Asia’s Most Inspiring Young Talent
Annsley Dashawna Stephen, a Bachelor of Medical Science (BMS) alumna, was recently named to the Top 100 Young Talents in the MonStar Awards 2022, Asia Young Talent Awards. This programme honours young Asian talents who have created, inspired, and influenced others and their communities.
She qualified for the MonStar 'Most Inspiring Awards' by being named one of the Top 100 Young Talents, and she won out the other candidates by collecting the most public votes. Through this award, she walked away with RM10,000 worth of AirAsia Academy’s digital certificate program.
When asked about her success story, Annsley stated that everyone has one.
“I often wondered how my parents can lead a family and juggle their careers and although it may be tough, it always seems flawlessly done. Without a doubt, they are my role models, and I aspire to be them – how they meticulously do certain things still baffles me.”
“Ever since I was young, I liked being a leader, even though it was and is never easy, maybe because I tend to be particular about certain things. However, there came a time when I was at my lowest while being a leader because of the people around me. It broke me and hurt me so much that I began to take a step back and thought maybe it is not meant for me,” she said.
Annsley also mentioned that it was difficult for her at first.
“But that’s when something happened – an open recruitment for International Medical School Student Association (IMSA) and I thought, if I don’t try, I’d probably never know what I can be capable of, after all, people will always have something to say and critique you anyways. I got selected as an IMSA committee and soon after led through many faculty and university programs. The learning experiences that I had in MSU have certainly build my leadership skills and my confidence. Not to mention, the Personal Enrichment Competency (PEC) subjects taught in MSU such as management skills and teamwork skills also helped me empower myself to handle tough situations and challenges,” she said.
“You cannot compare your life story with someone else just because it doesn’t go the way you want it to. Someday when you look back, you will see that if it was any other ways, you probably would not be standing where you are today. Your plans are always inferior to what God has planned for you, trust in Him always.”
“I believe everyone has a voice and we should be allowed to use it wisely. But mostly, we should be given the chance to use it. So, I would highly urge you out there to take a shot, takea chance at whatever challenges life throws at you. Because chances are you might excel at it, and you will never know if you never try.”
“So, what is my dream now? Nothing, but to be the best version of myself, being the kind of girl that gets to inspire and empower one another,” she said.
She hopes that by doing so, she can encourage others to believe that nothing is impossible if we believe it.