A Renewed Sense of Belonging

Ms Lim Swee Kim (Computing ’88), a Raffles Hall alumna, graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) more than 30 years ago. But her connection to the University remains strong. The 59-year-old was among the more than 800 alumni who attended NUS Homecoming on 1 July 2023. “One of my reasons for attending was to reconnect with old friends, and experience the balik kampung (‘returning home’ in Malay) spirit once again,” Ms Lim said. 

Organised by the NUS Office of Alumni Relations and co-hosted by NUS Law and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), the event at Bukit Timah campus reconnected multiple generations of NUS alumni for a day of celebration. It marked the first combined Homecoming for graduates from the Bukit Timah, Kent Ridge and Outram campuses. 

In her welcome speech, Ms Ovidia Lim-Rajaram (Arts and Social Sciences ’89), Chief Alumni Officer, NUS, said that Homecoming provided an opportunity to make new memories and friendships. “This is the spirit of #OneNUS. While there are a multitude of communities within the University, our affiliation to NUS surpasses geographic or campus bounds,” she said. The attendees reflected the diversity of the alumni community, with alumni from Hong Kong, the Philippines and New Zealand flying in specially for the event. 

Learning, Celebrating, CONNECTIng

Pre-lunch activities featured seminars, workshops and entertainment by NUS staff and alumni. Highlights included a conversation between Professor Wang Gungwu (Arts ’53) and Professor Chan Heng Chee (Arts ’64) on “Living and Leading with Purpose”; a talk on “An Adventure in the Pursuit of Happiness” by Mr Jonathan Sim (Arts and Social Sciences ’13); a cocktail-mixing session by Associate Professor Kevin SW Tan (Science ’94); and a line-dancing lesson led by Mr Lim Chee Kiang (Engineering ’83). 

Mr Stanley Woo (Law ’22) enjoyed the illuminating dialogue between Prof Wang and Prof Chan. “The highlight was seeing the generations of distinguished alumni and marvelling at how NUS had made such a crucial impact at the key inflexion point of one’s life — and the resulting diversity and outstanding achievements,” the 25-year-old said. “Homecoming has made me alive to the fact that being a university student is much more than just being part of a school — you are part of a community so much larger than yourself or your own cohort.” During lunch, attendees bonded over food, stimulating conversations and performances from NUS musical groups Red Dot Baroque, Resonance and The Jazzlings. 

In his speech, Guest-of-Honour NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85) brought up the recent news that NUS had climbed from 11^th to 8^th place in the QS World University Rankings. This marked the first time the University had placed amongst the world’s Top 10. Besides thanking the faculty and staff who contributed to this global recognition, Prof Tan also extended his appreciation to alumni for their contributions to the University’s reputation and influence. “This remarkable growth story would not have been possible without the participation and support of our alumni community,” he said. 

The news was a hot conversation topic among the attendees, many of whom expressed their pride at the University being ranked amongst the world's best. Dr Souhail Meftah (Design and Engineering ’23), 27, said, “It is a testament to the quality of education that we have received, and that makes me most proud.”

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Prof Tan pointed out that the University’s transformation is “not yet over”. “We are not standing still. In our next stage of growth, NUS is working towards our vision to be a leading global university, shaping the future,” he said, while encouraging alumni to remain involved in NUS’ next phase of growth. 
Homecoming ended on a sweet note, with attendees celebrating four milestones with a dessert buffet and cake: The 20^th anniversary of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, the 65^th anniversary of Raffles Hall, the 65^th anniversary of Eusoff Hall and the 50^th anniversary of the Class of 1973. 

For Ms Lim, Chairperson of the Raffles Hall Association, the reunion sparked a renewed sense of belonging. While she had enjoyed meeting some of her peers and lecturers from Computing, reconnecting with alumni from Raffles Hall held a special place in her heart. “Although several of us Raffles Hall alumni did not know each other previously, when we began singing the Raffles Hall anthem, it immediately connected us regardless of age and background. That familiarity really warmed our hearts,” she said.