ADP at Taylor's University Celebrates 20 Years of Transferring Students to North America

The Taylor's University American Degree Program is celebrated its twentieth anniversary of transferring students to top US and Canadian universities.

(L-R) Dr. Jon Whitmore (Acting VC, TU), Prof. Dr. Pradeep Nair (DVC, TU), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anindita Dasgupta (Acting Dean-ADP TU), Mr. Edgard Kagan (Deputy Chief of Mission from the US Embassy in KL and Dato’ Loy Teik Ngan (Group CEO, TU).

The American Degree Program (ADP) at Taylor's University is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. Over the last two decades, ADP has grown and expanded into being the most respected 2+2 transfer program in SE Asia - so much so that President Obama even came to speak at Taylor's University in November, 2015. Acting Dean, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anindita Dasgupta said that "This event highlights the many achievements of two decades of success". In fact, Taylor's ADP started with 3 lecturers and 45 students, and two of these 3 ADP pioneers - Mr. Vijaya Samarawickrama and Ms. Parvinder Kaur continue to inspire ADP students till today. Taylor's University has many close links with the USA, and the current Acting Vice-Chancellor and President of Taylor's University , Dr. Jon Whitmore is from Iowa. He has served as the President of both Texas Tech University and San Jose State University.

For the 20th Anniversary Celebration event, ADP were pleased to welcome Mr. Edgard Kagan, the Deputy Chief of Mission from the US Embassy in KL. The event, created by the staff and students was designed to be a fun-filled celebratory event, and so the ADP ‘Carnival Day’ saw a bucking bronco, slam dunk machine, high striker, hot dogs, candy floss, nachos, and airbrush tattooing and a dunking booth on–campus. This was very much a student planned and led event. ADP has many student clubs and societies - such as the Crimson League, Engineering Society and Economania Club that create a unique student learning environment and prepare students for life at a university in the USA or Canada.

Professor Perry Hobson, the PVC for Global Engagement (and who is himself an alumnus of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst), commented that "this event highlighted the energy, passion and commitment that our ADP students are known throughout the USA for”. Of the last batch of students who transferred to the USA, 87% ended up in Tier-1 universities. Highlighting the close links between TU and US universities, every one of the dedicated ADP learning spaces has now been sponsored by a university – these include Western Michigan University, St. Cloud State University, the University of Arizona, and the University of Colorado. Furthermore, two of ADP’s outstanding ADP alumni have returned to take up roles as lecturers – Ms. Fadhilah Lokman (ADP class of 2010, and then the University of Nebraska-Lincoln) and Mr. Chuah Shu Guan (Valedictorian, ADP class of 2005, and then Wichita State University).

Ms. Prema Ponnudurai, the Acting Deputy Dean added that "Taylor’s ADP has come a full circle in these 20 years, with our students returning and being active alumni in our program". Taylor’s ADP has achieved much over the last 20 years. Today it is synonymous for embracing diversity via student-led initiatives and its holistic liberal platform continues to embrace education of the heart, the hand and the head, and to empower its students "to move beyond their dreams” and create a better world.