Leaders and role models are what Limkokwing produces if the high number of award-winning students at the university college is anything to go by. It can be said, in fact, that award winners are a normal feature here. Last year alone saw one victory after another scored at various competitions.

The creative minds of Limkokwing brought back gold medals from such competitions as the Malaysian Film Festival, the Inter-College Redesign Levi’s Competition, and the MSC-Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA).

On at least two occasions, namely Adrenaline Students Creative Awards 2003 and 4As Kancil Awards, Limkokwing students made a clean sweep of medals. At the Adrenaline Awards, a group of 12 students went home with a medal haul of two gold, three silver and four bronze, while the latter saw 12 other students winning seven gold, one silver, three bronze and three merit awards.

Fashion student Daniel Chong even made it to the front page of The Star when he won the Kebaya.

Ask Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing why his university college excels and he would inevitably bring up the subject of creativity. “To be creative means to think in new ways and to be innovative. We win awards because we break the norm,” he says.

And being in Cyberjaya has only served to enhance Limkokwing’s strengths further. Good quality programmes go hand in hand with excellent state-of-the-art facilities in the creation of top-notch students. But of course, at the heart of the creative education a student receives at Limkokwing is the emphasis on creativity and innovation. Young minds are trained to be creative, adaptable, IT-savvy and industry-ready.

Ask any of the high-achieving students and they would probably point out the man behind the brandname. Inspiring figure that he is, Tan Sri Lim is unafraid of thinking big for his students. “We want Limkokwing graduates to hold key positions in the industry,” he says. “They form a core group of creative professionals who understand and are able to respond to the enormous changes that the world is undergoing.”

And the recipe to success? “Passion translates to enthusiasm and dedication. This, in turn, leads to the right orchestration of whatever one sets out to do,” Tan Sri Lim says.

Limkokwing winners in 2003

Phang Kuan Hoong, Chong Yen Kai, Lee Yann Huey, Lydia Lim, Teh Chee Mun, Chung Yong Hua, Hairul Hazlan Haidar, Avinnesh Nadarajan, William Chow, Yong Wei Jen and Halief Ardiasyah won Seven gold, one silver and three bronze medals plus three merit awards, Student category, Kancil Awards 2003.

These students from communications and art & design were “not afraid to explore ideas”, or so according to their lecturer Patricia Leong. The students, for their part, said their lecturers were instrumental in guiding them. “Without their assistance, we could not have succeeded,” said Lydia who won two gold medals.

Sharon Lim, Norman Tang, Jordan Tan, Jeremy Nigel Blassan, Tee Chong Yee, Jordan Wong, Chong Yen Kai, Davis Kam took two gold, three silver and four bronze medals in seven categories, plus Grand Prix award, Adrenaline Student Creative Awards 2003.

The event presented a platform for the highly creative works that are honoured by the industry. The students made an impact in a big way, with two gold medals won by Sharon Lim in Best Print (Individual) and Norman Tang in Best Print (Photography). They cemented their victory with the Grand Prix Award – the Best of the Best.

Kim Ong, multimedia student, was the gold medallist, Best Student Project (Creative Multimedia) at the MSC-Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA)

Her Malaysian-flavoured interactive video effort Jom Mamak portrays live actors at the ubiquitous Malaysian mamak stall experimenting with utensils to create music.

Louise Lam, multimedia, won the top prize, Eighth Malaysian Video Awards (MVA)

Moody Sky, an experimental video that took her three months to complete, explores the issue of how emotions are influenced by the surrounding environment.

She says: “Without the help of my lecturers, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this.”

Hatim Hunaid, electronic design and multimedia won the gold award, Best Short Film category, 16 th Malaysian Film Festival

His 10-minute Fallacy of Vision explores the dynamics of a man’s struggle with depression in a seemingly meaningless existence.

He says: “Limkokwing is an environment that encourages creativity and growth.”

Diffan Sina Norman, multimedia, captured the top prizes, categories of Most Outstanding Editing and Best Experimental Film (College), Cyberjaya Digital Video Competitio

His music video for the song, The Treatment by Spacebar and a two-dimensional video State’s Sports Centre were the imaginative entries that involved a “huge amount of creativity and hard work”.

Dali Abdul Aziz and Azrafe Zaky won the silver award, College Student category, Nokia 1 st shot Competition

The duo’s Catch Me If You Can which depicts a man chasing the owner of a misplaced phone, explores the hilarious comic potential in every life situations.

Lee Tao Ken, Low Boon Kai and Kenny Lau, architecture, took the first, second and third prizes, Anjung Seri Creative Awards

Tao Ken won first prize for his project Health Icon with Oxygen and Chi that depicts an old building next to Masjid Jamek selling oxygen products while Kenny won second place with Walker Trishaw Travel & Club that focuses on a travellers’ station and its features. Boon Kai took third prize for Pavilion of Five Senses, that highlights the attractions of the Kuala Selangor Nature Park.

Kenny Lau, architecture, won the first prize, Exclusive Home Interior Design With A Difference Competition, and the second prize, Furniture Design, 8 th Malaysian Interior Design Students Saturday (Lapan)

Lau’s tasteful approach to elegant simplicity saw him walking away triumphant at the Exclusive Home event and while the Lapan event, it’s his Fusion Furniture and Accessories, a coffee table shaped like a fish fossil that stood out.

Davin Lo, Low Boon Kai, Tay Ei Ling, Kenny Lau, interior design, took the second prize, Living Taste Mix and Match Interior Design Contest

Their effort themed Local Tropical involved them painting an old partition in red to create a wall for hanging art pieces and using timber furniture and warm colours to present an Asian appeal.

Ei Ling says: “Our success must also be credited to the encouragement and support from our lecturers.”

Tay Ei Ling, interior design won the first prize, Re-designing category, 8 th Malaysian Interior Design Students Saturday

This platform for future designers to display their skills saw Ei Ling re-designing the Nike women’s store.

She says: “Employers somehow believe in the skills and ability of a Limkokwing student.”

Robin Ho, architecture, logged the first prize, Essay Writing Competition, 8 th Malaysian Interior Design Students Saturday

He discovered his passion for writing when he started pursuing his studies at Limkokwing, and surely his piece on branding and interior architecture confirmed his ability in the area.

He says: “A good thing about Limkokwing is you get to develop talents you never knew you had while studying. The training covers many areas outside your area of study.”

Daniel Chong, fashion and retail design, won the first prize in the, Originate Your Levi’s Jean contest, and also in Kebaya: The Interpretations (organised by Yayasan Budi Penyayang and Malaysian Official Designers’ Associatio)

Creative and original was what Daniel had in mind for his entry in the Kebaya competition. Renaissance of Puah T’ng Tay involved contrasting elements in the design of bright green crocheted top and a tutu-style batik skirt with netting and denim. His skill in re-inventing also came into play in the Levi’s event: bold accessories making a loud statement on a rugged pair of jeans.