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ALUMNI ALUMNI JOY WONG Class of 2010, Journalist at Ministry of Defence Public Affairs, Defence Media Centre Was most likely to… Be on time for lessons Best known for being one of the girls in MINDEF, where she writes defence and military news for both PIONEER magazine and Cyberpioneer, the news website of MINDEF. In addition, she edits and oversees the production of PIONEER in the Chinese edition. This year, she is involved in the National Day Parade publicity efforts. When I think of my first day in WKWSCI, I remember my apprehension about whether I could adapt to university life and my excitement in having enrolled in my dream course. When I was an undergrad, you would most likely find me working on The Nanyang Chronicle, or meeting with my co-curricular activity (CCA) mates from the Cultural Activities Club. WKWSCI left an indelible impression on me because it has been my dream school since I was young. This was where I learnt that the ability to communicate well requires skills—it’s not just about the content of a message but also about how one says it. I was inspired to pursue my profession because of my interest and curiosity in defence and military issues. I’m inspired by how our forefathers fought hard against the Japanese forces during World War II to protect their loved ones and I see peace and security of a country as the cornerstones of economic prosperity, societal development and harmony. I find fulfilment in my job because lofty as this may sound, I feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that I’m playing a part in the defence of my homeland. provocative LOH CHEE KONG Class of 2005 News Editor, TODAY Was most likely to... Say something Winner of Story of the Year with Public Participation prize at the MediaCorp News awards 2006—just eight months into his job with TODAY. He was MediaCorp’s Young Journalist of the Year 2008 and won TODAY’s Commentary of the Year in 2008 and 2009. While at WKWSCI he won the Nanyang Outstanding Young Alumni Award and a special achievement award for journalism for his stint at The Nanyang Chronicle. When I think of my first day in WKWSCI, I remember telling myself that this was exactly where I wanted to be. As an undergrad, you would most likely find me involved in hostel activities. WKWSCI left an indelible impression on me because it trained me how to think. The news event that has had the most impact on my career is the 2004 Nicoll Highway collapse which occurred when I was an intern at TODAY—I watched the incident unfold on television and worked overnight to file reports from the site. In particular, the encounters with the grieving families and dedicated rescue workers left a deep impression. When disasters happen, sometimes reporters are a source of comfort for the victims and their families, asking questions on their behalf and providing answers that are not forthcoming from the authorities. Politics, to me, is more than the sideshows. It is really about improving the lives of the people and in that regard, it is our duty as citizens to be interested in politics. Under the present circumstances, which are similar to the early years when we had a more vibrant political landscape, the challenge for journalists is to not lose sight of what is truly important to society and stay above the fireworks and politicking. I wish I could interview Abraham Lincoln— a great man. His gems of wisdom would delight any interviewer. ESTHER TAN Class of 2005 Senior Copywriter, OgilvyOne Was most likely to... Be found in the sports pool Best known for being part of Singapore’s first all-women team to scale Mount Everest. She was awarded the Nanyang Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2007. When not outdoors seeking new adventures, Esther works as a senior copywriter at OgilvyOne. She is also currently writing a book chronicling her Everest journey as well as a full-length play under the National Arts Council’s Mentorship Access Programme. When I think of my first day in WKWSCI, I remember feeling a little intimidated by all the outspoken people around me. I was inspired to undertake the climb because of my curiosity and love of the great outdoors. I’ve always loved being immersed in nature, but mountaineering was something totally new to me. I’d never seen snow before I joined the team. So when I received the email that heralded a nationwide call for women to climb Everest, I was intrigued by the idea of an all-female team and thought it was too rare an opportunity to pass up without at least trying for the team. During the climb, I had a near death experience until Jamling, my Sherpa came to my rescue. Jamling and I were clipped in to a rope leading up to Camp Three, and we were about halfway up the Lhotse Face when we suddenly heard a commotion on the radio but we couldn’t make out what was communicated, and before we could make sense of the commotion, he swung me abruptly to the right. I saw a black massive figure fly past me on my left, barely missing me by a few inches. Minutes later, we heard shouts over the radio, “Was it a body or a bag” It was only when we got to Camp Three that we realised that a climber near Camp Four had been hit by a rock, and when he fell, his bag full of oxygen bottles fell from that height, and was gaining momentum as it tumbled down the mountain. Each oxygen bottle weighed close to 8kg, and there were several bottles in his bag. If that bag had hit Jamling or myself, I don’t think we would’ve survived. Since coming back from Everest, my next adventure will be to become a mother this May, so that’s going to be a real adventure for me! Senior Copywriter & Everest Adventurer Esther Tan, Class of 2005 30 CONNEXSCIONS CONNEXSCIONS 31
