Graduate Studies Blog
Sam Mara, Cambodian, Chief of Section, National Bank of Cambodia
I personally value something that can change a person!
Back to the time when I was working at the National Bank of Cambodia, I could well accomplish all the tasks with which I had experiences for years. However, since new jobs had dramatically arisen I found myself not capable enough challenging with them. The short-term trainings were just not enough. I was in a lot of stress and felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. I then realised that everything had changed, and I also needed to change myself! With the strong support from my family especially my husband, I decided to pursue my graduate study. I chose not to focus on a specific major such as Finance, Economics, or Public Policy like my colleagues did, but MBA which I believed could give me broader knowledge and not just limited to technical skill such as Finance, Economics, and Policy but also leadership skills that I would need to strengthen my career path. More than that, the location was an important consideration where I could stay close with my family especially my supportive husband and two little sons. Eventually, Nanyang Fellows MBA at Nanyang Business School in NTU was my choice.
The whole Nanyang Fellows MBA experience was beyond my expectations. The programme equipped me and other Fellows with technical skills such as Accounting, Economics, and Finance found in most, if not all MBA programmes. More than that, modules such as cultural intelligence (CQ), developing strategic capabilities, and global-level leadership were also offered that was very important in this globalisation era. What was most important for me was that the programme provided me with international exposure that changed my single-cultural lens to a multi-cultural one. There were 9 nationalities in my class, not just from Asian countries, but also European countries one which was a good direct application of CQ that I had learned.
The business study mission which was conducted in Barcelona this year and the residential programme in the three universities in US for a month added more values to my global capacity development. However, the programme cannot be achieved without its strong backbone! The programme’s rigorous curriculum and our highly experienced faculty further developed my analytical and critical thinking skills. With the abundance of readily available resources and the many libraries in NTU, I gained a new hobby, which is reading! This was something that was really unexpected! There were many seminars and networking events which gave me opportunities to break out of my social comfort zone and I started to recognise its importance when I get to know many people.
I hope sharing my journey would serve as encouragement, particularly to women who wish to have this invaluable opportunity. Complacency is the obstacle of self-development. Be courageous to step out of your comfort zone and make yourself great not only for the sake of yourself but also for your children and the next generations through being their role models!
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