A scholarship, career guidance and internship opportunities make up a dream package for university students to graduate and start their working life in the right footing.
Recently, the Fair & Lovely Scholarship 2018 ― an initiative by Unilever Malaysia Holdings that is running in its third year ― has been expanded to invest in more young women to help them carve their own future.
This year, besides giving scholarships worth RM200,000 to 40 female undergraduates in local public universities, a virtual community platform has also been set up for the recipients.
The aim is to encourage these young women to interact with their communities, and obtain the latest knowledge and career opportunities online.
Unilever Malaysia Fair & Lovely brand manager Lin Meiyi said for the first time since the scholarship began, the students would be fast-tracked for industrial placements in the company.
“Scholarship recipients who apply for internship at Unilever Malaysia will be given priority in the screening process.”
The recipients will also have access to a programme that includes workshops on job interviews and career-sharing sessions on leadership roles for women. The programme’s activities will be conducted by women in Unilever Malaysia’s top management.
This year, the scholarship programme received 20,100 applications, which was almost double that of last year’s 12,044.
During the application process, the company came up with a voting system for applicants to gain votes by sharing posts on Facebook.
The number of votes would increase their chances of being selected for the scholarship.
The 40 recipients comprised students from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (Kuis), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Kolej Universiti Poly-Tech Mara (Kuptm), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Upsi) and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). They will each receive RM5,000 to cover their study expenses, such as tuition fees and books.
UM student Nor Fazira Zarinol said she was very grateful to be chosen as one of the recipients of the Fair & Lovely Scholarship.
“I can focus on my studies as I will not need to work part-time to fund my expenses for the upcoming semester. I am also excited to learn that all scholarship recipients will be given career and leadership opportunities through industrial placements at Unilever Malaysia,” she said.
For Saidatul Nadhirah Zulkifle, who is pursuing a degree in Arabic language at Kuis, the scholarship will help her complete a course assignment.
“As part of the Arabic language course, I need to spend time in a foreign country to build up my communication skills.
“I plan to go to Turkey to produce a video documentary in Arabic. I choose Turkey because it has unique and attractive cultures for me to explore.
“Through the video documentary that I produce, I hope to discover and learn more knowledge to educate others,” she said.
Aidah Syazwani Abd Rahman, a student at UMT, said the scholarship was not only for those with good academic results.
“Its purpose is to build confidence among women so they can pursue their dreams and gain a better future through education.
“Among the requirements is a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0, besides being active in co-curricular activities.
“This scholarship will surely help me in many ways. I’d like to use a small amount to start my own small business, which is selling shoes to help lift my parents’ burden.
“I know it will be a great investment,” said Aidah Syazwani.
According to Lin, after submitting their applications through an online portal, the students have to write an essay on how they can contribute back to the community with what they learnt in university.
They also have the option of sending in a supporting video to increase their chances.
“We believe that education, confidence and self-belief are essential to empower women and positively impact society.
“We want these young women to be ready to pursue their dreams and take control of their destiny,” Lin said.
There are plans to collaborate with other companies to extend the scholarship and internship programmes. For that, the recipients will be required to attend workshop sessions, such as how to write their curriculum vitae, and training them in soft skills to get them prepared for interviews, Lin said.
Present during the scholarship presentation was Fair & Lovely brand ambassador, Daiyan Trisha.
“The scholarship programme supports young women not only to pursue their education, but also empowers them to be confident.
“This coincides with my belief and I could not be more proud and grateful to be part of this initiative for the third year running.”
Daiyan also shared her experience as a student with the scholarship recipients.
“Always know how to manage your time between studying and working. Always give full attention in class,” she said.
Besides Daiyan, professional speaker Wawa Idris also conducted a personal development and grooming workshop to boost the students’ confidence.