ALUMNI ALUMNI GRACE KWAN ZAKARIA ZAINAL LIM WUI LIANG MARCUS GOH Class of 2008 Assistant Manager (Endowment Fund), WKWSCI Was most likely to... Publish a book of short stories Class of 2010 Freelance photographer Was most likely to... Deliver a corny joke Class of 2004 Executive Photojournalist, The Straits Times Was most likely to... Quit Comms and transfer to Business School Class of 2007 Scriptwriter, MediaCorp Was most likely to... Ask “Who Would Most Likely To” questions Best known for re-joining WKWSCI as staff after graduating as an undergraduate and post-graduate student. She is now working on launching the Professor Eddie C.Y. Kuo Study Abroad Scholarship. When I think of my first day in WKWSCI, I remember asking my senior if there was a dress code for school, and was told, “What dress code I wear bathroom slippers to lectures.” The teacher I will never forget is every one of them, especially since I was here as an undergrad, grad student and now a staff. It is weird to have your teachers as colleagues, but in a good way. When I was an undergrad, you would most likely find me on campus having project discussions at the benches. WKWSCI left an indelible impression on me because of the people. I am proud of the fact that my peers started off being idealistic, venture out into the real world, but still hold on to these ideals, under the cynical façade. I find my job fulfilling because it presents many opportunities to learn as I was never a PR or a finance person, but this job strangely merges these two roles. It is a challenge and I figured that I needed something that takes me out of my comfort zone, so here I am. It is also the first fund raising project I am involved in. I understand from talking to our students that cost is usually the reason they do not apply for exchange programmes, and in fact, money was also the key reason why I didn’t apply for exchange so I know exactly how these students feel. It is rewarding if even one student benefits from a cause that I have a part in. Best known for his supplement in The Straits Times on retired Singapore Gurkhas. Zakaria was invited by TEDx Youth Singapore to talk about his project last November. He is currently working on a book to share the inspiring stories of the Gurkhas. He is also running a company as a fulltime photographer, taking on both commercial and editorial projects. When I think of my first day in WKWSCI, I remember overdressed students in our main LT. The teacher I will never forget is Advanced Photojournalism instructor Tay Kay Chin, for inspiring and sharing a world over and above photojournalism— and also being a mentor and friend. The module I most enjoyed was Future of Journalism. Taught by Cherian George, Reginald Chua and PN Balji. When I was an undergrad, you would most likely find me wasting time at the benches. WKWSCI left an indelible impression on me because of its sense of community and gotong-royong spirit (the spirit of solidarity). If I weren’t a photographer, I would be a trade negotiator. The best thing about my Gurkha project has been the surprising response and support from everyone—mainly the diasporic Singapore Gurkha community. What is most rewarding is being able to share their important stories on various platforms and having the public relate to such stories in a personal way. Winner of Singapore Press Holdings 2008 EMND Awards: Feature Picture of the Year and the IFRA Asia Media Awards 2008: Gold award for Best in Photojournalism (Spot News). After completing his Master of Science degree at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Wui Liang returned to The Straits Times to manage the paper’s visual journalism website, “Through the Lens”. In lieu of his achievements for “Through the Lens” he won the IFRA Digital Asia Media Awards 2011: Gold award for Best in Online Websites (Newspapers). He has been with The Straits Times since 2004 and has travelled to countries such as North Korea and Pakistan, photographing subjects from ministers to gravediggers. When I think of my first day in WKWSCI, I remember my classmates in my orientation group. As an undergrad, you would most likely find me on campus cycling! I was inspired to pursue my profession because I love photography and I hated being unemployed. So when I heard of an opening at The Straits Times after graduation, I applied. Been there ever since! The most unexpected thing about my job is that I spend more time driving, waiting, and watching, than actually shooting. The project that has had the most impact on my career is starting up and running “Through the Lens”. It opened up another dimension for my colleagues and me to tell stories visually. Best known for writing the scripts for Channel 5 TV series First Class, Police and Thief and Polo Boys. He is currently working on Point of Entry. When I think of my first day in WKWSCI, I remember part of it was under construction. Part of it is always under construction. Is it still The teacher I will never forget is Dr Sharen Liu because nobody forgets her, really. The modules I most enjoyed were the ones that had no exams. When I was an undergrad, you would most likely find me trying to steal chairs for my hall room. WKWSCI left an indelible impression on me because it keeps on changing names. As a scripwriter I manipulate Singapore audiences into doing my bidding. The TV shows that most inspired me were Ducktales and Money. A little known fact about me is that in December 2011, I was among the first few in the world to be at the premiere of Transformers: The Ride. I won it by submitting a photo of the nearly 500 Transformers toys I own in a competition organised by Universal Studios If I weren’t an endowment fund manager, I would be a novelist. Over the next five years I would like to continue doing what I love. I would love to photograph Jesus’ last moments and resurrection. This would set the record straight. 32 CONNEXSCIONS CONNEXSCIONS 33
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Connexscions Volume VIII Issue 02 Jan - WKWSCI Home - Nanyang ...

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