Aimee Xiao

Discover SIM GE Aimee Xiao seized the opportunity to make every moment count during her time in SIM GE. Beneath her gentle and soft-spoken demeanour is a strong character and a steely resolve to succeed. These qualities make Aimee Xiao shine like a gem. When she first came to Singapore from Canada to take up the SIM-RMIT Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) programme, Aimee was a shy and reserved person. But that didn’t stop her from pushing beyond her comfort zone to make new friends. She decided to take part in CCAs and student activities to expand her social circle. “I felt that I wanted to make some change and be more active. I like to challenge myself and if I didn’t take the first step to join a CCA, there’ll be nothing much to recall from university life and I won’t have many special memories to take with me,“ said Aimee. Aimee became more outgoing through her participation in various activities in school. She volunteered to be a part of SIM’s Peer Mentorship Programme, a programme which helps international students to transit smoothly into life in SIM and Singapore. Aimee was also involved in tasks at the Student Recruitment Centre. As a student representative there, Aimee took part in campus tours and outreach programmes which aid new students in integrating into SIM. Aimee’s fervent desire to help students stems from the time when she first moved to Canada from China at the age of 12. “I understand the challenges that international students are faced with when they come to a new country. When I first arrived in Canada, I had to learn a new language and it was hard for me to adapt to a new culture, so I want to do my part to help these new students,” she shared. Despite having to juggle between different activities at school, Aimee never wavered in her commitment to her studies. Her strong will to succeed in all that she does proved to be an important factor in her academic success. Aimee attained outstanding results, topping her cohort. “Sometimes, it was difficult to manage between my activities and school assignments, so it was important for me to strike a balance and prioritise between my tasks. As long as you have the effort and the heart to learn, you’ll be able to succeed,“ she said. On the course which she undertook, Aimee believes that it has helped her gain a good grounding in accounting. “The specialised accounting curriculum (at RMIT) prepares me for the workforce and helps me advance to a professional accounting qualification that I might want to take up in the future.” Aimee is certain that she will look back on her university days with great fondness and cherish the memories of her time spent in SIM GE. She said: “Looking back, I am going to miss my university life. I believe that all my experiences have been worth it. Helping others is something that I enjoy doing and these are experiences that I will take with me for a lifetime.” Posted online, 6 September 2016