The Stewards of Solidarity

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) was established in 2006, and provides strategic guidance and counsel on all alumni-related matters, including collaborating with NUS senior management to build and enhance relationships with alumni and friends of the University. The AlumNUS speaks to two individuals — Mr Johnny Tan and Mr Seah Cheng San — who have played pivotal roles in fostering alumni bonds, as the baton of AAB leadership is handed over from one to the other.

AN OLD GUARD FOR NEW BLOOD

Mr Johnny Tan
Member of the NUS Alumni Advisory Board since July 2009  

Mr Johnny Tan — who stepped down as AAB Co-Chairperson on 30 June 2024 — is the longest-serving Advisory Board member. In fact, it was the length of his service that inspired him to support the change of the AAB constitution as there was no specific term limit then for AAB members. “After my eighth year in AAB back in 2017, we thought we should institutionalise a renewal process,” he said.

The AAB constitution was updated in 2018, allowing for a board member to serve for a maximum of three 2-year terms. While the NUS President is the Chair of the AAB, the update included a new Co-Chair position which would be nominated by the AAB members. The term of the Co-Chair was also upped to a maximum of three 2-year terms.  

Mr Tan was made the Co-Chair in 2018 and led the AAB selection committee to kickstart the design of a new selection process involving an open nomination that would bring three nominated members onto the board of 15 every two years. “Our aim was to bring in as many younger members as possible, and to achieve a better balance in terms of representation,” he shared. 

A series of briefing sessions held with various alumni groups within NUS garnered a positive response. Through this nomination process, which started in 2019, seven relatively younger members have joined AAB, shared Mr Tan. “Bringing younger alumni on board has given me the greatest satisfaction. They bring different expertise and fresh perspectives.”

His emphasis on attracting new blood is rooted in his belief that AAB needs to update itself to better reflect the NUS population in order to perform its role of supporting the University’s vision and the alumni community. These span from improving the University’s cross-border connections to building a caring environment and promoting lifelong learning. 

In 2023, as AAB Co-Chair, Mr Tan worked with Mr Ow Tai Zhi (Business ’11) — a younger AAB member — to launch the Plant-it-Forward Challenge, which aims to promote environmental sustainability and support the NUS Enhanced Financial Aid Scheme. Mr Tan was also the founding Chairman of the Alumni Student Advancement Committee (ASAC), aimed at uplifting the social mobility of needy NUS students, cultivating the spirit of giving among the community and broadening the alumni support base. The Committee was set up in 2013 by then-NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine ’83).   

While his AAB work might have taken up much of his time — which he could have otherwise used to explore his other passions after stepping out of the corporate world — Mr Tan had this to say, “Some have said to me: ‘Johnny, don’t you have anything better to do?’ But I have benefitted from the process, learned a lot, and made many new friends. The opportunity to contribute to my alma mater has been an honour and privilege, but it is people and friendships that first got me involved and gets me going. It has been a very meaningful journey for me.”

ANSWERING THE CALL OF DUTY

Mr Seah Cheng San 
Member of the NUS Alumni Advisory Board since July 2018

While financial contributions are a cornerstone of alumni giving, there is a whole spectrum of ways through which alumni can make a profound impact on their alma mater. Mr Seah’s volunteering with NUS started when he and his wife, Ms Chong Siak Ching (Real Estate ’81), donated a bursary to the Business school. Now, as the AAB Co-Chair, his focus lies on strengthening connections with NUS alumni because he understands the immense value alumni networks and expertise can bring to the entire NUS community.

“My volunteering with NUS started around 2008 when my wife and I donated a bursary to the Business school, and we saw that there was a need for more bursaries. Over the years, we got good support from friends and classmates to set up funds to support more students. I became Chair of ASAC in 2018, taking over from Johnny, and it was ultimately my fundraising activities that led me to becoming a member of the AAB in 2018. 

It is an honour and privilege to serve as AAB Co-Chair. While I had intended to spend more time travelling with my wife this year as she had recently retired, a few fellow AAB members put my name up in the nomination process for AAB Co-Chair. I put some thought into it and agreed since the members have confidence in me. 

My priority going forward is for the AAB to be the link that connects with, and gathers feedback from alumni. Clearly, alumni are at the centre of what we do, and my hope is that the AAB can become much closer to the different alumni communities. We want to find out what they want, and what we can do for them. We want to maintain a very good relationship with alumni and have as many touchpoints as possible to engage them. Another is getting alumni involved in community service. While we started with one day called the NUS Day of Service — where the entire NUS community came together to give back to society — we now feel that community service is ongoing. That now falls under NUS Cares, a university-wide movement encouraging the NUS community to volunteer in initiatives that give back to society.

AAB’s succession system is a good thing that I will try to build upon. We will continue to try to engage alumni, especially the younger ones, and bring them in to serve. We also want to give more people the opportunity to serve. 

Giving back to the University doesn’t have to be in terms of donations. Alumni can also give back in terms of mentorship and career coaching, offering guidance to current students or recent graduates as they navigate career paths. They can also share their experiences as guest speakers, volunteer with NUS Cares, or use their networks to connect people in the NUS community.

In previous events, I witnessed how experienced alumni mingle with, and give advice to current NUS students over a dinner, for instance. This is a learning experience for the student. Ultimately, there is a lot that alumni can offer, and every interaction counts. By sharing their time and networks, alumni can make a real difference in shaping the lives of current students and the alumni community.”