Raymond John Benjamin Wijaya

Why did you choose to come to SMU?

SMU is one of the top universities in Asia, especially for business studies. Its business graduates also have one of the highest employment rates among public universities in Singapore. But beyond the academics, after talking to more seniors who were studying in Singapore, one thing I kept hearing was how vocal SMU students are. That was something my high school self admired and wanted to become — someone who was not afraid to speak up and have a voice.

Please share two key highlights of your student life in SMU

Staying in Prinsep Street Residences (PSR) was definitely the best choice I made in Year 1. As an international student with 0 familiar faces in Singapore, staying in PSR allowed me to make so many local and international friends. I believe university has been so memorable because of all the people I have met along the way. At the end of the day, we might not remember a specific finance theory that we learned in Finance 101, but we will always remember the memories we made with each other!

Being a mentor at The Mentoring Circle (TMC) was another highlight of my time at SMU. When I first came to SMU, I was the one who had so many questions and was trying to figure out university life for myself. Becoming a mentor gave me the opportunity to be on the other side and help juniors who were going through the same uncertainties that I once had. What I enjoyed most was realizing that sometimes, you don’t need to have all the answers to make a difference. Sometimes, simply sharing your own experiences, listening to someone, or giving them a little bit of encouragement can go a long way. It also reminded me of how much I had grown since my first year at SMU.

Please share with us more about the scholarship and how has it benefitted you?

I found out about the ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship while researching opportunities to study in Singapore. As an Indonesian student looking to pursue my university education overseas, the scholarship made studying at SMU a much more accessible opportunity for me. Beyond the financial support, I was also drawn to the idea of being part of a community of students from different ASEAN countries and backgrounds. I saw it as an opportunity not only to study abroad, but also to grow in an environment that was much more diverse than what I was used to.

The scholarship has given me much more than financial support. It gave me the opportunity to pursue my education overseas and, in many ways, the freedom to make the most of my university experience. Because of the support I received, I was able to explore different opportunities at SMU — from staying in PSR and meeting people from different backgrounds, to representing SMU in competitions and going on exchange in Boston.

On a personal level, studying overseas has also pushed me far outside my comfort zone. When I first came to Singapore, I was quite introverted and did not know anyone. Four years later, I’ve had the chance to meet people from all over the world, take on opportunities I would not have imagined in high school, and become much more comfortable putting myself out there. I’m very grateful that the scholarship gave me the opportunity to start that journey. 

What advice would you give to prospective students (especially your juniors from high school) who are thinking of applying to SMU? 

My biggest advice would be: don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. When I was in high school, I was quite introverted and usually preferred staying within my comfort zone. Coming to SMU pushed me to do the opposite — whether it was meeting new people, speaking up in class, joining competitions, going on exchange, or simply saying yes to opportunities that I would have normally hesitated to take.

You don’t have to come into SMU knowing exactly what you want to do or who you want to become. I definitely didn’t. What matters is being open to trying new things and putting yourself in situations where you can learn and grow. Looking back, a lot of the experiences I value most at SMU were things I never planned for when I first arrived. So if you’re thinking about applying, come with an open mind, be willing to step outside your comfort zone, and let the journey surprise you.