Sharing from Our Scholars

The Cambridge years were a life-changing chapter. A teenage girl born and raised in Hong Kong was exposed to intensive, world-class intellectual stimulation – emerging from freshers’ confidence crisis with an inspired, independent mind. I met extraordinary people and made some of my best friends. Those days feel surreal now. My dream was made possible thanks to the Prince Philip Scholarship.

After Cambridge, I trained as a solicitor at Allen & Overy, and have now worked in the Government for over a decade in legislative drafting. I am honoured to be serving the people of Hong Kong. In a similar spirit, it is my privilege to be on the Executive Committee of The Friends – to give back what I can, to help deserving students experience their own unique chapters at Cambridge. In my remaining free time, I pursue weekend farming, among other interests.

Elaine read Law at Cambridge and is currently Senior Government Counsel in the Law Drafting Division at the Department of Justice, HKSAR Government.

Thanks to the Prince Philip Scholarship, I spent three wonderful undergraduate years at Cambridge, where the solid foundation of my scientific career was laid. Through its challenging curricula and eye-opening activities, Cambridge exposed me to the depth and breadth of scholarly pursuits. Cambridge’s undergraduate ‘supervisions’ (weekly small group tutorials) enabled doctoral students and faculty to give each undergraduate their attention and to engage them individually. I was given ample opportunities to ask questions and be drilled. The weekly essay questions trained me in both scientific thinking and writing, and prepared me well for my subsequent graduate school education. I met many wonderful friends in Cambridge, whose companion and moral support brought me great joy and comfort in times. I am grateful to the Friends of Cambridge University in Hong Kong for their generosity. The scholarship was literally a gift that changed the course of my life.

Isaac is currently Associate Professor of Epidemiology, at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia, USA.

Coming from a modest background, I was supported by the Prince Philip Scholarship to read Social and Political Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge.  This experience has an immense impact on my career, learning process, and attitude.  I am forever grateful for this opportunity.

Cambridge opened doors.  Had I not gone to Cambridge, I would not have been exposed to many options.  After attending presentations from city firms and interning in London, I decided to go into business.

Supervisions in Cambridge strengthened my analytical skills.  I learnt how to build linkages and spot implications from a large pool of information.  This learning process has been extremely useful in my management consulting career, as well as in handling critical life decisions.

I learned to believe in myself and to take risks.  After becoming a mother, I have been passionate about teaching Chinese to the children in the UK.  To realise my aspiration, I co-founded Little Bunnies Mandarin LLP, while pursuing my management consulting career.   In four years, it has grown from one class in a local library to nearly 20 classes across London, enabling children from one to twelve  years-old to learn Chinese in a fun and engaging way.

Stay open-minded and make the best of your Cambridge experience!

Karen is currently ‘Commercial Manager of Bain London & CEO of Little Bunnies Mandarin.

It was three decades ago that I matriculated in Robinson College. Thanks to the Prince Philip Scholarship, I was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study Medicine at Cambridge. But it was not only the education I received that defined my time there. Let’s not forget the lifelong friendships that were forged, exposure to English culture, language and humour, the laughter, the somber moments and the numerous incidents which could only have happened there. My sons have probably heard me on more than one occasion describing the time I met Professor Stephen Hawking in the garden of Robinson College. Or the time I was sitting across from a man who was reading A Brief History of Time in a barber shop just moments before Professor Hawking himself appeared there in his wheelchair. Then there were the gloomy days of June 1989. We cherish our memories of this beautiful place for our own personal reasons, and for me they were some of the best memories of all.

Dr Alex Hui Yui is a Specialist in Gastroenterology and Hepatology in private practice in Hong Kong.

Life encompasses an extended intellectual journey.  For me and many others, Cambridge is where that journey makes a brand new beginning.  Its intense academic setting, great diversity, and a healthy dose of peer pressure have all helped nurture us into truly independent minds.  Going to Cambridge to do my BA was no doubt a life changing event, made possible only with a full scholarship award.  After working for four years post-graduation, I felt the urge again to return to Cambridge to do my PhD.  Gratefully, this second stretch of Cambridge immersion enriched my appreciation of life and I left with a humble and loving heart.  Through multiple career changes and other twists in life, my journey as a modest intellectual continues.

Louis is the (founding) CEO of Boyu Capital.