Good afternoon,
My name is Tan Mei Chen. Today is a day of great celebration. It is an absolute honour and privilege to be given a chance and be the first person to deliver this valedictory speech. Before I begin, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the graduands for reaching this significant milestone in your lives.
First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge the incredible dedication and hard work that brought us to this moment. Many of us juggled full-time jobs, families, and various other commitments while pursuing our education. I still remember one of my classmates attending the virtual class while he was still working and many of them attended the class in their office after their working hours. It was not easy to decide to take up this diploma, I have been postponing this goal in my “To-Do-List” since 2021. Finally, I can strike through this goal after 2 years of considering.
I graduated with a Bachelor Degree of Nutrition Science in 2011. Many of my colleagues, coursemates and friends are still wondering why I chose the Diploma in Procurement and Supply Management (DPSM) from SIPMM. This is because throughout my 10-year career path, my superior has given me a lot of opportunities to take up more responsibilities and one of positions is working as a Buyer and leading the Buyer Team, although I do not have any background in Procurement or Purchasing. As the old saying goes, “Never try never know”, so I’ve accepted the role, but I realised sometimes I need training and references from professionals that can guide me further to improve my strategic thinking and planning. Thus, this is the reason why I am here today.
It has been especially challenging, exhausting and overwhelming throughout this 6-month studies journey. Many of us sacrificed family time to attend classes twice a week during the first term and I still remember wrist muscle pain after completed the 3 hours of first-term exam. In term 2, we worked hard to prepare the weekly research project during weekend, trying our best to study the “Bible” provided by Prof Philip Poh, read the details line by line, digest comments from Prof, sharing opinions via our WhatsApp Study Group and helping each other to improve the report so that we can submit the report by end of Sunday 2359 to meet the required timeline.
On behalf of graduating cohort of the 2023 Diploma in Procurement and Supply Management, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you and deepest gratitude to Prof Philip Poh, Mr. Alex Loo and Mr. Choo for their profound guidance throughout this educational journey. Your knowledge, mentorship, and unwavering support have been the guiding light that has led us to this moment. We couldn’t have done it without you. Your commitment to our success has been the driving force behind our achievements, and we are forever thankful for the valuable lessons you’ve imparted.
I want to take this opportunity to thank my husband, Kenny and my family, who supported me throughout this course duration and my employer who always trusted me and offered flexibility to adjust the working hours for me to attend this course.
Lastly, I will end this speech by sharing one of my favourite quote from Dalai Lama, “Despite difficulties, always keep optimism. ‘I can overcome these difficulties.’ That mental attitude itself will bring inner strength and self-confidence.” So everyone, let’s keep learning, keep growing, and keep inspiring those around you. Thank you and best of luck in your future endeavors!
Congratulations once again, graduates! Thank you.