Alice Smith School: Investing in the Future

Thursday, 1st November 2018 was a historic day for the Alice Smith School with the launching of The Alice Smith School Foundation by The Honourable Tun Zaki bin Tun Azmi, Chair of the Foundation Board. It also marked the day when the school was first started in 1946.

L-R: Major Star Donor Peter Karlsson - Asian Tigers Mobility with Foundation Board Chair Tun Zaki, Chair of the Council of Governors Marama Schnitker and Head of School Roger Schultz

For 72 years, the Alice Smith School has been nurturing, inspiring and enriching the lives and characters of young people in Malaysia. As a not-for-profit institution funded solely by parent fees, the school ensures that all financial resources are invested in providing the highest quality of education possible for its students, as well as supporting the wider community.

The Alice Smith School Foundation will support philanthropic work focusing on five areas of funding: our community; scholarships and bursaries; special educational projects; buildings and facilities and endowment. It establishes a new avenue for parents, alumni, staff, corporate organisations and friends to contribute to the school, securing its long term future and expanding its reach, scope and impact in education.

Unveiling of The Alice Smith School Foundation logo by The Honourable Tun Zaki bin Tun Azmi, Chair of the Foundation Board.

Chair of the Council of Governors Marama Schnitker shared, “One area of funding close to my heart is the school’s scholarships and bursaries programme. In line with the school’s mission and commitment to give back to society, the school has awarded full scholarships for Sixth Form education to 27 deserving Malaysians since 2010. These scholars have been extremely successful gaining entry into Oxbridge and other top universities in the UK. However, because of financial constraints, some have been unable to take up those places. Assistance from the Foundation would enable them to do so in the future. It would also support the expansion of the existing programme to other such deserving students. A gift to scholarships will have a profound impact for decades to come.”

Current Alice Smith scholarship recipients.

“The Alice Smith scholarship has really given me great privilege to explore my interests with the many opportunities that I’ve been given here. This has allowed me to dream big, and to think realistically about working towards my goals and achieving them,” said current scholarship recipient Lai Shen-Vey.

Themed ‘Investing In the Future’, the launch of the Foundation coincided with the opening of extensions and refurbishments to the Humanities, Library, Sixth Form and Indoor Sports blocks at the Secondary Campus, Equine Park by Her Excellency Vicki Treadell CMG MVO, the British High Commissioner to Malaysia.

Opening of the new Secondary Campus facilities by Her Excellency Vicki Treadell CMG MVO, the British High Commissioner to Malaysia.

Over 6,000 square meters of additional facilities have been in use since August 2018, adjoining the Outdoor Sports Complex that was officially opened for use in September 2016 as part of Alice Smith’s 70th anniversary celebrations. These new facilities support the school’s endeavours to provide a world class environment for current and future students and families, enhancing and enriching the school community and ensuring it delivers on its mission to provide an outstanding British education.

Addressing the gathering at the opening ceremony, Her Excellency Vicki Treadell CMG MVO reflected on the significance of the words from the school song, “We are the makers, builders and shapers, the future is waiting to appear” and the role that an Alice Smith School education plays in their development as young people.

Witnessing the launch.

In support of the inaugural launch of the Alice Smith School Foundation, the school now runs a November Giving campaign. Donors may contribute towards the general fund or to a specific area of funding.

In his closing words, Chair of the Foundation, Y.A. Bhg. Tun Zaki said, “We are here to donate for a good cause and for the future of students.”

If you would like to pledge to The Alice Smith School Foundation, email foundation@alice-smith.edu.my