Story in the Malaysian English daily:
and http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2012/4/22/education/11148699&sec=education
and the latest published on 30 April:
http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2012/4/29/education/11168543&sec=education
Please feel free to post comments so that we can all share the stories of how Hyacinth has impacted our lives....Mahalo!
Please find below what I have written on behalf of our Malaysian Chapter in response to request for contribution to the The Sunday Star Education section, published on 30 April 2012.
“I first met Hyacinth in August 1984 when I arrived at the East-West Center, Hawaii, to pursue my doctorate at the University of
Hawaii. She was then already into her 3rd year of doctoral study. Since then we have worked closely as friends and colleagues, especially
in the International East West Center Alumni Association, Chapter of Malaysia. Hyacinth has played a very active
role in the association all these years. She has always been an inspiration to
younger alumni, and the driving force behind the many educational projects
undertaken by the association. I have had the honor of working with her on
these projects over the years, amongst which was the ROPE (Rural Outreach
Program for English) Project which she initiated and spearheaded in mid 1990s to help improve
the English proficiency of secondary students in rural schools. In this
project, the association provided funding for TESL students from UM and
UPM to design and publish EMAS (English language MAgazine for Schools) which
was distributed FREE to all rural schools in Selangor. EMAS was very well
received by both teachers and students who have benefitted greatly from it.
Needless to say, Hyacinth has also played important role in raising funds to support
this and many other educational projects of the association all these years,
such as English camps for rural schools, orphanages etc. Her passing on is a
great loss to the association and Malaysian academia at large.”
