On 27 November 2024, the Metropolitan Hotel in Melbourne hosted a highly successful networking event, the Melbourne Mixer. This event was proudly supported by the Singapore Global Network (SGN).

The Melbourne Mixer brought together approximately 70 attendees, including 21 alumni members from the National University of Singapore (NUS), 24 from Singapore Management University (SMU), and 17 from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), along with key industry partners. This gathering provided a unique opportunity for participants to reconnect, share insights, and explore new avenues for professional collaboration. The evening offered opportunities for graduates to come together in Melbourne, with attendance by newer members who recently moved to Australia and many who have resided for decades.

The event kicked off with a welcoming address by Miss Dora Tan from SGN, who highlighted the network's ongoing efforts to foster global connections among Singaporean alumni and industry leaders. SGN's commitment to supporting the professional growth of alumni and strengthening ties between Singapore and Australia was emphasised as a key driver behind the event.

Attendees represented a wide spectrum of industries, including finance, technology, healthcare, education, and more, showcasing the diverse backgrounds and expertise within the Singaporean alumni community. Both young professionals and established leaders engaged in lively discussions, exchanging ideas on career development, industry trends, and the challenges and opportunities of working across borders. Many alumni shared personal stories of their professional journeys in Melbourne, offering valuable insights into adapting to the Australian market and leveraging international experiences. The event’s networking sessions were a key highlight, facilitating meaningful connections and potential partnerships. Industry partners also played an integral role in the event, providing guidance and offering opportunities for collaboration between alumni and the wider business community in Melbourne. SGN’s support ensured a well-organised and impactful evening that encouraged ongoing engagement and professional development.

The event also included a lucky draw segment where the top winners walked home with exclusive wines sponsored by November Bravo. Overall, the event was a resounding success, reinforcing the importance of global alumni networks and providing a valuable platform for career growth and professional collaboration.

On 25 November 2024, the NUSL Writers’ Centre and NUSC Alumni Relations teams collaborated to host "A Community of Writing at NUS College," a reading featuring student, alumni, and faculty creative writers. The event was hosted in the heart of the Library in the Writers’ Centre, where desks and chairs were pushed aside for the evening as participants gathered round the Centre’s couch, eagerly listening to the heartfelt and personal writings of our guests.

Our guests included NUSC faculty members Dr Carissa Foo and Dr Roweena Yip, with Dr Roweena generously moderating the panel for us. Readers included alumnae Rachelle Chua ’24 and Ong Yun Ning ’24, and students Mahima Hari ’25 and Tricia Sin ’25. Our readers shared writing across a range of genres, including fiction, poetry, and other cross-genre writing, followed by a Q&A section where participants asked questions about writing, sustaining a creative practice, and our readers’ favourite books.

We were joined by a range of attendees, current students as well as alumni from across many different classes. Panellists reflected on the power of creative writing to bring communities together, noting that they had formed lasting writing communities through creative writing modules offered at NUSC. As the night went on, the readers delved into a range of themes including love, loss, mortality, and other intricate aspects of the human experience.

The night was a testament to the power of creative practices, and how they strike a poignant a chord across a wide range of lived experiences. Dr Roweena Yip shared, "Hearing these writers share how their undergraduate experiences at NUSC have nourished their proclivity for writing and literature inspires me to continue supporting the rich creative lives of our students. The generosity and openness with which all these writers spoke also reminds me about the power and value of art in creating communities across institutional contexts and constraints. Thank you to all the writers and to the organisers of this event, hopefully with many more of these to come!"