Advice from scholarship winner
Congratulations to Louis Martin, who has won the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia to complete his workplace experience at Asiawide Print Holdings in Singapore. Louis is a Bachelor of Business Student majoring in international business.
We caught up with Louis to ask him about winning the scholarship.
What does winning the scholarship mean to you?
It really means a lot to me because I honestly never associated myself with scholarships. I’ve never applied for one before so this is really a rewarding feeling because I really did give my all in my application.
This achievement has come in a really interesting time in my life too. I think during university you learn a lot about who you are, what you want, and how capable you are. I was in a weird space in life where I was too reliant on friends. Shifting my energy and focusing on myself resulted in applying for the scholarship.
Quite cliché, but I was always doubting myself and had gotten comfortable not striving for anything I thought was out of my reach because I feared failure. Winning the scholarship was an uplifting reminder that the only limits that exist are the ones you place upon yourself in your mind.
How are you going to make the most of this opportunity?
I’ve mentally prepped myself to be open to everything and anything. I have some measurable goals written down to make sure I utilise my time abroad well. For example, by the first month I plan to make 10 new contacts and to visit a location of historic importance to Singapore. By month two, double the networking and explore another Singaporean marvel such as their famous Gardens by the Bay.
I’ve subscribed to a few Singapore expat guides and plan on attending some of their upcoming events. Besides making the most of my work experience, I definitely hope to make some lifelong friends here. I think that would make this experience much more meaningful.
What are you most looking forward to during your exchange programme?
I’m looking forward to the exposure to international business in a corporate environment. I’ve been studying international business, so to be able to apply what I’ve learnt in a real business setting will be exciting. I managed to land a role with regional work, so there will be a bit of travelling involved. I’m very keen to experience different types of business cultures.
My goal from the start of university was to study or work abroad, so to know that through the turbulence of university and personal life I’ve still managed to keep to this one goal is probably my biggest achievement.
About the scholarship
The Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia (PMSA) is a programme funded by the New Zealand government and administered by Education New Zealand.
For individuals on internship, the scholarship covers return economy airfares, contribution towards living and accommodations costs, medical/travel insurance, and visa and/or vaccine fees.
Read more about the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia on the Education New Zealand website.