If there is an event that NUS donors look forward to each year, it is NUS Giving’s Benefactor Campus Experience (BCE). Since its inception in 2016, the Benefactor Campus Experience has always been about giving University donors an immersive experience showcasing NUS’ groundbreaking excellence and knowledge diversity – and this year was no different.
On 31 August 2024, over a hundred donors and guests gathered at the NUS College of Design and Environment (CDE), ready for a day of vibrant learning and enriching experiences.
Masterclass Experiences
After an opening address by CDE’s Deputy Dean Professor Heng Chye Kiang, BCE 2024 was off to an exciting start as donors flocked into the CDE lecture theatres to attend the Masterclasses of their choice.
Masterclasses are one of the highlights of each year’s BCE, giving donors the opportunity to experience a typical university lecture on their topic of interest. BCE 2024 offered three unique Masterclasses for donors to choose from.
CDE Associate Professor Erik L’Heureux brings donors on a walking campus tour of the newly transformed SDE 1, 3 and 4.
Masterclass 1 was a holistic two-part affair – Deputy President (Research and Technology) and Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor Liu Bin first shared about the sustainability research being conducted at NUS through the NUS Green Energy Programme and Centre for Hydrogen Innovations. Afterwards, Dean’s Chair Associate Professor Erik L’Heureux took donors on a campus tour of the newly transformed SDE 1, 3 and 4, showcasing the buildings’ impressive eco-friendly sustainable architecture. SDE 4, in particular, is Singapore’ first new-build, net-zero energy building, designed to be climate-responsive with net-zero energy consumption and sustainable design features.
Prof Kenneth Dean’s Masterclass on Chinese temples and clan associations.
Meanwhile, donors at Masterclass 2 enjoyed a journey through the history of Chinese temples and clans with Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Professor Kenneth Dean. Throughout the class, donors were impressed by Prof Dean’s fluent Mandarin and keen grasp of traditional terminology as he shared about the intensive research being conducted by the Department of Chinese Studies, such as the development of a comprehensive relationship map between prominent Chinese families in Singapore.
Donors at Masterclass 3 enjoyed a live demonstration of the application of microneedle technology in wound healing.
Assistant Professor and Presidential Young Professor Andy Tay (Biomedical Engineering ’14) brought a hands-on element to Masterclass 3. Donors got to engage with the cutting-edge immune-engineering tools currently being developed at CDE’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, such as Dr Tay’s adaptation of microneedle technology to treat wounds from skin disorders. Dr Tay’s explanation of scientific technology in layman-friendly language also aided donors in gaining a better understanding of the science involved in these developments.
Cultural Delights
After gaining valuable insights from the Masterclass sessions, donors enjoyed tapping into their creativity in BCE’s Cultural Delights segment. This year, all three of the Cultural Delights activities were conducted by NUS alumni from CDE.
A fun panorama shot taken by donors at the mobile photography workshop.
Donors created their own personalised piece of biophilic design at the mini moss frame workshop.
Mr Allan Tay (Industrial Design ’15) conducted a mobile photography workshop, giving donors handy tips and tricks on how to maximise their phone cameras to capture memories meaningfully. Mr Chia Ming Kuang (Architecture ’18) guided donors through creating a mini moss frame personalised with their names, letting them bring home a lovely piece of biophilic design.
Ms Mabel Low guided donors through a creative time of paper crafting.
Donors who joined the Paper Flower Kraft Workshop by Ms Mabel Low (Industrial Design ’15) got to take home their own handmade paper cactus craft. Ms Low also shared with the donors how the financial aid she received as an NUS student was crucial in supporting her undergraduate education, giving her the experience and education needed to become the founder of her own art studio, Papersynthesis.
Lunch with President and Provost
Donors enjoyed lunch at the Architecture Gallery hosted by NUS President Prof Tan Eng Chye.
After a fulfilling morning of meaningful programmes, donors and guests adjourned for a sumptuous lunch at the Architecture Gallery, hosted by NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye (Science ’85) and Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Professor Aaron Thean. Even in the heat of the afternoon sun, the Architecture Gallery was kept cool without any air-conditioning, but by the building’s hybrid technology, which reduces humidity to 50-60% and maintains the temperature at 27-degrees Celsius. In this breezy environment, donors enjoyed a delightful lunch, connecting with one another and exchanging innovative new ideas long after the programme had officially come to an end.
Donors enjoyed the sustainable dual-purpose lanyards which they could take home to use as a phone strap.
Even the event lanyards did not go to waste at the end of BCE – in line with the University’s unwavering commitment to sustainability, these were designed to dually function as a phone strap, allowing donors and guests to bring them home for continued everyday use.
Eight years on, the Benefactor Campus Experience continues to be a meaningful day for donors, giving them the opportunity to witness the impressive quality of NUS’ research, facilities and people. That a half-day event may be so impactful for all involved is proof of the wonderful partnership between the University and our dedicated donors.
