The Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner was a heartfelt celebration bringing together past and present members of the college community to reflect on a decade of shared memories and growth. The event honoured RVRC’s journey, evoking nostalgia as alumni, faculty, and staff reminisced about the pivotal moments that defined their time at the college.

The evening kicked off with a commemorative speech by RVRC College Master Associate Professor Sim Tick Ngee (Arts & Social Science ’90), who celebrated the college's decade of achievements. “From expanding our community to celebrating our first ticketed musical, the college has achieved so much,” added Mr Cyrus Lim Lek Wee (Science ’21). “It was truly heartwarming to witness RVRC's remarkable growth over the past decade!”

Following this, the audience was treated to bespoke musical performances by RVRC's music interest group Jukebox, and the winners of the RV10 Song Writing competition, Mr Gaston Liew and Mr Aaron Lim. Speeches by RVRC Rector Dr Noeleen Heyzer (Arts & Social Sciences ’71, MSocSc ’73) and RVRC’s inaugural Director of Studies, Associate Professor Lee Kooi Cheng (Arts & Social Sciences MA ’94) highlighted the college’s impact over the years. Guests were further entertained by a vibrant dance performance from the NUS Dance Ensemble.

A video message from the founding College Master, Professor Adekunle Olusola Adeyeye, reminded everyone of the hard work, challenges, and perseverance that went into building the strong foundation upon which the college has flourished.

“Witnessing the different generations of the RVRC community come together to honour the college that has served as our home away from home has been a truly heartwarming experience,” said Mr Brandon Lau, Project Director for the RV10 Gala Dinner.

The evening culminated in a joyful RV10 cake-cutting ceremony, uniting staff and students in celebration. To end the night, a special video montage showcased cherished memories from both current and past staff, as well as alumni.

Reflecting on the evening, Mr Zhang Xiangyu Oliver (Business ’24) said, “It was great to reconnect with the people who made my 4-year journey in RVRC memorable, and to celebrate the countless milestones of the college since inception.” As for Mr Javier Chia, a Year 4 resident at RVRC, "Reliving cherished memories, reconnecting with all the friends I have made along the way, and learning about the rich history which brought RVRC to where it is today made the dinner event incredibly special to me.”

The College thanks the Student Organising Committee for their hard work in planning the event, as well as the event attendees for commemorating the wonderful journey. Here’s to another amazing 10 years and beyond!

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Alumni Network Manila held its much-anticipated Cocktails and Connections 2 Networking Lunch, bringing together nearly 50 alumni and guests for an afternoon of connection and conversation.

The event took place at Mijo Comfort Food, a renowned Spanish restaurant in Poblacion, Makati City, recently featured in the Tatler Dining Guide 2024. The event began with a social mixer at 11.30am, allowing attendees to reconnect and engage with fellow NUS graduates across various schools and faculties, including Business, Arts and Social Sciences, Design and Engineering, Law, Medicine, Yale-NUS, and more. Also present in the event were three special guests from the Harvard Club of the Philippines.

A highlight of the event was the presence of the special guest, Department of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara, an alumnus of Xavier School, the London School of Economics, the University of the Philippines College of Law, and Harvard Law School. Secretary Angara delivered an inspirational speech, sharing some of the Department of Education’s planned reforms for education in the Philippines, including the importance of raising the quality of teachers and implementing changes in educational curriculums.

The short programme officially commenced at 12.00nn with welcome remarks from Mr. Nestor Precioso (Science, ’06), Vice Chairperson of the NUS Alumni Network Manila. This was followed by an update on the remaining activities for 2024 by Mr. Richard Tan (Public Policy ’13), the Chairperson. Mr. Juan Paolo Artiaga (Public Policy ’24) introduced Secretary Angara, setting the stage for his engaging and motivational address.

Following the programme, attendees enjoyed a networking lunch, where the guests enjoyed various dishes such as calamares, aligue gambas, lechon sisig, pork tomahawk, and paella theresa. In the spirit of giving back, the event also featured a voluntary contribution drive, with attendees donating a minimum of Php500 (around S$12) to support an NUS Cares initiative set to launch in the last quarter of 2024. The contributions will help fund various community projects identified by the chapter. The event concluded well past 2.00pm, leaving attendees with a sense of fulfillment and anticipation for future gatherings.