On 13 June 2025, Saïd Business School held its Annual Scholars’ Reception in the historic Divinity School. I had the honour of delivering the Scholars’ Speech, which celebrated all scholars of the business school and recognised the huge impact of funding on our journeys.
Below is an adapted transcript.
Fellow scholars; colleagues from Saïd Business School and the University of Oxford; partners; and friends.
When I accepted the invitation to speak at this year’s Scholars’ Reception, I was told that I would speak on behalf of all scholars; not just those in the MBA – the Masters of Business Administration, but also the Executive MBAs, the Masters in Financial Economics, the Masters in Major Programme Management, the Masters in Global Healthcare Leadership, the DPhils, and all the diplomas.
This was… challenging. Not only do many of you not know who I am, but by virtue of being here tonight, you are all amazing, inspiring, and brilliant people. It’s a lot of pressure to speak on behalf of everyone! But I hope you let me do my best, because tonight – my speech is a celebration of all of you.
So let’s start with the basics. Who am I? My name is Jose Hong, I am in the MBA programme, and I am the proud recipient of two scholarships: The Oxford-Saïd Future Leaders Scholarship, and the Reaching Out MBA Fellowship for those from the LGBTQ+ community.
I am from Singapore, have lived in multiple continents over the years, and have dedicated my life towards environmental sustainability and towards greater equity for marginalised LGBTQ+ communities. I’m doing the MBA because the private sector is a powerful lever to achieve these missions, and I chose Oxford because Saïd Business School was the best school to help me fulfil my dreams.
This speech will cover: The significance of being a scholar; what my scholarships helped me achieve at Oxford; and what I will do with my Oxford degree once I leave the City of Dreaming Spires.
The scholarships have been instrumental in all this. I know all of us students here have similarly felt the power of our funding, although our journeys are different and unique in their own inspiring ways.
In this sense I hope this speech resonates with you.
So on the significance of these scholarships… Well, they were a huge factor in bringing me to Saïd Business School. My scholarships allowed me to focus on fully experiencing Oxford, the place which our Dean Soumitra Dutta refers to accurately as an ‘intellectual Disneyland’.
I’ve been able to immerse myself in astronomy, biology, music, history, and other disciplines. I belong to Hertford College, which is currently undergoing renovation works. And just two weeks ago, I put on a hard hat and went into the construction site because I wanted to find out what archaeological discoveries they made.
Plot twist – the historical artefact was me!
But seriously, I have been able to squeeze every last rewarding drop out of Oxford because my scholarships gave me the freedom to satisfy my intellectual curiosity. In addition, these scholarships gave me a responsibility to live up to – and that’s something I’ve worked hard to do.
Within the MBA programme we have Oxford Business Networks, or OBNs for short. They are student-run networks meant to develop skills and knowledge for careers in specific fields. Before joining Oxford, I learnt there was a Climate OBN and went: ‘Ah-hah!’
I’m grateful my peers elected me and my fellow co-chairs to lead this OBN. We have worked tirelessly from the start of the year to create a community of learning centred on sustainability issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and supply chains. In fact, we have two events next week on carbon capture and on the business case for indigenous knowledge and science. Join us!
I’m also grateful my classmates elected me and four of my peers to co-chair the Pride Club, Pride@SBS. We have worked to create a safe space where people can learn about LGBTQ+ issues and understand what allyship truly means in the workplace and beyond. This is especially important as we are still far from equity in many places.
My activities have hugely enriched my time at Oxford. They have helped me cultivate the relationships that have made me a better person.
And yes, it’s true that there’s an amazing network of people here. But I came to Oxford to find my community, centred on shared values. I’m proud to say that through my time in this school, I have close friends from Oceania, Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America.
Everyone here has built bridges in the past year, and we should be proud of it.
And of course, on to the big topic hanging over our heads: The future. Oxford has made me much more ready to face this future.
I came in knowing not so much about business. And have I left Oxford a world-leading financial expert? No.
But can I now talk about finance? Yes.
Have I picked up the business skills to serve me well as a leader? Yes.
Have I become more sure in myself and in what I stand for? Yes.
Have I grown tremendously? Oh my gosh, yes.
What will I do with all this growth and knowledge? Well, I will recognise that I need to come together with all of you amazing people in this room, as we go on to do amazing things all over the world, so that we can create that vision of a better future that drew us to Oxford in the first place.
Friends, we move onwards and upwards only because of those who came before us. So as I reach the end of this speech, let me conclude with thanks.
I’d like to thank Mr Wafic Saïd, for building the school, and for gifting the funds that created the Oxford-Saïd Future Leaders Scholarship. This has helped me thrive. Also, thank you to the faculty who have enriched my life here. Thank you to the staff who have worked so hard to make sure things work in the background.
And to my fellow scholars... Thank you for making Saïd Business School the amazing institution it is. Thank you for continuing to inspire me every single day. Thank you for being people I’m grateful and proud to call my friends.
Our lives have changed because of Oxford. And I know that we will go forth, taking the hopes and aspirations within these Dreaming Spires, and transform them into a beautiful new reality.
Let’s raise a glass, and give three cheers.
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