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Taking care of business

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Written by
Jerelee Ong

SIM-University of London first year BSc Business and Management student, Jerelee Ong, talks about struggles, scholarships and schedules.

SIM-University of London student Jerelee Ong

“Business meetings, Business trip, Business dinner” was a very commonly heard phrase as a child. As both of my parents run their own business, they were always busy. There would be days I would sit in the office with people rushing in and out of the meeting rooms. Watching that scene got me curious as to what they were doing. But what exactly is business? That is what I wanted to find out.  

As a child in Singapore, we all have to go through a specific educational structure laid out for us. From the moment we attend pre-school, the educational journey starts. When I started tertiary education, I was told that it was the last lap to my educational journey as attending a university was not compulsory. However, while I was at the polytechnic, I discovered there was more to learn! Also, this was when I realised there were many components which make up a business; Human Resource Management, Accounting, Marketing etcetera, which I would like to gain insights on. 

The University of London allows me to manage and choose my timetable in a way which works best with my schedule, enabling me to juggle my studies, sports and work.

I chose the Bachelor of Science in Business and Management to better understand the word “business”, from its many course offerings that could feed my curiosity about the subject. I hope that with this degree, I will open more doors for myself in the business world. The University of London allows me to manage and choose my timetable in a way which works best with my schedule, enabling me to juggle my studies, sports and work.

The Sports and Artistic Talent Scholarship offered by SIM Global Education is awarded to athletes who possess impressive track records in sports, or to those who have outstanding artistic talent. I am honoured to be a SIM scholar as I play floorball in the Singapore team.

Being an athlete has not been easy, especially since I had an existing knee injury which required surgery. Knowing that the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games was due in 2019, I was very disciplined and focused while recovering. It took months of physiotherapy and rehabilitation before I could start jogging and eventually be given the all-clear for the trials. Interestingly, the recovery process was not only physically tiring, it was mentally draining as well.

There were days when I felt like giving up; my family and friends kept me going and for that I am thankful. Singapore was the defending champion back in the 2015 SEA Games (floorball was not featured in the 2017 SEA Games), hence there was a lot of pressure to perform and meet expectations. The many struggles – both individually and as a team – were finally overcame, and the greatest takeaway was clinching the gold medal at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.

Juggling multiple commitments is tough, so one must always be disciplined and focused to achieve the best results possible, whether it is in sports or studies. For me, my family and friends have been important as they have provided me with their unwavering support. 

I am grateful for this act of generosity, to be selected as a recipient of this SIM sports scholarship. The recognition and honour will allow me to expand my knowledge and better prepare me for what is to come in the future, even in my post-athletic years. I look forward to a future of possibilities and fulfilment.

  • Jerelee Ong is a first year student in the SIM-University of London Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Business and Management programme who was recently presented with a SIM Sports and Artistic Talent Scholarship for floorball.

This page was last updated on 14 December 2021