall GPA improve. It was a proud moment for my class at graduation when it was announced that close to half of the class (including me) would go on to Poly - the highest enrolment rate for our batch! Overall, ITE taught me to set goals and work to achieve them.
Some people have said that the acronym “ITE” stands for “It’s the end”, implying that students who enrol in these institutions are without a future, with poor peer influence and low motivation to do well in school. My relatives and friends also questioned my decision to go to ITE.
For me, ITE was a turning point in my life. I am thankful for my Year 1 ITE lecturer, Ms Devaki Kannan with whom I still keep in contact. Firm and consistent in rewarding good behaviour and penalising bad behaviour, she kept us focused on our studies throughout our ITE journey and helped many of us to achieve our goal of qualifying for Poly. I revised my subjects every day after school, clarified the doubts I had about lessons with my lecturers and attempted the practice papers given. These efforts paid off as I saw my results and overall GPA improve. It was a proud moment for my class at graduation when it was announced that close to half of the class (including me) would go on to Poly - the highest enrolment rate for our batch! Overall, ITE taught me to set goals and work to achieve them.
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I carried forward the positive attitude that I cultivated in ITE to Poly. I continued to revise the lessons taught every day and complete all assignments from the lecturers. The new lecture-tutorial format at Poly trained me to be more adaptable, as one topic was taught in a lesson followed by a tutorial class the following week. I also became a more independent learner who could self-study and seek clarifications where needed. On hindsight, the skills and experience in Poly prepared me well for the interactive pedagogy at SMU and for my internship.
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“… I am glad that I followed my heart and do not regret the path I have taken."
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Although my peers from secondary school are now a year ahead of me, I am glad that I followed my heart and do not regret the path I have taken. At a volunteer orientation workshop for the Nurture Programme, I met my secondary school teacher who is now a school counsellor. After hearing about my years since graduating from secondary school, she invited me to share about my journey from ITE to university to motivate the students in my alma mater. I am looking forward to this wonderful opportunity to dispel common misconceptions about ITE students!
Imagine yourself in three years. What difference do you hope to see in yourself?
I hope to become a more self-confident individual. I realise that I get nervous easily when presenting to a large group, and often keep my opinions or suggestions to myself for fear of being judged or rejected.
SMU has been a good platform to build my confidence in public speaking. I make it a point to attempt answering questions raised or to pose questions in every class. This will help me build my confidence each time I contribute a correct answer. I also set aside time to practise my presentations and adopt practical strategies like arriving early to give myself time to set up and settle in for the presentation, taking deep breaths and smiling more to reduce anxiety.
SMU has been a good platform to build my confidence in public speaking. I make it a point to attempt answering questions raised or to pose questions in every class. This will help me build my confidence each time I contribute a correct answer. I also set aside time to practise my presentations and adopt practical strategies like arriving early to give myself time to set up and settle in for the presentation, taking deep breaths and smiling more to reduce anxiety.
“… to build my confidence in public speaking… I make it a point to attempt answering questions raised or to pose questions in every class… I also set aside time to practise my presentations and adopt practical strategies like arriving early to give myself time to set up and settle in for the presentation, taking deep breaths and smiling more to reduce anxiety.”
You have said that accountancy is your passion and you have plans to major in data analytics. Tell us more about your career goals.
The education path I have taken to date reflects the deep interest I have in accountancy. I first discovered my passion for accountancy when I took a subject on the Principles of Accounts in secondary school. My interest grew as I learnt about its relevance to every organisation in Singapore. Afterall, all companies, whether listed or non-listed, have to prepare financial statements for their external stakeholders or for internal consumption.
During my internship at the Ministry of Communications and Information, I saw my superiors picking up data analytics to upgrade their skills and perform their auditing duties better. My supervisor also shared with me some notes about data analytics. From them, I learnt about the importance of data analytics for the audit sector - how it enables the quick identification of risks and anomalies in large datasets, freeing up the auditors’ time to provide value-added services to help their clients manage risk. Companies that have adopted data analytics also often outperform their competitors in operational and financial aspects.
I was excited to learn that SMU is offering Accountancy students the option to pursue a second major in Accounting Data and Analytics from AY2019/2020 Term 1 onwards. I am eager to pursue this second major to prepare myself to contribute meaningfully to my future workplace.
