From left: Leng Lee’s former teacher Keith
VICTORIA’S 2006 Rhodes Scholar visited his academic stomping ground in Keysborough this month to inspire students to follow in his footsteps.
Leng Lee, 25, graduated from Haileybury in 1999 and last week spoke to students at the year’s final assembly.
He gave a candid and amusing speech about his time at Haileybury, and how to be successful.
Mr Lee said his success was due to hard work. While he says he was not the most talented student, he put in the hard yards.
Being named Victoria’s Rhodes Scholar for 2006 means Mr Lee won airfares, tuition fees and a living allowance for a doctorate in economic geography at Oxford.
Mr Lee was born in Malaysia in 1981 and arrived in Australia in 1987.
At Haileybury, he excelled in academic studies and led the hockey, volleyball and debating teams. He still plays squash and has run in a number of half marathons.
At the University of Melbourne, Mr Lee undertook a Diploma of Arts (History and Political Science) with his commerce and law degrees.
He has also undertaken work experience in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, at top-tier law and accounting firms, and at the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress.
Mr Lee performs stand-up comedy, tutors African migrants, runs a debating club at an Islamic school, and organises pastoral care at the college where he lives.
He joins an illustrious list of Rhodes Scholars, including former federal opposition leader Kim Beazley, former prime minister Bob Hawke and former Victorian governor Sir James Gobbo.
After researching patterns of economic growth in China and the Asia-Pacific, Mr Lee he hopes to return to Australia for work, possibly in politics.
