One North | Vol 20 | April 2023

CHANGE MAKERS THE NEW

Kimheang Chham '16 and other young Alumni bring the UWCSEA Mission around the World

One°North is published by UWC South East Asia annually for alumni, staff and friends of UWCSEA. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without written consent.

We welcome your feedback; please send comments, suggestions for future issues and/or address updates to alumnimagazine@uwcsea.edu.sg

Editors: Sarah Begum, Tina Tsai, Raihana (Rae) Omar, Lucie Snape and Jules Wainwright

Design: Nandita Gupta

“If someone told me as an adolescent that most of my early leadership skills would be gained on stage, I would have laughed. But that’s exactly what happened.”

Nadiem Makarim ’02

29

STEPPING STONES TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS

UWCSEA’s Outdoor Education programme gets back on track

31 THE HOUSE THAT TABITHA BUILT

35 A COMMITMENT TO SINGAPORE

Supporting graduates turning challenge into opportunity

37

FINAL FAREWELLS

Remembering those we’ve lost this year

39

BLAST FROM THE PAST

A special tribute to Global Concerns partner, Tabitha Foundation

The Alumni Mentorship Programme puts a spotlight on student innovation

Looking at UWCSEA sports through the years 27

A GIVING SPIRIT

Deepened engagement leads to greater Mission impact

Message from Head of College

Nick Alchin ruminates on change

Earlier this year, we hosted the first breakfast for alum who now have children in the school, and we also welcomed alum from the then-St. John’s Club, which was later to become UWCSEA, for lunch and a tour (these alum graduated before I was born). Both of these were great events with lively discussion over roti or chicken 65 as we traded stories of how the school has grown and evolved. For some more recent alum, the physical College has not changed so very much; for others it was almost entirely unrecognisable (the iconic roof of the Dover Main Hall being the only point of familiarity). So what has changed, and what endures? was a common conversation.

The question is, no doubt, a familiar one to many of us when we return home after a period abroad; things look and feel a bit different, even when they are largely the same. There’s truth in Heraclitus’ aphorism that you can’t step in the same river twice because the river has moved on in the intervening time. More important, though, is what Heraclitus

didn’t say—that we

too will have moved on in the intervening time. When I joined the College in 1995 I was a newly-married beginner teacher; and the education I saw was marvellous, exciting and inspirational. I left in 2001 to take my infant kids nearer to their grandparents, and returned in 2012 as High School Principal, in the early days of East Campus. Now, having also been head of East Campus, and as I approach the end of one year as Head of College, I’m also looking on as a parent of two alumna, and a parent of a son in Grade 11. I’ve been privileged to see the College grow from a secondary school of some 1,500 students to the largest K–12 international school of its type globally, with nearly 6,000 students on two campuses. As well as the marvellous, exciting and inspirational educational pieces, I also now see the organisational, strategic and governance pieces.

So in hearing about the experiences of alum, it’s been interesting to try to tease out the changes that the school has undergone, and the changes that come from natural changes of perspective. What looked one way as a student looks very different as a parent, or from a professional standpoint.

We have a long tradition of attracting families and individuals with the instincts we need to enact our Mission … If you are reading this as an alum, I sincerely hope you saw and experienced those instincts in your time here, that this helped you develop the instincts yourself, and that you are paying it forward in whatever way you can.

SO WHAT HAS CHANGED, AND WHAT HAS REMAINED THE SAME?

Some changes are easy to spot for anyone who has been away for any length of time. Singapore does not stand still, and the reduction of Dover Campus leased land over the decades (from 40ha to 20ha to 11ha) has mirrored the increased intensity of land use nationally (as the Dover Campus lease ends in 2030, there will no doubt be some further changes ahead—though we do not yet know what they are). East Campus has, at the same time, grown from the newly constructed start-up feel to the firmly established, green and highly successful enterprise. Our Learning Programme has been formalised in the 5 Elements structure that today’s students know and (err...) love; technology is now part of school infrastructure, not a shiny new toy; the presence of four year olds on both campuses is also a huge change—and the family feel is a huge bonus for us. The father of one of the St John’s Club shot a crocodile that had been attacking people near campus; happily, this too has changed and doesn’t happen anymore!

