Upper Iowa University landmark opening at SEGi Kota Damansara

Sunday, 20 January 2013

Upper Iowa University landmark opening at SEGi Kota Damansara

By: Nadira Azhar

he bright beaming office of Upper Iowa University (UIU) -Malaysia stands proud and tall being the first office of its kind to be established in SEGi University in Kota Damansara, Malaysia.

Launched on September 16, 2011, Upper Iowa University now has stronger presence in Malaysia, particularly at SEGi University.

Upper Iowa University-Malaysia office in SEGi Kota Damansara

UIU serves its students, particularly with 3^rd and 4^th year students, better in terms of teaching and learning as well as offer advice and academic support directly to UIU students in Malaysia.

The office headed by Director of Malaysia Operations, Kalai Ponniah, who worked as a Dean and an Academic Chair both in Canada and in Malaysia for more than 15 years.

Director of Malaysia Operations,
Kalai Ponniah

“I am very happy with how things have progressed since our opening here in UIU-Malaysia.

“What we try to do here is plant the seed and in time, with fertilizing and nurturing that seed, we will eventually see the fruits of our labor,”Kalai states.

Since their opening in Malaysia, they have made many achievements such as creating the UIU Malaysia website, gathering alumnus for the Alumni Reunion 2011/2012, and organizing the Commencement Ceremony for 2011/2012.

Alumni Reunion, December 1st, 2012 at Sunway Resort Hotel

One of the seniors in UIU, Sanjay Velan, has praised the efficiency and hard work of the UIU-Malaysia office.

He states, “I can see how much effort Kalai and his staffs puts in everyday for the well-being of the students of the ADP courses in SEGi campuses, especially here in Kota Damansara.”

New policies have also been implemented as of January 2013 such as the new grading system and the requirement in taking 20 ADP subjects before moving onto 20 UIU subjects.

Kalai adds, “We try to be in consistency with the main campus.

“We always want to bring a similar, seamless environment for our students, so they know how the main campus in Iowa runs with the same agenda.”

UIU also offers students services such as a free SPSS Session for those who are taking their senior projects, free institutional TOEFL Test for those who have not completed their English Proficiency Test (EPT).

Recently added in the program is the Student Presentation Fund, which provides monetary support to students who are presenting a research project or relevant academic paper at a local, regional, or national conference.

Kalai concludes, “I hope in 10 years’ time there will actually be an Upper Iowa University campus here in Malaysia.

“That’s our vision. We are taking baby steps.

“Eventually, when you make a tree good, its fruit will be good too.”

Independence Day Celebration in SEGi Kota Damansara by UIU students

1 comment:

Anonymous17 September 2013 at 01:16
Can I have Nadira Azhar's email for TOEFL result?
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Winford Tan Chee Hong

An ordinary guy injected with several extraordinary personalities in his body. Compose his music with passion and love; cherish every moment he spend with friends and family in life, work hard and also know when to play hard from time to time, enjoy sports and outdoor activities with pals while taking pleasure in being alone practicing musical instruments and writing . He is a sociable yet interactive person who likes to hang out with friends and have some drinks at pubs; also like to talk about ideas and music most of the time. He is a 21 year old full time student who works as a part time performer and at cafes, pubs, bars, and clubs after his classes. He performs six days a week at different places and produces some songs for himself and some local artists. He is currently majoring in Communication and Psychology and this will be the last semester of his study. To him, study is an interesting process in life as he learnt a lot and made a lot of good friends from the college. Despite of academic skills, he also appreciates the knowledge of working with others as a team and grows together with people that he gained from college life.

Rachel Chew

I am currently running a family business in the fashion line, juggling between the roles of a student and an entrepreneur. Working while studying is not easy, hence, time management is of utmost importance: I work on weekends, however, I fully engage as a student during weekdays. Go Green is a slogan close to my heart. Most people talk the talk but I try my best to walk the talk. I care about environment - every now and then, I collect recycled items like plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and papers. Recycled items can be sold, and normally I donated the money to charity institutions like Tzu Chi. I have lived in the outskirt of town surrounded by mountains and trees since I was born. Hearing the beautifully looking birds singing in the morning makes my day. The air is fresh, the breeze is cool, and the environment is peaceful enough to calm one’s soul down. To me, these are precious things that you could never find in the city. The contrast between life on the outskirts and life in the city is what sparked my consciousness of the environment. As reading gives me deep pleasures, so writing is always something I would like to try. Expressing everything you see, you hear and you feel through words is fascinating to me.

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WHAT SHOULD I WRITE HERE? Ha! That caught your attention, didn’t it? Random yet methological in thinking. Fun-loving but serious at times. Outgoing yet tends to be a little withdrawn at times. Life is full of opposing polarities, and so am I. The combination of these traits and many more make up the person which is me. An aspiring psychologist with an interest in photography, the complexities of human nature never ceases to fascinate me. There is always more to a person than meets the eye. Characters in news stories are not merely who we perceive them to be. A snatch thief is not ‘just’ a snatch theif, neither is that young man who risked his life to save a friend the real-life version of comic superheroes. I am drawn to the depth of character behind these individuals and understanding the factors and motivations that drive them to behave the way they do, deviant or otherwise. I aim to bring out the human aspect of new stories through my articles while still retaining journalistic value. Journalism isn’t just about happenings – it’s about life. Because everyday happenings are part of being human – and alive!

Fakhriah A. Halim

Planning to graduate in 2013 with a degree from the American Degree Program provided by SEGi University, I, Fakhriah A. Halim, is determined and ambitious to explore my career in psychology. Currently, I am living on my own in Kuala Lumpur, with plenty of good and bad lucks which has colored my life so beautifully.I was born and raised in Johor Bahru, a 22-years-old young lady who is mostly interested in learning about myself, about people and about life.I am introvert in type, more likely to focus in communicating with myself than focusing to communicate with others.When I was growing up, I had gone through so many bad affairs in my life in a short period of time, which kind of helped me mature faster than other youngsters my age. I may seem a bit moody or quiet at times and may not be joyful or skipping happily as I walk around town, but I have my moments.However, everything will seem different once I get comfortable with people where my good qualities can be recognized, such as my creativity, strength and my ability to understand people. Also, I enjoy nature, outdoors, sports, as well as experiencing and learning new things. By being a part of ZOOM, I hope it would be an exciting way for me to learn to be a good writer who delivers sufficient and honest information to readers.

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They say a Pisces has out of the world mood-swings! I can be happy, sad, and angry at the same time. How is that even possible? That’s what I am – unpredictable!It’s hard to find people who can tolerate me but there are a rare few who remain loyal to me even after knowing my true colors and I am grateful to have them as friends.I am very passionate about baking and cooking because I love food! Who doesn’t? I plan to open a bakery after finishing my Bachelor in Science here in Segi University.I know what I’m learning now has nothing to do with my passion but I’ll do it anyway!I’m 21 this year, pink is my favorite color and I’m the eldest of 5 siblings.I am happy to be part of ZOOM and I’m sure it’s going to be a fun journey. Looking forward to write, write and write here in ZOOM!

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Sunday, 20 January 2013

Upper Iowa University landmark opening at SEGi Kota Damansara

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