The University Scholars Programme (USP) held its annual Homecoming in conjunction with Kent Ridge Alumni Family Day on 17 August. The event welcomed home over 70 USP alumni, students, faculty members and staff.

This year, the Class of 2004, 2009 and 2014 celebrated their 15th, 10th and 5th anniversary respectively. They gathered at USP's newly renovated Dining Hall for a lunch reception. USP Director Associate Professor Kang Hway Chuan welcomed the alumni and encouraged them to share their ideas on USP’s 20th anniversary celebrations happening in 2020. Director of the NUS Alumni Relations Mr Bernard Toh (Architecture '84), also attended the event. He spoke about the importance of alumni contributions to the University, and shared NUS Alumni Relations' efforts to ensure that alumni living overseas are strongly connected to their alma mater through the establishment of Overseas Chapters.

A tradition of the Homecoming is the USP classes for alumni – where they can relive their good old days as USP students. USP Deputy Director (Academic Matters) Associate Professor Low Boon Chuan conducted a discussion on Life and Love. Dr Li Jingmei (Science + USP '05) shared that, “Attending USP classes again was an experience in a league of its own. As usual, every USP class is cross-disciplinary. I particularly liked how love and life can be discussed biologically, emotionally, and mathematically across time and space”.

Associate Professor's Lo Mun Hou’s class on Early-Onset Nostalgia for Millenials was also interesting and filled with engaging discussions. There was also a class on Synthetic Biology – Engineering Life conducted by Associate Professor Mahesh Uttamchandani (Science + USP '04), which was attended by some of his former classmates.

The joys of attending USP Homecoming and reliving one’s days as an undergraduate is summed up perfectly by a heartfelt quote from Mr Lan Yingjie (Science + USP '16): "USP Homecoming continues to remain a wonderful opportunity to meet old friends across the batches within the nostalgic and familiar setting, reigniting and rekindling old friendships over conversations, both intellectual and personal! It is really wonderful to be able to connect beyond your own batch, or even the seniors and juniors, to get to know other alumni who might have graduated by the time you matriculated, and swap notes!".