Testimonials

My university experience was much more than just lectures and assignments. I was constantly challenged to get out of my comfort zone. One of my proudest accomplishments was being selected by INTI to participate in the 2015 World Business Forum on Leadership summit in Mexico City, which was a part of the Laureate Global Initiative. Not only did I get to represent INTI as a student representative, I was also one of three student broadcast anchors to be chosen from across 200 Laureate universities around the globe. I also had the opportunity to represent Malaysia at the Rotaract District Conference in the United States of America.

The exposure I was given in INTI developed me in many ways. After four years, I felt fully prepared to take on the biggest fear that many fresh graduates face – unemployment. Thankfully, my business degree from an American university opened up many doors for employment. I was able to be more selective of my future employers and decided on first class exposure by joining a good graduate programme. Together with the confidence I had developed during my time at the university, I successfully won a seat in the regional graduate program of a multinational IT corporation.

To make the most out of your university days, be daring and take risks. Make as many mistakes as you can now because you are young enough to get back on your feet. Although your time in a university may feel long, it will fly by without you realising it. The sooner you realise the importance of cultivating your passions and strengths, the more prepared you will be to face the hurdles ahead. the multinational IT corporation’s Leadership Award. No stranger to representing the country, Jake tells us how the opportunity to participate in several international conferences during his time in INTI helped him to raise his profile and boost his confidence.

I chose INTI’s American Degree Transfer Program because of its strong track record of transferring credits to partner universities in the US. Another major plus point of choosing INTI was that I had the flexibility to tailor my degree pathway and to study abroad for two years of my degree. That made my education more balanced and affordable without compromising on quality.

With INTI’s impeccable track record of producing quality graduates, I had no qualms about making it my stepping stone to a great career in the field of scientific research. Witnessing firsthand my grandmother’s suffering and eventually her passing due to a brain tumor, I made the firm decision to make it my personal goal to find a remedy for cancer, or at least to be part of the development for a cure for cancer that will help others suffering from the disease.

Through the guidance of my lecturers and faculty at INTI, I finally chose to specialize in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Genetics to kick start my journey into cancer research and development, and realized that the best place to obtain these qualifications was in the States. My final year at the university was more than amazing, to say the least. My grandmother was and always will be a great inspiration to me; her advice to always strive to be twice as good in whatever I do was my key motivating factor throughout my education.

Upon my graduation, I was offered a position as a Researcher at the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities, which is one of only two national cancer institutes which are designated as comprehensive cancer research centers in the State of Minnesota. I now work in a modern laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art mass spectrometry instrumentation to quantify ultra-trace levels of toxicant metabolites in people who have been exposed to tobacco smoke, and work directly under the supervision of an internationally renowned professor and expert in cancer. The opportunities I have received have been nothing short of amazing!

Leaders of today’s modern world must uphold certain admirable qualities such as critical thinking, learning agility and most importantly the ability to work well in a team. While consistent hard work and perseverance is a must, no one should sit around waiting to strike gold, as good luck tends to come to those who are most prepared!

Meanwhile, delivering responsibly, creatively and in a timely manner soon became my norm. At foundation level, I had the opportunity to co-create multiple successful events which I am immensely proud of. A common pattern with every accomplishment is that I always end up acquiring new set of skills that is not only limited to the syllabus. This means that practical learning gave me a sneak peak to real- life work situations. It gives me the sense that in INTI, not only is my knowledge enriched but I am also growing as a person.

The whole learning process triggers a communal bond amongst students as we are constantly encouraged to work together. This is how I found devoted friends who are willing to succeed and attain goals ‘together’.

As an international student, something notable about INTI are the lecturers. They are truly amiable, quick to guide and displays diversity in their teaching styles. Even in a class full of local students, I was assured that I wasn’t any different from the rest. The result was an even more comfortable learning environment.

After completing foundation in arts, I am now doing Bachelor of Mass Communication. I realize that everything I learnt in foundation was a stepping stone. Without it, I might as well be very clueless today. I can easily identify and relate theories, and expand the methods I used in foundation to complete assignments even further.

I chose to join INTI because of its reputation as one of the best local colleges with one of the highest graduate employability rates. My lecturer from my previous colleges was also instrumental in encouraging me to take up this course and to explore the job opportunities pursuing this course could open up for me. With a strong paper qualification, I was able to secure a job with the Singapore Civil Service quite quickly, so I’m really glad I made the right choice from the start!

I learned so many things at INTI, even outside of the classroom. Spending time with my friends helped me realise that we can learn new things by observing the actions of others. My mentors at colleges gave me many useful pointers on what is the best and worst way to handle a problem. One of the most important things I learnt at INTI was the importance of time management, whether by being punctual to classes or meeting deadlines for assignments.

By overcoming the problems and challenges I faced in my college projects, I learned that success is more than just achieving broad goals and big objectives. It means knowing how to minimize the wastage of input, to reduce the unproductive use of scarce resources and to consider all the factors of production, to be mindful of cost overruns and to be aware of the consequences from a failure to meet deadlines. All these experiences provided me with a learning curve that helped me to excel at my current job.

My advice to students who are about to enter the working world is to have Integrity, commitment, and to adopt the correct mindset. One of the biggest global issues facing businesses today is the lack of honesty and integrity in business conduct. Learn what it takes to always do the right things, and not just doing things right.