Darrell Lua

Discover SIM GE Darrell Lua’s dreams turned into reality when he was offered a scholarship to pursue his Master’s studies in Finance and Private Equity at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).The LSE Khattar scholarship which he was offered is in affiliation with Saw Swee Hock South East Asia Centre and is annually awarded to only three students from South East Asian countries. His journey to fulfil this dream began when he enrolled in SIM GE’s University of London (UOL)  Diploma in Economics* programme followed by the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Accounting and Finance programme. “I knew I wanted to do a postgraduate at the LSE because on top of its global reputation, LSE is simply one of the best schools around for a course on finance and private equity. I also wanted to take up programmes recognised by the LSE and there were simply no better choices than UOL programmes,” Darrell said. The programmes which he took up in SIM GE armed him with the right skillsets for the future. “The UOL programmes were undeniably one of the most challenging. However, if any student aims to excel in their desired field in the future, then there is no better place to develop their skillsets. With the guidance of the lecturers who are some of the best in the industry, I was able to gain a lot of practical skills that will be useful when I step into the workforce,” he added. Strong Bonds Of Friendship Darrell’s time in SIM GE proved to be meaningful for him. Apart from excelling academically, earning a first class honours degree, Darrell was also able to foster strong bonds of friendship between his schoolmates and lecturers. “I recall the many group discussions I had with my circle of friends. Through such debates and discussions over difficult concepts taught, I was able to understand subjects better and apply concepts where needed. “I will always remember these meaningful friendships that were formed in and out of the classrooms. Friends are for a lifetime, love them, understand them, and appreciate them. Besides your family, they are the ones that will be there for you when you need them,” Darrell shared. Darrell pictured with his friends in SIM GE. Caring For Community Darrell also takes time to contribute to the community. He has taken part in many flagship events to inspire teenagers and has availed himself to help the needy by volunteering his services and organising events for them. He also takes part in ‘meet-the-people’ sessions as a Young People’s Action Party (PAP) member where he listens attentively to residents’ problems and seeks out solutions to help them. “Learning to understand the problems of others helps to further develop my thinking process and helps me see different perspectives of others' lives. While my task may seem simple, this little help that they get is worth a lot to them,” he said. Darrell is currently pursuing his master’s degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Even as he continues to pursue his studies overseas, Darrell has bigger dreams for the future. He hopes to work in merger & acquisition (M&A) in an investment bank and to further progress in his career at a private equity firm. Darrell also aims to start a social enterprise someday as he strongly believes that every individual in society deserves a chance, regardless of their social class and background. “No matter who you are, where you come from, you deserve an equal chance to shine in this world of ours,” he said.   *The Diploma in Economics programme which was offered from 1988 to 2015 has been replaced with the Certificate of Higher Education in Social Sciences programme which will be launched in the 2016-17 academic year. Check out the University of London’s programmes offered at SIM Global Education. Posted online, 19 September 2016