So much has changed. But look under the surface and much has also endured, as it does with any strong institution. And that’s not because we have strict and detailed standard operating procedures (which we do, by the way). If that were the case then we would only need only to get the right procedures or manuals to build great institutions—but it’s not so simple. Singapore politician George Yeo put it this way; institutions are not built topdown but bottom up. They are animated not by instructions but instincts; human instincts. These instincts are shaped by culture. We must first know what we are, what we have inherited from our history.

So it’s worth affirming what we know we have inherited from older days. Most of all, we have a long tradition of attracting families and individuals with the instincts we need to enact our Mission—this is expressed most clearly in our values, and informs what we do every day. This may be, for example, connecting with others; sticking with things in a difficult time; standing up for the right thing; genuinely engaging with other perspectives or following through on commitments. If you are reading this as an alum, I sincerely hope you saw and experienced those instincts in your time here, that this helped you develop the instincts yourself, and that you are paying it forward in whatever way you can. An extremely powerful instinct is also the ‘tendency towards action’—whether it’s starting a local service, connecting with an NGO abroad, leading a sports team, directing a theatre show, challenging a wrong—and being, what we have been called—’a place where things happen’.

These are lofty and perhaps abstract institutional things. But one alumna said to me the other day that though she has been away for decades, and it all looks so different, it all also feels exactly the same. So what, exactly, on a dayto-day basis has endured?

For our students; the thrill of having one’s mind stretched, the queue for the naan-counter, the excitement over project week, the exuberance in sports, theatre, dance, debate and so on, the laughter among friends, the support through difficulty, the sharing of cultures and perspectives, the teenage romances: these have endured.

For our teachers and support staff; the chance to work with superb colleagues on personally and professionally enriching projects; to stay young (our student body never ages!), to serve our community and to shape young minds: these have endured.

As a proud member of the United World College movement, what endures most of all is being part of something that is bigger than us as individuals, bigger than us as an institution, bigger even than education: the chance to make a contribution in our small way to a more peaceful and more sustainable future for our children, and our childrens’ children. This endures.

From Round Square to Full Circle

After 12 years abroad, former Cambodian Scholar Kimheang Chham '16 reflects on her journey as she returns home

Kim attended UWCSEA East Campus from 20112016 as a Scholar from Cambodia. After completing a degree in International Studies, Peace Studies and Sustainable Communities at Luther College in Iowa, Kim recently returned to her home country where she is currently Senior Associate, Development and Communications for Teach for Cambodia, an organisation that works to provide educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.

Kim recently visited East Campus, where we had the opportunity to sit down in Santai Cafe for a conversation about life in small town Iowa, Covid-19 couch surfing in Europe and education and empowerment in Cambodia.

“UWC taught me to be really adaptable. So whatever new environment, whatever new circumstances, life happens to throw at me, I know how to deal with it. UWC definitely taught me and other students to know that we are capable, that we have agency, and that no matter what happens, we can persevere and be resilient and find creative solutions.”

Please tell us a little bit about your UWC experience.

When I first arrived at UWC in Grade 8, I was part of the very first cohort of Cambodian scholars who came to East Campus, and it was such a big change. I had never lived in a big city before, never slept in a bed, never taken a hot shower. I couldn’t understand ninety percent of what people said. It was new and exciting and also quite scary. But I learned, adapted and grew so much in my five years at East. One of my favourite experiences was participating in the IfP (Initiative for Peace programme). I think we only met once a week but it was something I always looked forward to. It was a crosscampus initiative, so we got to meet with students from Dover a few weekends during the year, which was great. When we went to facilitate our own conference, we went to Thailand, and it was an amazing experience. I felt empowered that I could facilitate groups having important conversations with young people, and I saw how this could be used as an effective tool to empower other young people to go back and solve problems in their own communities.

This inspired me to bring this model back home. So when I graduated, I took a gap year, focusing on creating a peace conference in Cambodia. I worked with a group of young Cambodians to create a conference. We recruited UWCSEA students who were part of IfP and wanted to do more outside of school, and they came to facilitate the conference.

We planned everything on our own—it was very student-led and it was a hit. We eventually had a group of students running it every year up until the start of the pandemic. So it kind of happened on its own, which was my dream, to make it sustainable.

After your gap year, you embarked on another big change, flying halfway around the world to a small town in the American Midwest. Tell us about your college experience.

