A fine example – new scholarship in memory of alumnus Dr Ong Chit Chung to support outstanding FASS students

13 March 2009

The late Dr Ong Chit Chung in his NUS office in 1978 when he was teaching history at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

A well-known Member of Parliament (MP) for 20 years, respected community leader and lecturer in military history who published several articles and a book on the subject, the late Dr Ong Chit Chung (’72) was an exemplary alumnus of NUS in many ways. Hundreds of Singaporeans turned up to pay their last respects at his wake, when he passed away suddenly at the age of 59 in July 2008.

Himself a beneficiary of scholarships, Dr Ong cared deeply for and contributed to the cause of education. To honour his legacy, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) - where Dr Ong studied and taught - has launched the Ong Chit Chung Memorial Scholarship Fund to support and reward talented FASS students.

The Scholarship will cover the tuition fees for undergraduate study and also provide an allowance. The Faculty hopes to raise S$500,000 in the next three years for the endowed Fund. With the prevailing 1-for-1 government matching grant, the total Fund size is expected to be S$1 million. Up to six FASS students stand to receive the Scholarship every year.

Thanks to generous supporters and well-wishers, the Fund has already received S$103,500 in gifts since its launch in December 2008.

Honour the memory of Dr Ong Chit Chung by making an online gift now to support bright undergraduates at FASS.

Did you study with Dr Ong at NUS or was he your lecturer when you were an NUS student? We would like to hear from you! Email your personal reminiscences to givingmatters@nus.edu.sg.