In January 2025, Xin Ying walked into her first SMU MBA seminar with a decade of public-sector experience; She had worked across ministries and statutory boards, navigated policy cycles end-to-end, and stepped into demanding roles of management where direction must be taken from above and sense-made for those below. She had risen through the ranks and understood the machinery of policy work inside out – so what she wanted was something rarer: perspective. A fresh way to think about complexity. A chance to step outside predictable rhythms and see how other leaders approached the same constraints she faced every day.
What she didn’t expect was how quickly the experience would reshape her assumptions about leadership, strategy, and herself.
A Decision Ten Years in the Making
Six years ago, Xin Ying received a scholarship that would have allowed her to pursue a second masters programme. But at that point, she believes she had already completed one masters and wasn’t ready to appreciate the experience an MBA would give her.
Now, with ten years of professional challenges behind her, the timing made sense. She wanted to expand her range of management skillsets, contribute at a more strategic level, and understand how decisions were made across organisations that operated very differently from government.
“I came in because I needed exposure to how other industries think and solve problems. After a decade in a system where problem-solving skills looked quite similar, I needed my mind stretched.”
Learning From Contrast
The diversity of the cohort was the first thing that hit her.
Not diversity as a marketing phrase, but as a lived reality – where people who grew up in different cultures, faced different issues, and saw the same case study through completely different lenses.
Those contrasts unlocked new ways of seeing.
A classmate’s comment in an OBHR discussion - “This problem doesn’t need to be solved now” - landed harder than expected. “It sounds so simple, but it was exactly the opposite of my default mode. That moment made me rethink how I approach prioritisation and decision-making.”
The same thing happened in subjects she assumed she would merely “get through”: accounting, operations, even quantitative topics.
“I started seeing policy itself as a production cycle. It involves stakeholders, sequencing, timing, resources. Suddenly the technical subjects became practical for what I do.”
And then there was strategy - a turning point. “I kept thinking: I wished more of my colleagues could learn this. If we want to differentiate ourselves and stay ahead of the curve, we need to know our strategic advantage and grow it. That clarity of thought is what I’m taking back to my organisation.”
A Space to Reflect, Not Just Study
For many students, the MBA is often looked at as a sprint. For Xin Ying, the programme became a mirror.
In a class on managing teams, an assignment helped her realise why she often felt restless in long, policy cycles: her management trait was that of a “shaper”, someone who thrives on difficult, fast-paced problems. “Understanding this made me more aware of how my own style affects my team. It showed me where I needed to grow to be a better manager.”
This blend of introspection mixed with practical learning is where she says the programme changed her the most.
Beyond the Classroom: Access That Matters
One of the highlights of the MBA programme for Xin Ying was the access to industry and global voices.
She recalls attending a Women in Leadership session with Dr Marina Mahathir. “It was the kind of honest, candid conversation you rarely get access to in your working life. The range of speakers SMU brings in - policy thinkers, industry leaders, alumni - really expands how you see your own role in the world.”
Projects tied to real organisations reinforced that feeling.
“In subjects like Business Narratives, we had access to industry guest speakers - this made the practicum-like components feel far more than academic exercises because they were grounded in real challenges that companies face.”
Pursuing an MBA as a Parent
Balancing family, work and study would intimidate anyone. But for Xin Ying, the experience unexpectedly became part of her daughter’s education.
“My daughter watched me doing readings, projects, correcting our video drafts again and again. One day she asked, ‘Why don’t you just submit the first version?’ I told her - because trying matters. Now she brings her work and sits next to me. That’s become one of the most meaningful parts of the journey.”
Her message to parents considering an MBA: “Don’t rule yourself out. Look for support, ask for help, and do it for yourself. Your children learn from watching you grow.”
Choosing SMU - What Future Students Should Look For
Before enrolling, Xin Ying compared different schools. What made SMU stand out was a combination she says is rare:
- A truly diverse cohort - not just by passport, but by lived experience.
- Classmates with strong industry experience to contribute deeply to discussions.
- A culture of openness and connection, where professors and alumni readily point you to the right people when you need guidance.
“A lot of my friends attended SMU and they are distinctively different – more creative, dynamic and confident. I wanted to see for myself what shaped them. Now I get it - it’s the combination of energy, access, and the ease of building meaningful connections.”
The Result
Xin Ying entered the MBA searching for new ways to think.
She leaves with something bigger - a clearer sense of who she is as a leader, a stronger strategic lens, a network that spans industries and countries, and a renewed sense of purpose to impact the public sector she cares deeply about.
When asked what she’s grateful for, she doesn’t talk about grades, rankings or outcomes.
Instead, she talks about people: classmates, professors, and the programme office that kept everything running behind the scenes.
“It’s not easy to create an environment where you learn so much in such a short time and still feel supported. But that’s what this MBA programme has done.”
For anyone standing where she once stood - wondering if now is the right time - her advice is simple: Come when you’re ready to think differently. And come ready to be changed by the people learning alongside you.
