Two Teachers, One Legacy
The late Mr Lee Pong-Chih Victor’s bequest honours his father and opens doors for future generations of NUS students.
Inspired by their shared commitment to education, Mr Lee Pong-Chih Victor made a legacy gift in honour of his father.
A father who devoted part of his career to the University. A son who received his education there. Decades later, a legacy gift would bring their stories together.
The late Dr Lee Sheng Yi shaped young minds as an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Statistics at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
His son, Mr Lee Pong-Chih Victor, formed a connection of his own with the University, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Singapore, the predecessor institution of NUS.
Mr Lee chose to honour his father and support education in Singapore through a bequest to establish a scholarship at NUS in Dr Lee’s name. Following Mr Lee’s passing, the Lee Sheng Yi Scholarship was established, creating opportunities for talented students to pursue an NUS education, just as he once did.
“Victor was inspired by his father’s experience of financial hardship while growing up in Sichuan, China,” shared Mr Mok, one of the executors of Mr Lee’s estate. “He wanted to help young people in Singapore who are facing similar financial difficulties to build a better future for themselves.”
Mr Mok first met Mr Lee at St John’s – St Margaret’s Church. Together with Ms Loy, another executor of the estate, Mr Mok has since carried out the wishes set out in Mr Lee’s will.
Mr Lee’s bequest reflected his desire to support education and young people. Beyond NUS, his bequest also benefitted the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and The Straits Times Pocket Money Fund.
A Life Devoted to Scholarship
A prolific economist, Dr Lee Sheng Yi devoted his academic career to studying the economic forces shaping Singapore and the region. His scholarly publications spanned a wide range of economic disciplines, including monetary and banking development, financial policy, international finance and the economic development of Singapore and other Asian economies.
Beyond the University, he also served as a consultant to regional institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Singapore-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Alongside his research and advisory work, Dr Lee shared his knowledge with generations of students throughout his academic career.
Dr Lee’s son would choose a different classroom, but teaching would become his life’s work too.
A Shared Belief in Education
After graduating from the University, Mr Lee became an educator, teaching chemistry at Chinese High School and Bukit Panjang Secondary School.
Father and son pursued different disciplines and taught in different classrooms. Dr Lee was an economist and academic. Mr Lee was a scientist by training and a secondary school teacher by profession.
Yet both devoted their careers to shaping young minds.
Opening Doors for the Future
The Lee Sheng Yi Scholarship will support bright students with outstanding academic achievements, giving them the opportunity to pursue their aspirations at NUS.
“Naming the Scholarship after Dr Lee Sheng Yi was Victor’s way of ensuring his father’s legacy would continue through the education of future students,” shared Mr Mok. “It’s especially meaningful that the Scholarship will benefit students at an institution closely connected to both of them.”
More than a lasting tribute, the Scholarship carries forward a value that both Dr Lee and his son deeply believed in: the power of education to uplift lives.
The Scholarship marks a new chapter in their family story intertwined with NUS across generations. Their shared legacy will live on, opening doors for generations of students to come.
Just like Mr Lee, you can honour a loved one while creating impact for future generations. If you want to make a lasting difference through legacy giving, please email our Legacy Gifts team at legacygift@nus.edu.sg or call +65 6516 8000 to speak with us.
