Going back to university after a 17-year-break was daunting for Celia Sook Peng Yeo.
Ms Yeo had worked in many education-based jobs in Malaysia from maths lecturer, to department head, charity concert organiser to college registrar.
She had worked at HELP (Higher Education Learning Program) University College since 1992, but in 2002 took a sabbatical to study at The University of Queensland for a Masters of Business Administration (MBA).
She said her apprehension soon faded as she eased back into student life in Brisbane which she had previously tasted.
“I didn’t miss Malaysia at all. I think Brisbane has become so cosmopolitan,” Ms Yeo said.
“You can always get what you want in terms of culture. We’re sadly lacking here [Malaysia] with plays, orchestras and music.”
She said she wanted an MBA to complement her maths-science background and UQ’s flexible degree allowed her to add project management and education programs from different Faculties.
“Private Education and almost anything that we do these days require an entrepreneurial mind and some business sense for success. The MBA is a good start.
“That flexibility, rather than having set programs where you can only do courses within that faculty, helped with what I’m doing now because it’s very relevant.”
Ms Yeo said Brisbane was a second home to her as she had previously lived there while boarding and studying.
“Dad’s a UQ graduate from the 1950s. He did dentistry out there so that’s how Brisbane came in.”
Ms Yeo, 42, celebrated her MBA degree at UQ’s Kuala Lumpur graduation celebration in September.
Since graduating, she has been HELP’s Senior Manager for Special Projects preparing for its public listing and push to become a fully-fledged university.
She said much of her work now was with corporate clients and writing business plans, generating new student courses and business developments for HELP.
She works closely with HELP founders the Chans and has organised many charity events for HELP and its Community Trust Fund, which UQ contributes to.
In her spare time she plays squash, shops and likes eating out.
She said she still loved Brisbane and had fond memories of her time in Queensland.
“The beaches were, and still are, my favourite places to go to.
“I backpacked up the north coast to Cairns, Rockhampton stopping at places like Keppel Island.
“As a postgrad student, my activities were less strenuous.
“I loved attending the concerts at the Customs House on weekends, walking around the markets in Southbank and New Farm and heading up and down the coast for some quiet time on the beach.”
UQ based in Brisbane, Australia, is Queensland’s oldest and largest university which consistently ranks as one of Australia`s most outstanding research and teaching and learning universities.
Media: Ms Yeo (+603 2095 7100, yeosp@help.edu.my) or Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (+61 7 3365 2619, m.holland@uq.edu.au)
