By Hanif bin Mahpa
GOMBAK, 30Â January 2015: It is an honour for the Students Representative Council to meet the IIUM New Intake for Semester 2 2014/2015. Welcome and congratulations on your acceptance to the Garden of Knowledge and Virtue. We are thrilled that you will be joining the family! While the Taaruf Week is on, we share your excitement during this important time of transition and eagerly await your arrival until the semester begins!
Being IIUM students is a remarkable opportunity to continue your journey, to discover your skills, and to find your true passion. Opportunities abound to become immediately engaged with the campus community, and we encourage your active involvement in the academic, co-curricular, and mission-driven programmess of the university. In the coming days and weeks, you will start building lifelong friendships, you will begin classes and you will start to explore ways to fill out your days and evenings in the campus.
There are literally hundreds of societies in campus, and endless opportunities to serve the community in whatever facet of society that interests or compels you. I strongly encourage you to get involved. As many of you already knew, it is immensely gratifying to help and support a fellow human being and make his or her life better.We have a proud tradition of our students working and volunteering in and around the city such as CENSERVE and then moving on with great professional and personal success in serving their communities and country for the betterment of our society. This is what’s been upheld by the SRC, that is, to live up the spirit of volunteerism amongst students. You have the potential too!
As for the international students, coming to a new country can be a challenging experience, but with the right preparation it can be exciting and full of opportunities! I truly believe that all of us shall be united as one Ummah, despite the fact that we are from different countries and background. It is a dream of my fellow Malaysian friends. It is a dream of my brothers and sisters from Bangladesh, Bosnia, Nigeria, Egypt, Indonesia, Eritrea and from each and every part of the world; who come here to this university, believing that if we work together, we will fulfil our dream.
Indeed, we are all delighted to have all of you here, my brothers and sisters. I believe that your chances to be here should not be taken into granted. Strive to do your best to achieve your dream. I wish you all the best of both worlds. I have a dream, that the scroll on the convocation day will not remain as a piece of paper. Instead, we shall convey the knowledge for the benefit of the whole mankind.
I believe that this is what is meant by rahmatan lil alamin. So my dear brothers and sisters, let’s live up to our dream and be the change you wish to see in this world!
President of SRC IIUM 14/15
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