2010 Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Mark Lam is a fourth-year Business-Economics major originally from Singapore. He currently serves as the President of the Singapore Students Association and is a member of the Riordan Student Investment Fund. This past summer, Mark interned as an analyst with BlackRock in New York City. As an avid music lover and singer, Mark received his first recording contract when he was twelve, and is currently part of YOUTHphonics, an a cappella group at UCLA which volunteers twice a week at Fairfax High School’s music program. Additionally, Mark is passionate about poetry, and was recently published in Ceriph, a creative publication in Singapore. In his free time, Mark also enjoys cycling and playing badminton.

Future Plans: After completing internships with Merrill Lynch and BlackRock, Mark intends to pursue a career in the financial services industry. He plans to take the CFA Level 1 exam in June 2011 and begin working full-time with BlackRock’s Portfolio Analytics Group in August 2011. Within the next few years, Mark hopes to earn a Masters in Business Administration or a Masters in Financial Engineering. In the longer term, Mark aspires to share his experiences and knowledge through returning to academia and teaching.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am grateful and honored to be selected as a recipient of the Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship. Given the recent tuition increases of up to 32%, this scholarship will immensely help ease the financial burden placed on me and my family. Consequently, it will allow me to better focus on my academic and extracurricular pursuits. I hope to one day be able to contribute in a similar way. Indeed, the situation of increased tuition and undertaking student loans is a heavy burden, especially for international students. This timely support will undoubtedly ensure my academic success. I would sincerely like to thank the Wark family for their generous support of continuing education at UCLA.