From the Nominator

NTU believes that no deserving student should be denied a university education for lack of funds. To date, about two in five of the university’s students are in deep financial need, and support from donors plays a vital role in alleviating the financial struggles, providing that much-needed boost to students from the lower-income strata. On the ground, many Singapore families, especially those with school-going children and youths in tertiary institutions, are genuinely worried about making ends meet. It is an inevitable result that, if nothing is done to aid these students financially, talented students burdened by financial worries will continue to juggle part-time jobs with a heavy student workload, and not exploit the opportunities that their talent affords them. These students come to school with one eye on their books and the other on balancing their families’ constant financial stress to make ends meet; sometimes they abandon plans and great promise to take up work that will only assist their families to scrape through another day. For them, the future remains uncertain and, without a bursary, making ends meet each day is a constant struggle. The “Let's Keep the Light On” video was produced by NTU's University Advancement Office to spread awareness of the plight of many financial-needy students in Singapore, and how philanthropic support and bursaries go a long way to help students and their families break out of the cycle of poverty.

From the Judges

Nanyang Technological University's “Let's Keep the Light On: Bursary Video” is a standout piece. The university wisely used animation and a culturally  ambiguous main character to create a compelling story of financial difficulties of their students. The minimalist approach was well done, while also providing thought-provoking, emotional content. NTU's Marketing Communications met difficult objectives, and created a compelling video that is truly unique.