2024 marked a milestone year for NUS Residential College 4 (RC4), as it celebrated a decade as a vibrant living and learning community centred on systems thinking, community engagement and entrepreneurial innovation.
Since its inception as the University’s youngest RC in 2014 with a pilot batch of just 62 students, RC4 has now grown to accommodate 600 students, fostering an environment of self-discovery and personal growth, nurturing numerous student achievements ranging from the performing arts to research publications, start-ups and community projects.
A decade of small systems, big hearts
The motto “Small Systems, Big Hearts” has played a big role in RC4's living and learning programmes over the past decade. RC4 students adopt the systems thinking approach as they address intricately interconnected community issues and conceive innovations that fulfil societal needs, recognising that many problems are not standalone but embedded in a complex system with moving and interconnected parts. As such, a holistic solution rather than a piecemeal solution is needed.
From the intellectual prowess in systems thinking to its application in community engagement and entrepreneurial innovation, RC4’s journey has stayed true to this guiding motto and exemplifies its founding value proposition of a reinforcing living and learning symbiosis.
“As the College reaches its 10th-anniversary milestone, I hope that our students will continue to go out and make a positive difference in the world by virtue of their intellectual acumen and big hearts,” said RC4 Master Associate Professor Peter Pang, as he reflected on the RC’s ten-year journey.
The RC’s focus on systems thinking has also enabled it to be a vital nurturing ground for those with a passion for solving real-world problems, such as the co-founders of Vilota, Ms Low Yin Yi (Life Sciences ‘19), Mr Lexdan Lim (Electrical Engineering ‘18) and Mr Cheng Huimin (Electrical Engineering ‘18). Building on their time in RC4 Space, a student group specialising in drone development and aerial filming, the trio took their passion for entrepreneurship to the next step with Vilota, conceived as an abbreviated portmanteau of the words Vision, Location and Data, a start-up that designs and manufactures Visual Positioning Systems aimed at solving localisation challenges in the mining, construction, robotics and mobility industries.
Vilota co-founder Mr Cheng Huimin (in red), who participated in a panel discussion at the RC4 symposium, credited his time in RC4 as a nurturing space for the start-up’s entrepreneurial spirit.
“One thing we remember most about RC4 is how it functioned much like an incubator – a safe environment, providing optimal conditions for interaction, exploration, development and growth,” shared Mr Cheng.
“I will never cease to marvel at how much RC4 has grown – from being the relatively unknown college to the college of choice among today’s prospective students. Notable alumni such as Vilota co-founders are already living the spirit of the College's ‘Small Systems, Big Hearts’ motto, making their impact in the Singapore community and beyond,” said RC4 Fellow Associate Professor Chng Huang Hoon, who has journeyed with the RC since the initial planning of its University Town College Programme curriculum.
A year of celebration
To commemorate a fulfilling decade, several sub-committees in RC4 put together a year-long plethora of activities and events to celebrate their 10th anniversary. The celebration brought together students and staff in events spanning a day of sports and games, an alumni homecoming dinner, parents’ night, and even a celebratory birthday dinner for Oscar, RC4’s beloved Orca mascot.
RC4 students and staff at the RC4 Veggie Rescue, led by Fellow Associate Professor Tan Lai Yong (first from right, in yellow), where they partnered with other community volunteers to tackle the issue of food wastage.The RC also dedicated time to serving the community through the RC4 Veggie Rescue. Staff, students and alumni came together to gather leftover fresh produce, which would have otherwise been discarded by grocery stores, to be redistributed amongst needy households and communities.
The College wrapped up the anniversary celebrations with two major events – a symposium on systems thinking and a gala dinner to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Interconnected horizons
Close to 200 students, alumni, educators and systems thinking experts came together at RC4’s 10th Anniversary Symposium on 19 October 2024. With the theme "Interconnected Horizons: Systems Thinking, Communities, and Entrepreneurship", the event featured insightful plenary talks by renowned systems thinking pioneers Professor John Sterman and Professor Peter Hovmand, who demonstrated how system dynamics analysis could effectively shape policymaking and foster collaborative solutions to address complex societal challenges.
The symposium also showcased innovative student research projects, such as alumnus Mr Toh Chin Howe’s (Psychology ‘23) exploration of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus, which used systems modelling to understand the interconnectivity of Singapore's resources and forecast future trends.
Student presenters at RC4’s 10th Anniversary Symposium, pictured with RC4 Master A/Prof Pang (fourth from left) and RC4 Lecturer Dr Cindy Fu (far left), showcased their wide range of projects employing systems thinking in diverse contexts.
Additionally, panel discussions involving RC4 alumni, students, faculty, community partners, and entrepreneurs explored systems thinking in diverse contexts such as policy, technology, innovation and community engagement. RC4 alumnus Mr Daniel Lee (Data Science ‘24) emphasised the power of group model building in managing stress and engaging communities, leading to actionable outcomes such as the establishment of peer support groups and RC4’s new relaxation space, Oasis. Meanwhile, RC4 Fellow Dr Lynette Tan discussed how mahjong served as a conduit for bridging generational gaps and promoting intergenerational engagement to combat ageism.
This milestone event showcased systems thinking as a powerful tool for positive social change while celebrating RC4’s decade-long commitment to “systems thinking, communities, and entrepreneurship.”
Journeying beyond a decade
The year-long anniversary celebrations culminated in the RC4 Gala Dinner on 7 December 2024, attended by over 400 guests, including students, alumni, parents, faculty, community partners and guests to celebrate the past decade’s achievements and hopes for a bright future ahead.
At the gala dinner, RC4 launched a S$250,000 bursary fund to empower students in need. Witnessed by past and present staff, students and alumni of RC4, it will go towards supporting their academic and personal development at the College. (Photo: Shenn Tan)During the dinner, A/Prof Pang announced the launch of the RC4 Bursary Fund, marking a pivotal step in supporting future generations of RC4 students facing financial challenges. With over S$250,000 raised so far, this fund aims to empower students on their academic and personal growth at the College.
“As we celebrate our achievements of the past 10 years, we also look forward to the next 10 years and beyond. Today, we pledge that in the next 10 years, RC4 will offer even better living-and-learning programmes that will even better prepare our graduates to be effective leaders of change in a complex world. We pledge to enable all RC4 students to participate fully in these living-learning programmes. With the launch of the RC4 bursary, today we are taking the first step towards this pledge,” said A/Prof Pang, emphasising the significance of the new bursary fund and its impact.
RC4 homegrown band and Supernova 2024 second runner-up ‘Your Mom’s Favourite Band’ took to the stage with lively tunes at the gala dinner. (Photo: Shenn Tan)
As RC4 concludes the year-long celebrations, the college looks forward to continuing its journey of growth and innovation, fostering a vibrant community dedicated to making a difference.
“The past year of RC4’s 10th anniversary celebrations have been a wonderful opportunity for residents, alumni, faculty and staff to come together, reflect on our journey, and look forward to the exciting possibilities for the future,” said third-year Environmental Engineering and Economics undergraduate Teo Jia Xin, who was part of the Gala Dinner planning committee. “To me, RC4 is a home away from home. It’s where I have met incredibly talented friends, built lasting relationships, and created countless cherished memories.”
This story was adapted from the article originally published on 17 December 2024 on NUS News. Click here for more RC4 News.