I went to Luther College, a small school in a tiny town in Iowa—around 2,000 students in a town of 7,000. It was very different from living in Singapore, but UWC really prepared me for college life. When I arrived, I knew I wanted to do something more with Peacebuilding and sustainability, so I pursued a degree in International Studies with a focus on Peacebuilding. This was a new track there—no one had ever done it before. So I was able to make my own focus, and took classes related to Peacebuilding.

I went to summer school in California to take additional courses, and a Peace Scholar programme in Norway (unfortunately online as it was during the pandemic). I spent a lot of my time working in Sustainability and International Studies, exploring a lot of other things that I started to gain a vision of what I wanted to do. I also explored fitness and teaching fitness, which was something I never had a chance to do as a girl growing up in Cambodia. I basically did a bunch of exploring when I was there.

And that’s what university is really about, exploring and experimenting, embracing opportunities but also learning how to create your own experiences.

You were in the midst of your college studies when the pandemic hit. How did that affect your experience?

When the pandemic broke, I was actually in Europe doing an exchange semester in Malta. I was there for about six weeks and then the world shut down. All my American friends were able to fly back to the US, but I couldn’t go back because I had to renew my visa. I was stranded in Malta.

So I was like, “OK, who do you know in Europe? Time to use your UWC connections.” So I went to stay with one of my previous teachers from Grade 10, Louisa Radford, who was teaching in Switzerland, and she took me in for three months. I did my studies online, and finished the semester from Louisa’s living room.

After that I went to stay with another friend from UWC in Geneva for another three months because I still couldn’t go back to the U.S. I stayed with an alum from Dover who I had met through Round Square, a networking conference that we had attended together. I was really lucky that I had another UWC connection in Switzerland who invited me to stay.

Eventually I was able to return to the U.S. and finish my studies. When I graduated I went back to Europe to run a UWC short course through the UWC Germany National Committee. It was a really good experience having so many young people from around Europe interested in the UWC Mission. It was really cool to be surrounded by UWC alumni from other parts of the world and talking with young people who hadn’t gone to UWC, but were interested in the same ideals as us.

I always try to expand my UWC network whenever I can. We definitely have an established commonness, even with a lot of diversity, there’s something that binds us. I’ve always felt connected, challenged and welcomed by the UWC community, no matter where I am.

And then after that I returned to Cambodia in the fall of 2022, where I started my current job.

So what are you doing now?

“It’s crazy, all these UWC connections. They’ve happened so many times already since graduating, and I know it’s going to keep happening. And every time it happens, it’s really cool, really special.”

My job title is Senior Associate in Development and Communications at an NGO called Teach for Cambodia, which is trying to address education inequity in Cambodia.

The public school system here has not been able to adequately prepare students for the job market. So we have partnered with the government, bringing our own ways of teaching and programming together with the standardised government curriculum. We recruit recent university graduates to teach in high needs public schools around the country. The students get to learn in a more holistic and empowering way, and we try to include new programmes like digital literacy and financial education. I’m helping with managing external relationships with our donors and also creating stories of impact about the work that we are doing. It’s all very new to me.

I knew I wanted to go into a social impact area, and I was actually connected to Teach for Cambodia by a former teacher of mine from UWC—Louie Barnett—who was my chemistry teacher and also part of IfP. When he found out I was coming back to Cambodia, he connected me with Teach for Cambodia.

Actually, a few weeks ago another crazy UWC connection happened. We were coordinating a project with another international NGO, and the name of the person we were emailing with sounded very familiar. So I did a quick search on LinkedIn and it turns out they were my roommate in Grade 10—a UWC student from Kazakhstan who went to Canada to study. And now they’re working for this NGO that is connected with my NGO in Cambodia!

It’s crazy, all these UWC connections. They’ve happened so many times already since graduating, and I know it’s going to keep happening. And every time it happens, it’s really cool, really special.

You’ve had a fascinating journey since you graduated. How would you say your experience at UWCSEA prepared you?

Two things come to mind. First, UWC taught me to be really adaptable. So whatever new circumstance life happens to throw at me, I know how to deal with it. UWC definitely taught me and other students to know that we are capable, that we have agency, and that no matter what happens, we can be resilient and find creative solutions.

