Into his third year of university, Asher Laiu’s education has taken him from the bustling markets of Manila to refugee camps in Chiang Mai to the gleaming towers of Los Angeles – each city teaching him lessons no classroom can contain.
The 24-year-old is a recipient of the Singapore Management University (SMU) Global Impact Scholarship Award and is currently pursuing a double degree in information systems and economics at SMU.
His first overseas experience took him to Chiang Mai, Thailand in May 2023, where he participated in an Overseas Community Service Project organised by SMU.
During his two weeks there, Asher worked with refugees from Myanmar, teaching them English and other topics such as financial literacy and social media. These interactions with the local community not only broadened his understanding of global issues in ways he could not have imagined but they also gave him a deep appreciation for the power of human connection.
“Talking to people affected by the conflict gave me a unique and personalised perspective that is not available from any newspaper headline,” says Asher, referring to the ongoing Burmese civil war since 2021.
“We empathised with them as we listened to their stories. Like everyone else, they are just trying to make a living and adapting to life in Chiang Mai.”
Just a day after his volunteering trip to Thailand, Asher found himself on a plane again. This time, the scholar was heading to Manila for a three-month placement as a data scientist intern at the UnionBank of the Philippines, through SMU’s Global Innovation Immersion Programme.
It was his first time working and living abroad, and he quickly realised that many of his colleagues had also travelled long distances from other parts of the country to begin their careers in the city. “It made me realise not everyone in the world is fortunate enough to work and live in close proximity to the people whom they care about,” says Asher.
His time abroad helped him appreciate the convenience of commuting in Singapore, where travelling times usually average around an hour. The experience also deepened his empathy for the international students at SMU, who may feel lonely or homesick as they adjust to life in a foreign country.
Adding to his list of international experiences is his ongoing six-month exchange programme at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he is currently taking courses in data science. SMU partners with over 220 universities in over 150 cities for the International Student Exchange Programme, giving students a wide variety of global experiences to choose from.
“I never thought I’d travel so much during my time at SMU, but I was fortunate to participate in an SMU overseas experience at least once a year,” he says.
Asher’s enriching overseas experiences have been made possible by the SMU Global Impact Scholarship Award. It offers $14,000 in funding for overseas internships and exchange programmes, giving students like Asher a platform to explore the world as his classroom.
The scholarship also offers students a year’s stay at Prinsep Street Residences, SMU’s city campus student accommodation. There, Asher discovered a vibrant international student community, forging lifelong friendships over late-night study sessions and weekend adventures.
“SMU has many international students and because of all the exposure I received overseas, I’ve learnt to be generous towards people who may feel uncomfortable away from their homeland. I started to check on them more often to make sure they are coping,” he says.
Beyond his academic pursuits, Asher is also involved in several co-curricular activities at SMU. He joined The Mentoring Circle as a way to give back to the school community. He is also a member of Growth-X Consulting, an SMU student-led club that provides training in management consulting and projects with real-world clients as well as networking opportunities with various firms.
“SMU has many international students and because of all the exposure I received overseas, I’ve learnt to be generous towards people who may feel uncomfortable away from their homeland.”
– Asher Laiu, recipient of the SMU Global Impact Scholarship Award
Just last year, Asher and his team participated in and won the Build for Good 2024 hackathon and accelerator organised by Open Government Products. Their project, OhmSweetOhm, is an app that helps users calculate the energy cost of their household appliances.
“Through our research, we found out Singapore’s household consumption is not on track to meet the Singapore Green Plan 2030,” says Asher. “We wanted to empower users to identify which appliances were contributing the most energy use.”
He and his teammates are still working on the app and they hope to support national sustainability goals by promoting energy efficiency as users make informed decisions regarding appliance usage.
Asher has one year left in his studies but has not chosen a career path. Yet he is certain about one thing: He wants to leverage his technical skills to make a positive impact.
“I enjoy building new things and I think tech is a great way to have an impact in people’s lives,” he says. “It has definitely got me thinking about the kinds of jobs in the tech sector.”
For now, Asher is soaking in every moment of his student life in Los Angeles. The exchange programme continues to offer him new avenues to grow – not only academically but also personally – by studying in a different educational system and engaging with peers who come from different countries and backgrounds.
“California is one of the most exciting places in the world to work and play. Apart from visiting various national parks and enjoying nature, I also want to explore the tech industry in California and understand how ground-breaking technologies are invented,” he adds.
