Resty James

“Hi, I’m Resty Anak James, currently a Foundation in Engineering and Science student at Curtin Malaysia.

When I was in secondary school, I was very passionate about teaching and helping others with their studies, but I didn’t really get the chance to as I was busy with the SPM exams myself. However, the chance came with the introduction of the SuCCESS mentorship program by Mr Jameson Malang, our Mathematics lecturer. SuCCESS features workshops in local secondary schools where student mentors from Curtin Malaysia guide and teach students maths while instilling an ongoing passion for mathematics.

I’m glad Curtin Malaysia offers such a program as I now have the opportunity to teach young learners and give back to the community at the same time. I’m also a Petronas Education Sponsorship Programme (PESP) scholar, which I believe can be an inspiration for others to excel in their studies.

The program has marked a new journey for me, especially when I was appointed one of the program leaders. Leading colleagues of diverse backgrounds can be challenging, but it is crucial to bring everyone together in a tight-knit team and make sure no one feels left out.

Of course, there is also the challenge of balancing my studies with my responsibilities as a program leader. This has taught me valuable time management skills and resilience. In addition, it has helped me enhance my self-confidence, improve my communication skills, and allowed me to meet many new people. I have also been able to hone my own mathematical skills as I teach the subject to others.

Should there be opportunities to be involved in other programs like SuCCESS in the future, I would be most honoured to participate. Programs like SuCCESS can be very beneficial to students like me –  as a means of personal and academic growth, to inspire others, and develop valuable leadership skills.”- Resty Anak James, Foundation in Engineering and Science student

18 August 2024