Second, UWC taught me to be a critical thinker. This is not a skill I had before I arrived there. Through college and now in my professional career it is such a necessary skill, it helps me to figure out what I really want to do and what feels right for me and go into any situation having the questions that I need to ask in order to decide, in order to figure out what I’m going to do next.

I definitely bring this into my work now, just assessing every situation from a critical lens. It’s something I’m really grateful for and something that I think makes me stand out too, in work and in moving through different parts of the world on my own. Having that way of questioning and thinking helps me get in touch with what feels true for me.

One thing that seems constant throughout your story is the continuing presence of a UWC network in your life. Some connections you’ve actively sought out, and some have been more serendipitous. How do you see the value of these ongoing UWC connections?

I have to admit I would have been quite scared and maybe decided not to come back home if I didn’t have the UWC network of Cambodian alumni who had also returned. Without them, without the shared understanding of these different ways of thinking, I would be too scared to throw myself back into a place that I left a long time ago. Right now they are my main community back in Cambodia. I’m also now part of the National Committee in Cambodia as well, helping to find new students to attend UWC.

It’s never really left me and I feel like I find myself in situations with UWC people all the time, both personally and professionally. Without it, I mean especially during Covid-19, I don’t know what I would have done in Europe.

So that community, either back home or internationally, is very important. We have this thing, kind of an unspoken thing, that when we’re in a space with other UWC people, we just know that we feel safe, and that we have an understanding with one another.

And I know that wherever I go in the world, I always have that UWC community too.

“UWC taught me to be a critical thinker. This is not a skill I had before I arrived at UWC. Through college and now in my professional career it is such a necessary skill, it helps me to figure out what I really want to do and what feels right for me and go into any situation having the questions that I need to ask in order to decide, in order to figure out what I’m going to do next.”

I attended UWCSEA from 1998–2009 as part of a family of UWCers; my mother and father both attended in the ’80s, as did most of my father’s family. I graduated from Dover in 2009, with an interest in teaching, music and sciences, but without a specific career in mind. All I knew was that I wanted to make a positive impact for those in greatest need.

I went on to study medicine at King’s College London, graduating in 2014, and started ophthalmic specialty training in 2016. I am currently a senior registrar undertaking a higher research degree back at King’s College, focusing on my thesis—a clinical study evaluating novel methods of screening for hydroxychloroquine retinopathy.

I currently serve in a variety of other roles, both in London and further afield including a tutor for various ophthalmic and general specialist teaching groups; a violinist and chamber musician; and a volunteer at Restart Lives London, a homeless shelter. I also spend time as a clinical advisor to charities running eye hospitals in Republic of Congo, Myanmar and South India including New Sight Congo (set up by another UWC alum from Red Cross

Keeping an eye on the Mission

A Dover alum finds purpose in both local and international service

Nordic) and Medic Assist International. The common thread amongst is a fundamental desire to serve people and make an impact in their lives. As a family we all support several charity projects focused on education and outreach, sustainable development, and healthcare. We firmly believe that our time at UWCSEA was the foundation for all the ways in which my family and I now serve. Though we are called to our own respective fields and talents, we share the same vision to make positive impacts

the amazing teachers at UWCSEA who have been inspirations to us through their passion for teaching and dedication to the college ethos.

As you may have been able to gather, I am most drawn to the UWC values of compassion and service, and I’ve always prioritised opportunities that best align with them. For example, my decision to pursue ophthalmology was founded on the principle that vision is so intimately linked to education and quality of life, that so much of blindness is avoidable, and that in treating physical blindness one might also impact on spiritual blindness.

on communities, and build towards a sustainable and equitable future.

Recently this shared vision led us to return to our roots, partnering with the UWCSEA music department (via Lisa and Adrian Hill) to foster a music education outreach initiative serving community schools in Indonesia. In this, we count it a blessing to be able to serve together as a family, and we aren’t alone. Along the way, we have found kindred spirits in the parents (shout out to the Gerber family!) and especially

My time at UWCSEA served as the foundation for all that has come after, most especially how being proactive in service and seeking to build bridges creates ripples of impact far beyond what you might imagine. It is my hope that by sharing these experiences I can encourage others to consider service, and in this way we can become a society that values serving others rather than a self-serving society.

“Our time at UWCSEA was the foundation for all the ways in which my family and I now serve.”

