Class of 2009 urged to seize opportunities as countries rush to put in place new policies and structural reforms to get economies back on track.

Opportunities abound in the eye of the storm if one takes a positive perspective of the global economic crisis. There is no better time than now for a young person to embark on a bold, adventurous and satisfying career, said Mr Lim Chee Onn, Senior Advisor of Keppel Corporation Limited, who graced SMU's sixth Commencement ceremony as the Guest-of-Honour.

More than 1,370 graduands converged at Suntec City on 11 July 2009 for Commencement 2009, celebrating with their family members and friends the highest point of their education at SMU and the start of a journey into working life. Some 1,100 graduated with bachelor's degrees in Business Management, Accountancy, Information Systems Management, Economics and Social Science, of which one in ten was awarded double degrees. Another 270 received their master's degrees in Applied Finance, Wealth Management, Professional Accounting, Finance, Economics, Applied Economics and Management.

All rounder Vincent Ha Kwang Yuen is top graduate for the Class of 2009, receiving the SPH Valedictorian Award. The Lee Kong Chian Scholar and Dean's List scorer graduated Summa Cum Laude with double degrees in Business Management and Accountancy. Besides being an active volunteer in helping the less fortunate, entrepreneurial blood runs in Vincent. He owns a music and video production business, co-founded a school café, started an online business venture and manages a private fund with fellow traders.

SPH Magazines Salutatorian from the Class of 2009 is another high achiever, Tong Junjie. An avid sportsman, accomplished musician who plays the violin and viola, and President of SMU Obligato, the university's string ensemble, Junjie capped it all with Summa Cum Laude in his Accountancy and Economics double degrees. Also on the Dean's List, Junjie was recipient of the Goh Foundation, Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Sunil Sreenivasan Scholarships. Junjie starts work at McKinsey & Company in September as a Business Analyst.