Twenty-eight students received scholarship awards from Singapore Press Holdings and its registered charity, SPH Foundation, this morning.

Of the recipients, 10 received the 2007 SPH Journalism Scholarships, with six to pursue their studies overseas.

The 10 were selected from a total of 443 applicants, after going through extensive tests and two interview sessions.

Dr Tony Tan, Chairman of the two organisations, handed out the awards at a ceremony in SPH News Centre auditorium. He emphasised the need to continuously recruit and groom new talents, adding: ?This is part of our company?s investment for the future. Over the years, we have built a solid reputation for credible reporting and quality writing. We need to attract and groom talents to continue this fine tradition and ensure that we stay ahead of the game.?

Of the recipients, he said: "The candidates have been chosen based on their academic excellence and outstanding involvement in co-curricular activities, and more importantly, their character, personality and aptitude for journalism."

Ms Hoe Pei San, one of the SPH scholarship holders will be reading Arts & Science at the New York University (NYU). She has also been awarded the Presidential Honors Scholars Programme by the university. The NYU Presidential Honors Scholars Programme is a prestigious programme which is extended by invitation only to students with outstanding academic and co-curricular performance.

SPH has been awarding local and overseas scholarships since 1987 to attract top students to pursue a career in the media. All 10 scholars will join SPH?s newsrooms upon completion of their studies.

Dr Tan also added that the challenge for SPH is to stand out from the information explosion with its credible and quality content, so that the company can achieve success to be more than a printing company operating in Singapore.

Since 1975, SPH has started offering scholarships to the children of staff and newspaper vendors to recognise their contributions to the company. This year, SPH awarded three university, four polytechnic and six junior college awards to the children of its staff, and one university award for its newspaper vendor?s child.

Four students pursuing language studies also received the Lim Kim San Memorial Scholarship awards, which was set up in August 2006 by the SPH Foundation to recognise the contributions made by the late Mr Lim to Singapore. He was chairman of the SPH Board of Directors from 1988 to 2002. In the inaugural year, four scholarship awards were also presented.

Targetted at students from low-income families, the Foundation?s aim is that with some financial help through the bond-free scholarship awards, these scholars will go far in their careers and contribute for the betterment of the Singapore society.

With a seed contribution of $20 million in 2003 as well as periodic donations from SPH, the Foundation has since contributed more than $4.5 million to various education, sports, arts and culture, community, and environmental and charitable causes.

During the ceremony, the recipients celebrated by singing original songs they had composed.