Tumbling towards success

How theatre arts influenced one alum's success in business and politics

Nadiem Makarim ’02, Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology for Indonesia and founder of Zalora and Gojek, visited Dover Campus in August 2022 for his 20th anniversary reunion. After a campus tour down memory lane with his wife Franka, he stopped by the Main Hall to speak to Grade 11 and 12 students about the path he took since graduating from the College, and how the UWC Mission continues to play a role in his life.

With frank honesty and good humour, Nadiem fielded questions from the audience of curious students. When asked what class or subject was most influential on his professional life, students may have expected an answer like Maths or Economics. But his response, which was quick and unequivocal, may have surprised many in the room that day: drama.

“For me, doing IB Higher Theatre Arts and doing extracurricular theatre performances had the biggest impact on my future life and career,” said Nadiem. “Theatre taught me to be comfortable taking risks. As a teenager, there are few things scarier than making a fool of yourself in front of the entire school. Theatre forced me to overcome my insecurities and gave me the confidence to speak publicly. It was also the most intense form of collaboration I have ever experienced at that age, where any margin of error could be disastrous. If someone told me as an adolescent that most of my early leadership skills would be gained on stage, I would have laughed. But that’s exactly what happened.”

Nadiem said one experience in particular has stayed with him through the years. During a theatre production, he had to execute a jump with a sword during a choreographed stage fight. Unfortunately, his balance failed him at the crucial moment, and he awkwardly fell off the stage. As he was tumbling down towards the audience, his thoughts filled with fear and dread, “this is it, everyone is going to laugh, the audience is going to absolutely kill me.” Trying to recover as best he could, he fell, rolled, jumped up brandishing his sword and acted like it was planned all along. The audience erupted in applause.

It was just a small moment in Nadiem’s High School experience, but one that even now, 20 years later, he fondly recalls as a reminder that with the right attitude and the willingness to react quickly and improvise, there is a chance to turn a mistake or a challenge into an opportunity, and even a success.

Nadiem also spoke about how the UWC Mission has played a role in his life since graduation.

“If someone told me as an adolescent that most of my early leadership skills would be gained on stage, I would have laughed. But that’s exactly what happened.”

“UWC had this constant narrative that was part of every student experience,” he said. “Whether in class, extracurricular activities, or special events, we always celebrated being global citizens. And it wasn’t just a celebration of diversity. There was always a mission to make things better in the world. There was rarely any discourse about financial success that I remember, it was always about impact. Even as complicated teenagers, I remembered this narrative constantly reminding us that our true value in the world would be measured by how we improved it, not how we gamed it.”

Nadiem has worn several hats through the years, from startup entrepreneur to his current role as Indonesia’s Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. He said elements of his UWC experience now influence his approach to public education policy, with concepts that would be familiar to UWC alumni now part of the core curriculum—for instance, more choice for students and flexibility for teachers, and a move away from standardised testing.

“One of our 6 pillars of the Emancipated Learning Policy is ‘Global Citizenship’,” he said. “We have mandated Project Based Learning to be part of the core curriculum, with themes such as ‘Diversity’, ‘Climate Change’, and ‘Entrepreneurship’. Just like the IB system, our new curriculum gives high school students choice in their subjects for the very first time. Teachers are given a lot more freedom to co-design curriculum, and take charge of creative projects with students. We’ve also removed all national testing that focused exclusively on rote knowledge, and opted instead to assess logic and reasoning (numeracy and literacy). These are all global best practices that UWC has championed since its inception.”

It was fascinating hearing Nadiem talk about the influence his UWC education has had on his life, and we eagerly await more news from his adventures in being a changemaker.

“UWC had this constant narrative that was part of every student experience, whether in class, extracurricular activities, or special events, we always celebrated being global citizens. And it wasn’t just a celebration of diversity. There was always a mission to make things better in the world.”

Creating SOCIAL IMPACT

Raza Nazar '14 looks to transform Pakistan's education system

Raza went on to study law at the London School of Economics (LSE) where he became the first Pakistani to be elected president of the LSE Law Society. At the age of 19, he also founded the largest student-run developmental forum in the world: the LSE Future of Pakistan Conference. The second conference hosted then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and made headlines globally for enabling students to hold the government to account. The conference remains an annual event at LSE which sees current students and sitting ministers go headto-head on issues of government policy.

