NUS’ spirit of care and generosity came to life at the annual appreciation dinner of the NUS Alumni Student Advancement Committee (ASAC), one of the University’s strongest forces for good.
NUS’ spirit of care and generosity came to life at the annual appreciation dinner of the NUS Alumni Student Advancement Committee (ASAC), one of the University’s strongest forces for good.
Since its founding in 2013, ASAC has raised more than S$36 million, benefitting over 6,000 undergraduates. In 2025 alone, alumni donors have contributed another S$558,000, supporting a vibrant mix of causes from the Campus Couples Bursary to the Malaysian Community Bursary.
A thriving culture of giving
At the dinner, ASAC Chairman Mr Chua Hung Meng (Business ’81) reflected on the committee’s remarkable journey over the past 12 years. He noted how the Faculty of Science’s Charity Golf event made history in 2024 by raising over S$1 million, only to be surpassed this year by the College of Design and Engineering’s event, which brought in a record-breaking S$2.87 million.
Welcome Address by Mr Chua Hung Meng (Business ’81), NUS ASAC Chairman
Both initiatives were led by ASAC members, a testament to the committee’s strong culture of alumni giving. “Since inception, 6,126 bursaries have been given to students in need, enabling them to continue their studies at NUS,” said Mr Chua.
He shared an inspiring milestone that marked a new cycle of generosity: the first gift by a bursary recipient back to the Malaysian Community Bursary Fund. The gift was made by alumnus Mr Leow You Hao (Engineering ’21) who had received the Bursary in 2020.
Mr Chua also encouraged alumni to continue giving generously to the University, sharing that gifts can be made to commemorate significant moments in their lives.
“For example, Mr Yeo Keng Joon and his lovely wife, Ms Kong Yuet Peng, made a gift to the Malaysian Community Enhanced Bursary Fund in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary,” Mr Chua elaborated. “Congratulations Mr and Mrs Yeo, on your milestone anniversary, and thank you again for your generous gift,” Mr Chua continued, addressing the couple who were among the guests at the event.
Lives changed, dreams sustained
Sharing by NUS Bursary recipients Mr Alvin Tan (third-year student at the NUS Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music), and Mr Chan Fung Seng (Business’ 20)
That impact is best expressed by the students themselves. For Mr Alvin Tan, a third-year student at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, the Raffles Hall Bursary made all the difference.
“As an international student from Malaysia, pursuing higher education abroad was always a dream mixed with uncertainty. The financial burden has always been heavy,” he shared.
More than just easing his family’s financial stress, the Bursary gave him the freedom to focus on what truly matters: “My education, my music, and my growth as a person.”
This same spirit continues in alumni like Mr Chan Fung Seng (Business ’17), who once received the NUS BSA Bursary. “It meant so much more than financial aid. It gave me breathing room and gave my parents relief,” he shared.
Motivated by that experience, he went on to help organise the NUS Business Charity Run and co-lead BSA Connexxion. “The impact of your giving continues in ways you may not see, but I promise that it is real, and it is lasting,” he emphasised.
Seeds that grow into canopies
Opening Address by NUS Vice Provost (Masters’ Programmes & Lifelong Education) Professor Susanna Leong & Mock Cheque Presentation (Left to Right: Ms Ovidia Lim, Mr Yeo Keng Joon, Mr Seah Cheng San, Mr Chua Hung Meng, Prof Susanna Leong, and Mr Edi Fung)
In her opening address, Vice Provost (Masters’ Programmes and Lifelong Education) Professor Susanna Leong (Law ’89) reminded guests that ASAC’s achievements go beyond the statistics alone.
“More than mere numbers, each student beneficiary is a unique and gifted individual,” she said. “The NUS giving logo — the seed of the rain tree — reminds us that even the smallest seed can grow into a vast canopy that shelters countless people beneath it.”
Over the past 13 years, ASAC has shown what this canopy looks like: a community where generosity inspires more generosity, and where every act of giving helps the next generation reach their full potential.
Plant the next seed of opportunity when you give to the Plant It Forward Challenge.
Your support helps more students take root, grow and one day give back to others, continuing the cycle of generosity ASAC has nurtured for over a decade. What's more, every S$1,000 given towards the Challenge will be recognised with a tree planted on campus, symbolising both opportunity for students and a greener future for all.
