Esther Chong

Please tell us more about yourself.

Curious about the world and always up for a challenge, I enjoy learning new concepts and thinking of how they can be applied to improve businesses, our communities, and ultimately the way we live our lives.

This curiosity has also spurred me to pursue two relatively different areas of study. An education in Politics, Law and Economics has trained me to analyse critically the factors which shape our world today. The training in Accountancy has equipped me in understanding businesses, their financials, and their key revenue and cost drivers.

I'm also firm believer that everyone, regardless of the positions they are in, has the potential to create positive social change. I enjoy the process of meeting people from various backgrounds, pooling our skill sets together and creating meaningful impact.

How has learning about Social Sciences changed/benefited you?

The analytical rigour embedded in a Social Science education is unparalleled. Ploughing through research papers, learning philosophical concepts and grasping different political systems has trained me to be comfortable with varying and often conflicting ideas. In addition, having an education that spans across three disciplines has given me a firm foundation to hold in-depth, meaningful conversations about the most pressing issues today.

What are some of the opportunities you have been given in SOSS/SMU?

In year 1, I was a research assistant for a professor, and my role was to interview cottage industry practitioners and contribute to a research paper. This opportunity allowed me to see a very different facet of Singapore, and gain a more in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by businesses and various communities. It also allowed me to discover my passion for research; speaking to people, understanding different points of view and synthesizing them into a coherent paper is challenging yet rewarding.

In year 2, I went on a Study Mission to Silicon Valley and Seattle. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; we visited the offices of Amazon, Facebook, LinkedIn, Classpass, and other tech companies. Speaking to the employees of the companies opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of technology, including how every business model inevitably has to embrace and harness technology. The Study Mission prompted me to want to understand more about the tech world which often seems so elusive to most of us.

What are your plans and goals for the future?

Career-wise, I’ll admit I’m still at the exploration phase, and so far, I have enjoyed every work-related experience I have had. However, I am certain that I will find a way to continue to give back in my own capacity, be it through volunteering as a mentor for the CCAs I had joined as a student (Bridges for Enterprise, Conjunct Consulting), or by incorporating the “impact” component into my job (impact investing, sustainability reporting).