The expertise, thought leadership and rich exchange of ideas that took place at last year’s UWCSEA Forum: Learning to Shape the Future extended far beyond the stages and screens. Meaningful connections were made as a result of the many conversations that took place, connections that hold the seeds of great potential to create impact well beyond the UWC Movement.

At the centre of some of these exciting exchanges was Raza Nazar ’14, an alumnus from East Campus’ inaugural graduating class who was visiting Singapore during the Forum. An active and engaged alumnus, Raza has participated in Alumni University Fairs, attended London Alumni gatherings and has continued to connect with former teachers, including Nick Alchin, Ted Cowan and Pamela Wetzell on his journey beyond UWCSEA; specifically his enduring vision to transform Pakistan’s education system by introducing values-based learning inspired by the his experience at UWCSEA. “I think if we could universalise concept-based learning, critical thinking and education for peace, we could empower billions of people to discover themselves and take control of their own destinies,” Raza noted.

Following four years practising international commercial law in the UK, Raza is poised to take his vision for educational reform in Pakistan to the next level. He has been accepted to pursue the world’s premier law course, the Bachelor of Civil Laws, at Trinity College, the University of Oxford, this fall. He plans to take courses in constitutional law and theory, which he considers to have parallels with the design and functioning of an education system, as well as the conceptualisation of the human right to education. In his free time, Raza works on various education projects in Pakistan, including twoweek ‘short courses’ to sample concept based learning and agency-led growth in local communities.

Raza’s passion for education reform in Pakistan continues, and he recently helped support a milestone as the National Curriculum Council Secretariat approved a core curriculum for Grades 1–12, following input from subject experts from all provinces, for the first time in Pakistan’s history.

“It is incredibly exciting to think about the idea of ‘Education for Peace’ being tabled at the highest levels of government,” says Raza. “Particularly with the potential for UWCSEA to leverage its thought leadership in that space.”

“It is incredibly exciting to think about the idea of ‘Education for Peace’ being tabled at the highest levels of government. … Particularly with the potential for UWCSEA to leverage its thought leadership in that space.”

DOVER CAMPUS

2022/2023 YEAR

As told by members of the Alumni Foundation Council consisting of Grade 11 and

Legally Blonde by Meg, Grade 11

Oh My God You Guys, after four whole years of not having a musical due to COVID, Dover Campus produced Legally Blonde the Musical this year. A collaboration between the Drama, Music, and Dance departments, the show starred triple-threat talents from the entire High School, with over 100 people’s involvement and months of rehearsal, this renowned musical was brought to life in the Roy Bennett Theatre for four amazing performances.

Special shout out to Grade 12 students, Tom Diggles and Ella Hennessy, and Arabelle Siemsen ’22 for all your contributions to the productions in the school!

DOVERMUN (Dover Model United Nations) by Ahmet, Grade 11

Community Fair 2023

The first Community Fair since Covid-19 was brimming with energy and a roaring success! The community rallied together with an amazing international array of games and food stalls hosted by Global Concerns and Parents’ Association (sprawling all the way from the Pavillion to the Main Hall!) and a Jam Fest showing off the musical talents of students in the Tent Plaza. Efforts from all the parents, students, staff, and alumni raised over $63,530 for all the service groups with many stalls completely sold out.

DOVERMUN is the Model United Nations conference created and hosted by UWCSEA on Dover Campus. After holding the past two DOVERMUN conferences online, the Executive Committee was excited to host their first-ever in person conference in March 2023. Under the theme of ‘Peace, Power, and Prosperity’, the conference hosted both international and local school students in 10 interesting and unique committees.

As the deputy chair for the US Senate Committee, I oversaw robust debates and conversations around the two key topics: Addressing the implied right to privacy in the 14th amendment and the question of regulating illegal immigration and the right to citizenship.

Dance Show by Meg and Kaira, Grade 11

This year’s Dance Show explored the theme of Unleashed. Produced by students, Dance Show was a unity of different genres from ballet to reggaeton. All 16 dances were choreographed and performed by students across High School, some being veteran participants and some new to the show. Regardless of experience, all dancers showcased extraordinary talent on stage, treating the audience with a breathtaking performance.

