Meet Incoming Freshman of SMU 2024 – Benjamin Mathew
Benjamin Mathew, a Chinese-Indian incoming SMU freshman, studied Malay as a second language. He is passionate about music, playing multiple instruments, and leading his church’s youth ministry. Attracted to SMU's vibrant and accessible campus in the city, Benjamin appreciates the seminar-style classes and interactive learning environment. He looks forward to immersing himself in the SMU community, making new connections, and participating in campus life.
Benjamin’s introduction always starts with a quirky fact: he’s Chinese-Indian but chose to study Malay as a second language in school. Beyond his linguistic adventures, music is also a big part of Benjamin’s life; he sings and plays multiple instruments.
Yet, Benjamin’ story goes deeper than his talents alone. As the dynamic leader of his church’s youth ministry, he takes great interest in journeying with his juniors. “I frequently speak at youth conferences here in Singapore and overseas to inspire young people to lead fulfilling lives by impacting their communities,” he shares.
The biggest draw to SMU
For Benjamin, deciding on SMU was a no-brainer. Before graduating from JC, ONALU – a café nestled within the SMU campus – was one of his favourite study spots. As he explored the SMU campus then, he came to appreciate how modern, vibrant, and accessible the campus is. As he puts it: “Being in the heart of the city means finding good food or a hangout spot after class is never a problem.”
The SMU experience
On top of SMU’s convenient location, Benjamin finds its interactive learning environment to be another major advantage. “SMU’s seminar-style classes, which emphasises interactive learning, really appeal to me,” he affirms.
Looking forward to the future
With friends who are already at SMU, and the promise of new connections on the horizon, Benjamin is eagerly looking forward to immersing himself in the vibrant SMU community when the school year starts.
