From classrooms to policy rooms

If you ask Hamizah Myra Binte Mohammad Hamdan what drives her, she won't point to accolades or titles. She'll talk about being motivated by empowering people – those left behind, those quietly resilient, and those whose stories deserve to be heard.

At just 24, Myra has already carved out a path that blends empathy, intellect and impact. A proud alumna of the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), she majored in Global Studies with a minor in Sociology. Today, she serves as a Senior Executive at the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), implementing policies that support innovation and creative enterprise.

"My dad used to say, 'Find what wakes you up in the morning,'" Myra shares. "For me, it's knowing that the work I do can help build systems that empower people."

Home truths

Myra's own resilient, tenacious nature is very much a product of her upbringing. Her dad, who passed away when she was 15, was a man of purpose. "He'd leave at 6am, come home past midnight, and still make time for us." When she once asked him why he worked so hard, he told her that his work fulfilled him so much that it didn't feel like a chore. That lesson stuck with Myra.

Her mum, fiercely independent, taught her to never depend on anyone for her future. "My mum worked tirelessly to support her family. Her strength became my compass," Myra says. And her sister? "She's quietly strong. When she gave up her studies to help support our family, it broke my heart. But today she is a proud SUSS graduate with a Sociology degree!" she beams.

Her family's tradition of being animal rescuers also taught her patience, empathy and the ability to manage "multiple personalities" – feline and human alike. They have fostered approximately 25 cats, each with their own quirks. "Living with cats taught me how to connect with another being. They have needs, moods and personalities. It's humbling."

From motherhood to university life

Myra's journey to NUS wasn't easy. At 17, she became a mother and faced the overwhelming pressure of balancing motherhood with her studies. But she was also surrounded by love: secondary school and junior college friends who encouraged her, teachers who believed in her and a community that never let her fall through the cracks. Buoyed by the outpouring of support, Myra never gave up on her goal of attending university: "In the beginning, it was a simple hope that life could get better. When my son was born, that hope turned into determination. I had to make things better for both of us."

Myra (centre) is joined by her mother (right), sister (left) and son in celebrating her NUS journey, which culminated in her graduation as valedictorian.

Her advice to young people who feel overwhelmed by life's setbacks but dream of making a difference? "Take things one step at a time and focus on what you can control. Don't be afraid to lean on your support system; growth and impact don't happen in isolation," she encourages.

Finding her footing

When deciding on her home faculty at NUS, FASS stood out for its interdisciplinary flexibility. Myra was able to explore introductory courses to Psychology, Sociology, Global Studies, Japanese and Malay Studies before picking Global Studies as her major and Sociology as her minor. "I was curious about how societies and systems interact. Sociology helped me understand inequality and human behaviour; Global Studies gave me a broader lens."

Her favourite course? GL4884AHML: Glocal Media Worlds. "It explored how media shapes global interactions. It later helped me in my Tech for Good job, understanding how digital platforms can perpetuate inequality, scams, and misinformation." If she could add a class to the curriculum, it would be one on Southeast Asian women's history. "I want to understand the stories of powerful women who have shaped our region but remain largely invisible in national narratives. Like hidden figures."

Studying systems, shaping change

In both Sociology and Global Studies, Myra explored how global disasters affected vulnerable communities disproportionately. A class that opened her eyes to the way disasters can be both the cause and result of inequality was GL4883C: Social Experiences of Disasters. "Often, discussions around Covid get reduced to death tolls," she says. "But the stories within – how policies helped or failed, how people struggled – don't get enough attention." She also saw first-hand how digital access (or the lack of it) could isolate people. "I personally know of family and friends who struggled with the shift to online platforms for work and study. Without initial access, it leads to further exclusion. Living through that period was a real eye-opener for me."

Myra's academic interests always leaned toward social issues; she was drawn to gender studies, the sociology of work, digital media and disaster infrastructure. Unsurprisingly, her final-year GL4102: Task Force project explored the disproportionate impact of flooding on women in Japan. "Our team found that women, often caregivers, were more vulnerable during disasters. There's also a lack of gender representation in policymaking in this area."

Myra (first from right) relished the opportunity to examine how gender intersects with policy work alongside the other members of her Task Force project, her lecturer Dr Hyejin Kim (third from left) as well as her project advisor Dr Ven Paolo Valenzuela (centre).

Writing your future

Myra deems the FASS culture as curious, open-minded, and full of possibilities. Her advice to applicants? "Don't stress about your career too early on. Learn, explore and chase what excites you. NUS gave me the space to grow, surrounded by motivated peers and a larger community who encouraged my risk-taking and self-discovery," she offers.

On the stereotype that FASS students only write essays and lack employable skills, Myra dispels that myth: "FASS actually cultivates in us some of the most versatile abilities – critical thinking, communication, research and curiosity, tools that open doors in the job market. But the critical factor is actually internships; that's where you prove you can do more than write essays, and also find out what truly resonates with you," she shares.

Myra's track record bears testament to that: she explored marketing, teaching, partnership development and policy research, each clarifying her path. Her fourth and final internship with the Tech for Good Institute then led to a full-time role right after graduation. There, she got to explore her interest in refining systems to ensure that innovations do not outpace safeguards for communities. "It was fascinating to see how different markets approached cybersecurity and AI," she says. "It reminded me that ideas come from people – and that's where change begins."

Growth in the stretch

The vibrant student life at NUS also offered opportunities for growth beyond the classroom. Myra contributed by joining NUS iVolunteer, which aims to expose youths to volunteerism and provide a platform for them to come together. Through this, she supported underserved communities, such as pregnant youths. "I've always believed that stories matter," she says. "Whether it's writing articles or speaking at events, I want to amplify voices that aren't always heard."

Keen to experience as much as she could in university, she also joined the NUS Student Ambassador (SA) Programme. Through this, she discovered something unexpected: her talent for public speaking! Myra even got to emcee for major events like the Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Awards Ceremony: "Opportunities like these really pushed my comfort zone but also improved my public speaking and confidence," she recalls.

Juggling act

But life at NUS wasn't always a bed of roses. In Year 3, an exhausted and depleted Myra hit her lowest point. She was juggling three jobs, full-time coursework and her son's transition to kindergarten. As an NUS SA, she felt she couldn't fulfil her commitments on top of everything else, and wrote to Ms Melanie Tan, the programme lead, to withdraw.

"I cried. I felt like I was letting everyone down. But Melanie called me, empathised and gave me a semester off. She said, 'Come back when you're ready.' That moment changed everything. I realised I wasn't incapable; I was just overwhelmed. Melanie showed me empathy in leadership; that I matter as a person, beyond my role and function." Her advice to fellow students struggling with stress? "Take your break whenever you need it. Don't wait."

Myra (right) was deeply touched by the support that Ms Melanie Tan showed her when she needed it the most.

Even in the midst of her most hectic times, Myra and her friends always took care to look after themselves. They often paused mid-assignment, ran to a snack shop at NUS Business School and treated themselves to a slice of cake. "We share our calories and stress together!" she laughs.

Building policies, serving people

Today, she works at IPOS, helping implement policies that empower enterprises to go beyond protecting their intangible assets and instead, leverage them for business growth. Her reason for joining the public sector? "I wanted to understand how policy is built from the ground up. Public service teaches you discipline in the basics: how to listen, how to structure ideas, how to make them work."

From navigating classes to implementing national policy, Myra has never lost sight of the human impact behind systems. "Ideas are powerful," she says. "But they mean nothing if they don't serve people. That's what I want to keep doing – building systems that include, empower and uplift."

Myra looks forward to serving and strengthening underserved communities through her work at IPOS.