YEAR IN REVIEW

12 students who support and inspire the work of the Alumni and Foundation teams! EAST CAMPUS

The Bin Project by

Four East students created an innovative solution to food waste management on campus: using AI object recognition to classify waste, inform advocacy, and provide Sodexo with insightful data. Supported by UWCSEA’s fabulous Innovation and Service departments, the team implemented their first prototype and became a finalist in the Young Aurora Prize. They look forward to continuing their journey in using emerging technologies for sustainable development next year.

Pi Day by Krishiv, Grade 11

14 March saw the first-ever instance of the Pi Day Festival at East Campus, an event dedicated to discovering and appreciating the intricacies of mathematics that are otherwise often left unexplored. This year, student leaders presented topics ranging from algorithms and AI to probability and game theory to what was a highly engaged high school community.

Family Festival 2023

The annual Family Festival returned to East Campus for the first time in three years, bringing fun and exciting activities for all members of the community to enjoy. During the eventful day, those attending indulged in rides, a bazaar, Global Concern stalls, performances, international cuisine and more!

A Servant to Two Masters by Seo Yee, Grade 11

A Servant to Two Masters was the 2023 High School IBDP Theatre Production. As Covid-19 regulations were lifted up this year, it allowed the production to take place in the Black Box. The IBDP students worked together to direct, design and act in the production as a method to not only develop acting skills but also leadership and designing skills.

Iconic EVENTS

The traditions continue on Dover and East

This past year will be remembered fondly as the year we returned (for the most part) to normal. And nowhere was that more felt on our campuses than in our signature events—Graduation, SEASAC, UN Night and CultuRama. Students were able to create, compete and celebrate together in-person, along with staff and families and other members of our college community. What a welcome sight to see the games, performances, cultural sharing and ceremonies filled with emotion again!

GRADUATION

Last year we returned at last to the National University of Singapore to congratulate the 583 members of the Class of 2022 on High School graduation. The cohort completed the challenge of their High School Diploma almost entirely within the challenging restrictions created by the pandemic, and it therefore seemed particularly fitting that our community were able to gather together to celebrate their achievements and to say our farewells in person.

The 2,400-strong live audiences of graduates, proud family members and educators who attended the two ceremonies were joined by a global audience of over 2,535 viewers in 75 countries.

Congratulations Class of 2022, our newest alumni. Stay connected!

SEASAC

UWCSEA was a founding member of SEASAC (South East Asian Student Activities Conference), which offers students “opportunities for healthy competition, pursuit of excellence, social and cultural interaction and the development of friendships within the region of South East Asia.”

Predominantly for High School students in the 18U age group, member schools are located in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia and students travel to host schools to compete against peers in the region.

While competition continued in some disciplines, the pandemic halted much of the excitement for competitors and spectators alike. This past year both East and Dover campuses were delighted to welcome visiting schools back to Singapore to compete in Football, Softball, Volleyball, Swimming and Climbing.

April 2023

UN NIGHT

UN Night is one of the most memorable and beloved annual events at UWCSEA Dover with a longstanding tradition of over 40 years since 1979, just eight years after the College was founded! The festival transforms our Tent Plaza into an exciting international food fair manned by students, sharing a vibrant mix of cuisines along with Global Concerns (GC) merchandise in support of our GC project partners.

On top of that, the evening includes a spectacular showcase of creativity and innovation by 300 students representing 30 countries through dance performances. UN Night as a whole is the culmination of months of hard work and dedication by students and staff, celebrating the diversity, unity and generosity of our UWCSEA community!

CULTURAMA

Celebrating its ten-year anniversary in 2022, CultuRama is the annual High School dance showcase at UWCSEA East that celebrates the diversity in our community through a colourful showcase of different cultures. Since its inception, it has blossomed into an exploration of cultures and national identities through various art forms.

Over 200 High School students, including performers, committee members and cultural ambassadors were involved this year. Committee members worked behind the scenes in roles such as marketing, music, photography and lighting coordinators to provide support for two live shows. Cultural ambassadors were on hand to guide performers and ensure that all performances were respectful to the various cultures. It was a thrilling evening to mark the return of a live audience. April

REUNIONS COMEBACK

Milestone Reunion 2022 kicks off in-person alumni events!

After a two-year hiatus, it was heartwarming to welcome alumni back for gatherings starting with Reunion 2022 as it returned in person on 26 and 27 August 2022. The Alumni Reunion is an annual event for UWCSEA alumni celebrating their 10th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th and 45th anniversaries. Alumni often look forward to this event for a chance to return to Singapore and reconnect with classmates.

