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Passion in public service Former NUS Chancellor Mr S R Nathan, Singapore’s longest serving President, was in public service for more than 50 years, and remains till today a strong advocate of duty and service to the nation. Sharing his life experiences at NUS’ U@live forum on 8 February 2012, he related with conviction one lesson he had learnt from his university days, namely, that no one should be written off. Considering the context of Singapore, where the community was brought together by geography rather than a common culture, language and history, he said that his generation provided the landing space and the younger generation was like the pilgrim fathers having just landed. For them, he had this message: “The land ahead is yours and you have to mould it. You have to build on it and you have to ask yourself, ‘Why am I here? Why have we come?’ … The moulding of that nation is your responsibility.” Among other views and stories he shared, he also answered questions on his presidency and personal philosophies. When asked about his idea of good leadership, he said: “I would certainly like to see leaders who are committed to the progress of their community, who are prepared to engage the community, and uplift it and bring it forward.” Mr Nathan in good spirits at U@live He believed that each person is endowed with a set of abilities and will have something to contribute. He told the audience, “All of us, like our fingers, are not equal. Don’t expect others to be like you. Tolerate the differences. Show compassion where it’s necessary. Your duty is to uplift people.” Mr Nathan, NUS’ 8th Chancellor, was among the pioneer batch of eight social work students at the University of Malaya, which later became NUS. As an active alumnus of the University, he continues to support its activities and engage students through gracing events like U@live. U@live, organised by NUS alumni and the Office of Alumni Relations and hosted by Mr Viswa Sadasivan, is a monthly forum featuring outstanding members of the NUS community who have been an inspiration in their passion and dedication to the betterment of society. At the end of the day, the beneficiaries of what you do are people at all levels of society. … That is the attraction of public service. – Mr Nathan NUS Career Fair a hit with students and employers Held on 2 and 8 February this year, the NUS Career Fair saw over 9,000 students in attendance and drew a record number of 176 employers across various sectors. Among the participating companies were 54 first-timers which included brand names such as Google, Coca-Cola and Charles & Keith. The employers were looking to fill a broad range of openings, from professional employment to internships and research scholarships. with 26 NUS scholars. This new programme, designed for top talents and aspiring leaders, seeks to impart leadership principles and skills through experiential learning, self-initiated projects and mentorship by industry leaders and practitioners. The NUS Career Fair is organised by the University’s Career Centre and Office of Student Affairs. KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE 2 Noting the increased interest in NUS’ Career Fair among employers and continued strong demand for NUS graduates in the job market, Vice Provost (Student Life) Professor Tan Tai Yong said: “We are greatly encouraged to know that employers view our fresh graduates as strategic hires in rejuvenating their current workforce, and a pipeline for future managerial roles.” At the Fair’s opening ceremony, Prof Tan spoke on the University’s talent development programme and highlighted a new initiative, the NUS Future Leaders Programme, piloted in the last semester NUS Career Fair 2012 attracted many popular brands on a lookout for fresh talents
Celebrating a multidimensional NUS experience All 83 nominees of the NUS Student Achievement Awards (SAA) 2012 which took place on 17 February were winners already. They had all tasted success in their endeavours, learnt much from their voluntary or competitive experiences, and made significant impact on their community. Every one of them is a shining example of the rich and dynamic multidimensional varsity life at NUS. Citing the diverse activities offered by the University which encourage informal learning and talent development beyond a classroom environment, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Professor Tan Eng Chye said at the awards ceremony that “it reflects our strong belief that preparing future ready candidates extends beyond the academic sphere.” He added that students who had taken advantage of such learning opportunities would develop desired qualities of mind and character, namely, resilience, teamwork, confidence, interpersonal and leadership skills, which would prepare them well for a fulfilling life and career. The celebration of student talents and contributions outside the academic curriculum at the 7th SAA organised by the Office of Student Affairs was made more exciting this year with the results being revealed only at the ceremony itself. Before an expectant crowd of some 600 students, staff and supporters, a total of 21 group and 12 individual winners were announced, and greeted by thunderous applause from the audience. These 33 winners came from across three award categories: Competitions, Community Projects and Distinguished Leadership. They were joined by 14 merit winners and about 60 societies and interest groups who received Special Achievements certificates. Special Commendation awards were also presented to the NUS Students’ Union and 17 participating bodies of Rag and Flag 2011. Thanking the award recipients and nominees for their efforts, sacrifices and contributions, Dean of Students Associate Professor Tan Teck Koon expressed that the University is immensely proud of them and urged everyone to look beyond the recognition – to keep up their good work and continue to enjoy the satisfaction that comes from pursuing and accomplishing what they believe in. Prof Tan Eng Chye (left) presenting the award to Alvin Lim, the only individual winner in the Competitions category The WorldMUN Singapore 2011 Host Team, one of the winning groups in the Community Projects category Some SAA 2012 winners … Competitions • Alvin Lim Shan Jia Winner of the Traders Trophy Competition (Singapore) who represented the nation in the worldwide finals. • NUS FSAE 2011 team Produced the most well-designed race car beating 121 international teams at the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers competition in Michigan. Community Projects • WorldMUN Singapore 2011 Host Team Co-organised the first World Model United Nations Conference in Southeast Asia along with Harvard University students. The conference saw over 2,000 participants from 60 cities around the world. • NUS Students’ Union Students Against Violation of the Earth (NUSSU SAVE) Champion of green initiatives around campus such as recycling, tree-planting and energysaving projects. • Eusoff Voluntary Corps Fosters effective community volunteerism among Eusoff Hall residents through offering practical help to the elderly in low income homes, giving tuition to residents of a children’s home, and providing life skills training to the mentally disabled. Distinguished Leadership • Dominic Lim Wan Xian Singapore’s representative to the UNESCO Asian Youth Forum held in Gwangju, Korea, who is involved in various national youth committees. Founded and leads the SPLAT! community arts movement which now has a volunteer pool of about 800 people, including youths-at-risk and ex-youth offenders. • Mah Yi Xin Project Director of the Kent Ridge Ministerial Forum in April 2011 which featured Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. One of the four delegates who represented Singapore in the ASEAN-China Youth Leaders’ Symposium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, last June. MARCH 2012 3
Page 1: MARCH 2012 A Publication of Nationa
Page 5 and 6: NUSNNI Director receives prestigiou
Page 7 and 8: Tribute to Dr Toh Chin Chye Former

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