Sir John Monash Medal Recipients

A hearty congratulations to the four Sir John Monash medal recipients - Lim Ee, Tan En Yi, Lim Kee Kiat and Nicholas Choo!

An honour to the highest achievers at Monash University for both academic and extracurricular achievements, the medal proves that resilience, hard work and determination is always rewarded.

The four recipients received the award for their respective completion year. Lim Ee - Mechanical Engineering, 2019, Tan En Yi - Chemical Engineering, 2017, Lim Kee Kiat - Mechanical Engineering, 2014 and Nicholas Choo - Mechanical Engineering, 2012.

While maintaining their good grades academically, they also balanced an active involvement in their respective clubs and societies. Between serving a refugee community, being trained at a Muay Thai Club, representing the School of Engineering at an international conference in China, expanding the Engineering Without Borders Society, going on an intercampus exchange, organising various events as President of Engineers Australia Monash Sunway Student Section and even establishing the very first Monash Run back in 2012, they all gained significant experiences in their areas of interest.

They all agree that involvement in these various clubs and societies at Monash required tremendous discipline and excellent time management on their part. “It always helped to plan ahead and prioritise on what's important in order to manage my time accordingly,” said Lim Ee. Tan En Yi added that commitment and perseverance, along with an amazing group of peers, had helped her cope and always kept her motivated.

Tan En Yi, who currently works as a process monitoring and analysis engineer with ExxonMobil, said she felt honoured to receive the award. “It was a motivational boost that the work I had done and the cause I had contributed to were worthwhile. It also helped boost my self-esteem, giving me more confidence to speak up when I’m in a tight spot,” she said.

Lim Ee, who was not only actively involved in extracurricular activities, but also held significant positions in those clubs and societies, had a strict regime when it came to balancing his time. He held positions in four societies and participated in two competitions over his four-year period at Monash. “I usually spend my weekdays on extracurricular activities, assignments and engineering projects. Of course, involving myself in so many extracurricular activities came with a price. I had to spend all of my weekends in the library, studying and working on assignments. Also, it helps to plan ahead and prioritise on what's important on a weekly basis in order to manage my time accordingly.

Kee Kiat, a Technology Consultant with Deloitte Consulting Malaysia, added, “My learning and journey throughout Monash academic years has shaped my ability to deal with stressful situations. Learning to cope with both academic activities, such as tutorials, assignments and my final year project, and extracurricular activities has taught me how to manage my time and prioritise my tasks. I have come to accept that having some stress is quite positive to keep myself driven towards my tasks being completed within time.”

Speaking of his experience, Nicholas Choo said, “The journey of getting the Sir John Monash Medal was no easy task. I had to go through stressful situations managing time between studies and my extracurricular responsibilities. I believe the experience I obtained on my journey was what primarily honed my skills in time management and working under pressure.”

As a tip to current and future students, they encouraged active participation in at least one of the many clubs and societies available at Monash. “Balance your time out with some fun by meeting new people and making friends, exploring your interests and trying out new activities,” Nicholas Choo said. Tan En Yi added, “You never know who you'll meet along the way, notice you and provide you an opportunity of a lifetime.”

The amount of work and determination in these recipients will surely serve as an inspiration to others after them. As Colin Powell once said, “A dream does not become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”

All the best to all the four of you!

Special thanks

To all Lecturers and project supervisors - Lim Ee

To Mr Balaram and Dr Babak - Tan En Yi

To Associate Professor Hung Yew Mun - Nicholas Choo and Lim Kee Kiat