It was with pride that for three consecutive terms the presidential position of the IMU Student Representative Council was held by students who started their university studies with an IMU Foundation in Science (FiS)! We witnessed Felicity Ng handing over the baton of leadership to Kishen Kunalan back in 2017, and now, we witnessed Kishen Kunalan handing the baton over to the Mehra Ahsan. Below is Mehra’s recount of her journey to leadership.
When I first enrolled into the IMU Foundation in Science programme, I did not realise the incomparable value of the course and how it would shape me as a student and person. I chose IMU FiS simply because it was most convenient for me as a pathway into IMU MBBS, additionally I was aware of IMU’s renowned reputation and the fact that it is the number one private medical university in Malaysia. In contrast to my school life, the FiS course had all the resources and materials one would need to succeed in the various modules offered. Prior to FiS, I completed my O levels under Sir John Wilson School (SJWS) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Life back in SJWS was very different compared to the fast-paced schedule at IMU. I believe the A-Level curriculum is a lot less productive in terms of student development and discipline building and thus enrolled into the IMU FiS programme. As for FIS, it drilled into me a tremendously strong work ethic which helped me score a CGPA of 3.9 out of 4, allowing me to apply for the PMS programme in MBBS. I believe completing my FIS at IMU helped prepare me for my undergraduate course by teaching me how to manage my time well, search for appropriate resources and focus on relevant data rather than purely putting in the hours.
As for my choice to run for the President of the Student Representative Council 2018-2019 – this decision mainly stems from my days back in FiS. As a young girl from Bangladesh just beginning to start her university journey, I often looked for student role models whom I could gain inspiration from. One such individual was Felicity, the SRC president-elect from 2016 to 2017 who also happened to be a former IMU FIS student. I would regularly see her giving talks and briefings; furthermore, I would hear of the great contributions she made to IMU and dream of following in her footsteps!
I vividly remember a certain interview with her vividly, where she had expressed the importance of time management; despite being an MBBS student and the SRC president, she still managed to maintain above average grades alongside having adequate sleep and time for extracurricular activities. So, when the time came for me to apply for the job, I was definitely intimidated but had hope after remembering Felicity’s words.
I wanted to apply as the SRC President for various reasons, the first of which was to give back to the community which I gained so much from and to fix certain kinks in the system. I strongly believe I have a set of ideas which would greatly benefit the students of IMU and which I am extremely passionate about. Additionally, I have always considered myself to be a persuasive and persistent individual which is why I felt I could represent the student body to the upper management competently. My current experience as SRC president has been incredible so far, I’ve learnt so much in the span of just a few weeks. Naturally the most hectic time for me was the intense campaigning/elections period, however I know that this job is the epitome of self-development as it will help me evolve as a person. This job would help one to develop excellent communication and problem-solving skills which would benefit oneself in later stages in life, eg career interviews, professionalism, etc. Although it is not a paid job, the life skills which I hope to gain out of it are truly priceless.
I’d like to thank all those who supported me throughout my campaign. My council and I hope to bring a wonderful academic year ahead for IMU as the new Student Representative Council – let’s build the IMU of tomorrow, today!
