Charities & Community
Education and Training
Jockey Club rewards students for outstanding academic achievements and passion to serve the community
01/06/2015
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been awarding scholarships to students in recognition of their outstanding academic performance and commitment to serve the community. This year, the Club granted scholarships to 36 tertiary students to cover their four years of academic and living expenses, and feted 25 scholar graduates as they turned their extraordinary talents to new endeavours.
The 2013/14 Presentation Ceremony cum 14th Graduation Celebration Dinner was held last week and joined by Club Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip, the Hon Wong Yan-lung, Deputy Chairman Anthony W K Chow, Stewards Philip N L Chen, Dr Eric Li Ka Cheung and Mrs Margaret Leung, Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, as well as representatives from the nine participating tertiary institutions.
In his speech, Dr Ip announced new elements to build on the solid foundation of the scholarships and to further the Club’s strategic initiatives on youth development. “Our Charities Trust recently decided to expand the scholarship scheme to encompass students with special education needs, non-graduates undertaking vocational training and graduates wishing to pursue overseas post graduate studies at the world’s top universities. This expansion will cover, quite comprehensively, the identified areas of need, and in time to come will help Hong Kong strengthen its skill and manpower base and provide multiple development pathways for our young people.”
Scholars are encouraged to continue their community service through the Jockey Club Scholars Alumni Association, which receives funding from the Club’s Charities Trust to channel their time and resources to benefit society. To strengthen the role of the Jockey Club Scholars in the community, the Club’s Charities Trust will invest significant resources to strengthen the Alumni network and identity. In addition, the Club will partner the world’s top universities to organise overseas leadership programmes for scholars so as to develop their vision as global leaders and foster their community leadership skills.
This year’s guest speaker, the Hon Wong Yan-lung recounted his childhood poverty and how the experience had influenced his commitment to do something good for the poor, to cherish what he had, and to persevere against adversity. While society should give more opportunities to young people, he said the beneficiaries should themselves also create opportunities for others.
The 36 new Scholars are from the eight UGC-funded tertiary institutions and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Among them is Rachel Leung, a well-rounded student with outstanding achievements in academic studies, service, sports and music, who is now studying Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She says her visit to a village in Anhui and a medical outreach facility in Cambodia further strengthened her determination to pursue a career in public health.
Music devotee Peggy Wu is now studying music performance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Despite having achieved a perfect 45 points in the International Baccalaureate exam, Peggy opted to reject places at the University of Hong Kong and London School of Economics to pursue her dream of being a professional pianist. In addition to developing her own performance career, she is devoted to promoting classical music through teaching and pursuing her wish to contribute to the growth of Hong Kong’s classical music scene by organising a festival for young artists.
Since 1998, the Club’s total contribution to the Scholarship Scheme amounts to some HK$300 million. Each of the nine participating institutions award three Scholarships to local students and one to Mainland student, which cover the students’ four years of academic and living expenses. The institutions select their Scholars on the basis of outstanding academic ability as well as their community service record and other talents. Renewal of the Scholarship is subject to the students’ satisfactory performance. So far, HKJC Scholarships have been awarded to a total of 442 students. Among the 331 Scholars who have graduated, 60% completed their Bachelor’s degree with First Class Honours.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse racing operator and Hong Kong’s largest community benefactor, as well as one of Asia’s most prestigious membership clubs. Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, the Club allocates its surplus funds for charitable and community projects. In 2013/14, its donations reached a record $3.6 billion, and in the last decade alone it supported over 1,275 projects. The Club is also Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, contributing a record HK$19.58 billion in 2013/14. With about 70% of its revenue given back to society every year through donations and tax contributions, The Hong Kong Jockey Club delivers a significantly higher return to the community than any other racing and/or sports betting organisation in the world. As a socially responsible organisation, the Club helps Government combat illegal betting and advocates responsible gambling. The Club is also one of Hong Kong’s largest employers with over 24,800 full-time and part-time staff. Committed to global excellence and giving back to society, the Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong. Please visit 130.hkjc.com.
