UTAR Alumni

OCTOBER 2013

Jessica: I believe in UTAR

JESSICA THEVAMALAR A/P RUMMY @ HENRY

Bachelor of Arts (Hons) English Language, March 2013

I started drawing and colouring at the tender age of three when my parents enrolled my siblings and me in a local art academy. As years went by, my painting skills improved and in 1995, when I was eight, I had my painting exhibited in an art exhibition. I still enjoy painting today and hope to pursue a short summer course in the birth place of the famous Leonardo da Vinci - Italy.

Besides drawing and painting, the ancient art of Chinese calligraphy and Chinese painting had also appealed to me. And I acquired some Chinese calligraphy skills during my six-year primary education in a Chinese vernacular school. There I was exposed to Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia and I developed skills in these languages naturally. English has always been the medium of communication at home and so does my mother tongue Tamil. Therefore, as many other Malaysians out there, I pass as a multilingual as well!

Apart from the less vigorous hobby of reading, I also enjoy outdoor sports. I used to play netball, basketball and love volleyball the most. My immense love for visual arts equals my passion for performing arts. Believing that no one is too old to learn, I started learning to play the violin in 2011. Though still a beginner today, I do hope that one day I will touch people around me with my music as the sound of violin can stir one's heart. Besides music, throughout my undergraduate days, I participated in dance workshops that the Dance Club organised and had learnt basic tango, contemporary dances and ballet and am enjoying them.

In 2012, I actively participated in the Toastmasters-style public speaking activities that my class organised and won numerous awards including best evaluator. After completing my studies in UTAR in January 2013, I went backpacking solo across Sarawak. I mingled with the locals and gained many valuable experiences.

I was in the Dean's list twice and in two consecutive trimesters. For industry placement, I was selected as an intern with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The selection process by this international body was very competitive. I firmly believe that I was selected because of my accomplishments and relevant experiences I had acquired in UTAR. I managed to ace through the internship.

While in UTAR, I took up the French classes at CEE and completed level 2. I will continue to learn to improve my fluency in the language. I also took up many soft skills courses to fulfil the requirements of this component and it had definitely enriched me in many ways. As an avid Chinese calligraphy and painting enthusiast, I was fortunate to have had lessons for a master who came to UTAR to tutor students the ancient arts. It was a great learning experience for me and I was thrilled when my work was exhibited during the UTAR 10^th anniversary celebration.

I believe in UTAR because it was where I found my friends for life who had taught me the many angles to look at life and much about the hardships we face in life. All these unique experiences I had definitely distinguish me from graduates of other universities.

For me, there were no secrets to success, because I did not spend time memorising notes as I don't believe in studying the hard way. Instead I spent time discussing assignments with my group-mates and applying the theories in project papers. Believe it or not, when you discuss theories and concepts with your friends, you will find yourself being flooded with many new ideas. In my case, I was fortunate to have a bunch of overly creative and crazy comrades who continue to fascinate me with their thoughts until today! This technique of sharing had helped me to learn more in-depth and enrich myself academically.

I do have plans for the future but at this moment I would rather take a slow pace in choosing my career path. Four years ago when I entered UTAR, I knew I had made the right decision for my education. Therefore, I am going to apply the same careful approach in deciding for my future studies and career. But one thing is for sure, I am very passionate about language, arts and humanitarian aids. I will definitely indulge myself in humanitarian and community development sectors. I want to be in a career that will allow me to contribute limitlessly to benefit the underprivileged around the world. My ultimate aim is to give, help and hopefully change others' lives of for better, even in the smallest way.

My advice to current UTAR students is to study courses and learn things that truly appeal to you. Never follow trends or jump onto the bandwagon just because you want to look cool and glamorous. Everyone has their own talents and strengths; therefore if you think that you can do well in a particular field then go ahead with it.

I would like to thank my parents who supported me when I decided to study language and linguistics as they know that is my true passion. My degree, my achievements and my accomplishments are solely for them. My friends in UTAR are the best and I truly enjoyed their company in the past three years. They are definitely my friends for life. To my lecturers, the knowledge that they have given me is really valuable and I would not have successfully completed my degree studies without their concern and advice. So, my big heartiest thanks to them as well.

Jessica and fellow graduates during UTAR March 2013 convocation in Perak Campus