During my internship at the Ministry of Communications and Information, I saw my superiors picking up data analytics to upgrade their skills and perform their auditing duties better. My supervisor also shared with me some notes about data analytics. From them, I learnt about the importance of data analytics for the audit sector - how it enables the quick identification of risks and anomalies in large datasets, freeing up the auditors’ time to provide value-added services to help their clients manage risk. Companies that have adopted data analytics also often outperform their competitors in operational and financial aspects.
I was excited to learn that SMU is offering Accountancy students the option to pursue a second major in Accounting Data and Analytics from AY2019/2020 Term 1 onwards. I am eager to pursue this second major to prepare myself to contribute meaningfully to my future workplace.
During your free time, you provide free tuition to two girls from a financially disadvantaged family. What has the experience taught you?
I gave free Tamil tuition to S, an acquaintance of mine who comes from a family of 8 and faces financial difficulties. Although it was challenging to find a common time to meet, I gave her Tamil lessons at least once a week during the school term, and dedicated most of my time during my summer breaks, teaching her vocabulary and proverbs that she could use in her oral and written examinations. My experience as a Tamil relief teacher at Boon Lay Garden Primary School came in handy – it taught me how to prepare lesson plans and strategies to activate the students’ prior knowledge. S completed her 'N' level examinations recently and felt confident acing her Tamil exam. The satisfaction I derived from helping her build her interest and confidence in Tamil language was great.
I also taught English to a toddler. While I initially struggled to get her attention as she was easily distracted, my sister, who completed a course in early childhood education, gave me useful tips to manage the lessons better. Through sensorial activities, storytelling and role-play with toys, I eventually succeeded in getting her interest during lesson time. I have learnt that teaching a toddler requires a lot of patience and time to bond with them and get their attention.
Overall, my tutoring experience has helped me to grow as a person. Watching the people I help grow also gives me immense pride.
I also taught English to a toddler. While I initially struggled to get her attention as she was easily distracted, my sister, who completed a course in early childhood education, gave me useful tips to manage the lessons better. Through sensorial activities, storytelling and role-play with toys, I eventually succeeded in getting her interest during lesson time. I have learnt that teaching a toddler requires a lot of patience and time to bond with them and get their attention.
Overall, my tutoring experience has helped me to grow as a person. Watching the people I help grow also gives me immense pride.
Who inspires you and why?
I am inspired by those who aim to achieve great things despite their unfortunate circumstances, be it managing tight finances, disabilities, illnesses or difficult family situations.
I have both met and read about people who have succeeded despite their personal or family challenges. These people often set clear and achievable goals, and work towards them with single-minded determination, without being influenced by others or distracted by other situations. They inspire me to stay positive no matter what life has in store for me.
I have both met and read about people who have succeeded despite their personal or family challenges. These people often set clear and achievable goals, and work towards them with single-minded determination, without being influenced by others or distracted by other situations. They inspire me to stay positive no matter what life has in store for me.
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I believe that the problems faced today are temporary and we should always not stop walking as good things will eventually happen. The education system in Singapore is indeed affordable as government and other organisations offer subsidies, education loans, bursaries and scholarships to provide financial support to students. No student is at a disadvantage to pursue their studies given their financial inability. Therefore, I am forever grateful to Quantedge Foundation for helping students like me with their tuition fees. My fellow QF scholars and I are stress-free about our tuition fees and we are able to dedicate most of our time to develop ourselves in SMU and to participate in various activities held in school or in external organisations.
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“…to stay positive no matter what life has in store for me… the problems faced today are temporary and we should always not stop walking as good things will eventually happen.”
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What advice and tips do you have for a new QF scholar on how to navigate the first semester in SMU?
"Life is full of opportunities. Yet, from time to time, it is not uncommon for one to encounter setbacks. We must be prepared for failure and view each one as a step closer to success."
Life is full of opportunities. Yet, from time to time, it is not uncommon for one to encounter setbacks. We must be prepared for failure and view each one as a step closer to success. Being in university is not just about the degree at the end of four years. It is a broader pursuit of education and life-long learning. Make the most of your university experience to develop yourselves into successful individuals. Beyond the classroom, take time to explore your interests and uncover talents you can showcase to the world, whether through internships or community service projects to put your skills and knowledge to practice.