Fourth-year Yi Fan Lim is a recipient of UVA’s prestigious 2020 International Studies Office Graduation Award. Graduating in just three years from UVA—and admitted to the McIntire School after only one year at the University—the Singapore native was selected for the academic rigor of his coursework and his exceptional contributions to the University.
Driven by a desire to uplift communities, the stellar student has devoted himself to serving others during his brief stint at UVA—all while maintaining a nearly perfect GPA and carrying course credit overloads in each of his last three semesters. As Co-President of Student Entrepreneurs for Economic Development, Lim led 100 UVA students in their work with 11 client projects around the world. He coordinated 98 volunteers contributing over 5,000 service hours to address hunger, homelessness, and unemployment in the Charlottesville area as Head Program Director for Madison House’s Hoos Assisting with Life Obstacles initiative. Lim was also President of the Singapore Students Association.
The Finance concentrator, along with Yaxin Ren (McIntire ’20) and Peiching Teo (McIntire ’19), took home a $1,000 share of $25,000 in prize money in the 2018-2019 UVA Entrepreneurship Cup for their entry, Second Chance Coffee, a coffee truck business to provide job training and employment opportunities to the homeless.
Before attending UVA, Lim served for two years in the Singapore Air Force, where he was awarded the National Serviceman of the Year recognition. He was also a finalist for the Lenox-Conyngham Scholarship, a full scholarship allowing one McIntire student each year to study at the University of Cambridge’s Trinity College in the UK.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award, which I would like to credit to the professors, schoolmates, and friends who have been so supportive along the way,” Lim says. “My years at UVA and McIntire have been exceptionally enriching, and my sincere hope is that I left this place better than I found it.”
“I continue to be impressed by Yi Fan’s intellect, his capacity for empathy and service, and his limitless potential to be a positive influencer,” says McIntire Assistant Dean of Global Affairs Chris Elliott, who nominated Lim for the award. “I cannot wait to see what Yi Fan accomplishes. We will be proud to count him among our UVA alumni.”
After graduation, Lim will be working full-time at J.P. Morgan in Singapore as a Markets Analyst.
Watch an ISO video celebrating this year’s Graduation Award recipients.
