Saturday December 8, 2007

Jeanne is OUM's second chancellor

Prime Minister's wife, Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah was appointed chancellor of Open University Malaysia (OUM) at the university’s fifth convocation.

As the university’s second chancellor, she follows in the footsteps of the late Datin Seri Paduka Endon Mahmood who was the university’s first chancellor.

Jeanne encouraged the graduates to contribute to the country in her speech during the convocation.

“I call upon the graduates of Dec 2007 to serve our country well, with integrity and professionalism. It is now time to give back to society,” she said during the ceremony Saturday.

She also gave them a reminder to persevere, a lesson she learnt from her mother who died 20 years ago.

“She taught me never to give up hope and to always pray as good things and opportunities come by as long as you continue to seek for it,” she said.

Over 600 graduates from four different faculties, many of whom are mature students, received their certificates during the ceremony.

Mature student Nor Azlin Othman, 33, overcame challenges of working, raising a family and being unable to walk much because of a tumour to achieve a Bachelor of Information Technology with honours.

“I had to divide my time between teaching, learning and taking care for my family and sometimes I studied till 3am in the morning,” she said.

The secondary school teacher and mother of four received her scroll on stage with the aid of a friend and a walking support stick.

News Poll

Latest from StarProperty