Overcoming Life's Trials, Lim Mei Zhen Bags UTP Chancellor’s Gold Award

SERI ISKANDAR, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- Abandoned by her mother as a child and orphaned at 18 when her father succumbed to COVID-19, Lim Mei Zhen could have easily surrendered to despair.

Instead, the 23-year-old Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) graduate turned her grief into fuel, channelling her hardship into an extraordinary journey of resilience that culminated in her receiving the prestigious Chancellor’s Gold Award today.

The third of four siblings from Bahau, Negeri Sembilan, said her life was tested early when she underwent surgery to remove a neck tumour at 12 but continued to experience pain after treatment.

She said her family sought medical care at several hospitals, incurring high costs, before stopping treatment to avoid burdening the family further.

Their situation became more challenging after her father's death when she was 18, leaving the family without income.

"After my father passed away, I really wanted to work and earn money to support my family, but I knew education was more crucial for my future.

"My elder brother was an inspiration because, despite our financial struggles, he managed to graduate from university and secured a job shortly after," Lim said when met at the 24th UTP Convocation Ceremony here.

Lim said her aunt and uncle took on the responsibility of caring for them, including providing shelter after their family home was sold without the siblings' knowledge.

"Although we lost our first home, they gave me a second home. I had a place to return to during semester breaks and festive seasons, otherwise, I wouldn't have known where to go," she said.

The opportunity to pursue her studies at UTP on a full scholarship from Yayasan Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (YUTP), worth RM180,000 over five years starting in 2021, marked a turning point in her life.

Lim graduated with First Class Honours in Civil Engineering, scoring a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.80 out of 4.00.

Beyond academic excellence, Lim conducted research utilising chickpea waste to develop a natural biopolymer-based flocculant for microalgae harvesting, achieving 96.15 per cent efficiency.

The innovation earned several recognitions, including champion in the Circular Economy category at the PETRONAS CHESS Innovation Challenge 2024, while her research paper is set to be published in Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering by Springer Nature.

She also co-founded M&A Borderless Trading with her South Sudanese roommate, supplying professional attire and wigs to working individuals in South Sudan and Uganda, particularly women.

To give back to society, Lim conducted free online English tuition twice weekly for a year, reaching about 30 primary school pupils from underprivileged families.

She said her experience during scholarship interviews, which required candidates to communicate in Malay or English, made her realise the importance of language mastery and self-confidence in seizing opportunities.

"I didn't have access to guidance after completing Form Five. So, I hope to inspire children to study hard because there are actually many options open to them," said Lim, who aspires to enter the finance sector, including working in banking institutions following her graduation.

-- BERNAMA