The COVID-19 outbreak may have brought the world to a grinding halt, but it could not stop a dedicated group of National University of Singapore (NUS) graduates from pursuing their philanthropic mission. Faced with unprecedented challenges, the Alumni Student Advancement Committee (ASAC) navigated the uncertainties of the pandemic to continue supporting their juniors facing financial hardships.
ASAC President Mr Seah Cheng San
ASAC President Mr Seah Cheng San (Engineering ’82) said: “The COVID-19 pandemic forced us into lockdown… However, we at ASAC learned to pivot quickly and continued our fundraising activities. For instance, we held golf charity events under COVID restrictions — mask on during the game, bento box lunches, play and go regime, no dinner.”
Mr Seah was speaking at the ASAC Donor Appreciation Dinner held on 5 October 2023 at the NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House. On this special night, NUS academics and students gathered to celebrate the unwavering generosity of their alumni benefactors, who presented their latest gift to their alma mater.
The Committee successfully raised nearly S$400,000 for three important initiatives: the Malaysian Community Bursary Fund, the NUS College Alumni Bursary Fund and the Plant-It-Forward Challenge. Alumnus Mr Yeo Keng Joon (Business ’85) handed the cheque to Professor Liu Bin, NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology) onstage at the event.
Cheque Presentation
Professor Liu said: “Tonight, we are celebrating the successful efforts of a close-knit alumni community, who believe so steadfastly in a common goal – to support our undergraduates in financial need. Led by dedicated volunteers, ASAC has been instrumental in nurturing a culture of giving and building bridges between generations of alumni. Since its inception,ASAC has raised over S$27 million for various NUS causes. The funds raised have a tremendous impact on narrowing the social inequality gap for many students in NUS.”
One such beneficiary is Ms Regini Lee (Computing ’22), who travelled from Malaysia to Singapore to study Computing at NUS. Although her family faced financial constraints, they took up loans to cover the hefty international school fees because they believed that a good education was a worthy investment. However, the pandemic threw an unexpected curveball and badly hit her father’s corporate training consultancy. He could not conduct in-person training courses due to social distancing measures.
Recounting this challenging period to the audience, she shared: “When my father unveiled our situation, panic seized me. What could I do? My academic challenges continued, and my schedule remained too tight to undertake part-time work. Desperation drove me to seek help from the NUS Office of Financial Aid. Thankfully, NUS extended a lifeline, granting me financial aid due to the unforeseen pandemic.”
Ms Regini Lee
Thanks to the Raffles Hall Alumni Bursary Fund and a bursary generously donated by Mr Yeo Keng Joon and Ms Kong Yuet Peng (MBA ’86), the weight of academic and hall expenses was lifted off Ms Lee’s shoulders. Though shaken by the nerve-racking incident, she slowly regained her footing and went on to become an Enterprise Architect and Engineer at a local bank. Today, Ms Lee is also a proud alumna who contributes to NUS.
Final year Business student Ms Justine Lim also believes in paying it forward. Juggling a part-time job at a pasta shop on campus, she could fully immerse herself in her studies and experience the vibrant hall life because of financial aid. She received two bursaries gifted by the NUS Business School Alumni Association (NUSBSA) — the Sephia Bursary and Mr & Mrs Ong Ah Guan Bursary.
Through NUSBSA President Mr Chua Hung Meng (Business ’81), she learned about the NUS Business Charity Run (BCR), an annual fundraising event for business school students facing financial challenges. Sharing at the session, she said: “It was then that I realised how my bursary fund was first created, and I recognised the profound impact such initiatives could have on students like me. Motivated by this, I took on the role of Project Director for BCR2022. Alongside my dedicated team, we managed to raise over S$600,000 that year.”
As post-pandemic life returns, ASAC is ramping up its efforts to raise funds. The passionate alumni have set their sights on hosting four charity golf events in 2024, a testament to their unwavering support for their juniors.
A gift to one’s alma mater is more than a financial contribution. It is a belief in the transformative power of education to change lives and society for the better. The act of investing in the future of young minds sets in motion a virtuous cycle of giving that benefits society as a whole.
Beneficiary Ms Lee said: “I want to emphasise the great impact that your support has had on my life and the lives of many others. Your generosity has illuminated our paths, allowing us to pursue our dreams and overcome adversity. As we continue our journeys, we carry your kindness with us, a beacon of hope and inspiration, and hopefully, one day, we pay it forward by illuminating the rocky paths of others. Thank you, from the depths of my heart, for choosing to make a difference in our lives.”