It was a weekend of reconnection for alumni from different milestone classes who came back to explore campus and share memories. Close to 200 alumni, family, friends and staff attended from 22 different countries. Our alumni were treated to an evening dinner at Tamarind Hill on Friday night, followed by a campus event on Saturday. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as they shared stories, explored the campus and reminisced about the special years they spent at UWCSEA Dover.

It was certainly a Reunion to remember.

“I’m so happy to be back to celebrate our 20th anniversary as UWC South East Asia alumni. What an amazing time connecting with old friends from around the globe – reliving memories and making new ones. This place changed my life.

Thank you UWC! The UWC movement moves on.”

Jakarta Alumni Get-together - 9 September 2022

This year we hosted our first face-to-face gathering with Jakarta-based alumni in over two years! It was wonderful to see alumni representing classes ranging from 19822012. Special thanks to Ashwin Bhat ’06 who volunteered his time to share his valuable UWCSEA experience as a former student with prospective families at a presentation by the Admissions team prior to the alumni gathering.

St John’s Visit - 14 November 2022

We welcomed back a special group of alumni to the Main Hall – the pioneer students of the Dover Campus building originally named St John’s Comprehensive School. Opened in September 1964, children of military families in Singapore attended up to 1970. It has been decades since their time in Singapore but the group of nearly 50 alumni remains connected, making the pilgrimage to Singapore every two years!

Holiday Alumni Reunion - 15 December 2022

Our Holiday Alumni Reunion gathering was the grand finale to our Founders’ Week celebration in December! We were joined by close to 80 alumni representing classes from 1981-2022, mingling, networking and catching up with one another over canapés and drinks at a beautiful restaurant inside the National Museum.

Bangkok get-together - 22 February 2023

It was a delight to be back to Thailand after several years – 28 alumni and former staff members joined us, making it our largest event in Bangkok to date! We want to extend our sincerest gratitude to alumnus Prab Thakral ’95, for being our sponsor and host for the evening. Special mention to James Dalziel, former Head of East Campus, and Lisa Hewitt, Former Head of Dover Middle School who were in attendance!

from your Alumni Team Hello!

We present to you the new look of One North with the new Alumni Team—Tina, Rae and Siti! Welcome! In this issue, we’re shining the spotlight on our next generation of alumni and their achievements since leaving the College. With a combined experience of almost 30 years at the College, we’re adding some fresh energy to the mix, whilst keeping a few of our old favourites. We hope our community will appreciate our effort to build stronger connections and engagement.

Our

Team

Siti Aminah

Famous for her bespoke campus tours, Siti is a familiar face when our alumni drop by to visit the campus. She’s sure to make every campus visit experience a special one, and she’ll probably invite you to ride on the zipline for old times’ sake!

Tina

Definitely not a stranger at the College, you may have met Tina during our 50th anniversary celebration! She’s been here for more than 10 years, with her son, a recent Class of ’22 alumni and her daughter currently in Grade 10. Heading the UWCSEA Alumni Team, Tina is both a dedicated parent and staff member at the College.

Raihana (Rae)

If you’re looking to stay upto-date on our events and get-togethers, Rae is our online event guru and communicator, keeping our community in the loop! She’s successfully launched Alumni News on Instagram while also moving our newsletter into a new userfriendly format.

With Covid-19 regulations now a thing of the past, we’ve been busy catching up with our alumni all over the world. We kicked off with a visit with old friends in Jakarta before following up with the biggest ever event in Bangkok in February. Our community has a global membership of 26,000, and we look forward to seeing it continue to grow stronger bonds as we come together in person to reminisce about old memories and create new ones!

We’ll be seeing many of you in the coming months with reunions planned for Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne and Sydney during May, and Amsterdam and London in October. We’ll also be hosting our Singapore Holiday Reunion on 22 December.

Special mention of our platform—UWCSEA Connect, which has now surpassed 3,600 members and we’re thrilled that many of our members have been using Connect to get involved in our newly-launched internship initiative. So many of you have already

contributed, helping to bring over 80 internship opportunities to our High School students and young alumni. The internship initiative which began this year, is aimed at supporting young talent in our community, helping them to explore a variety of organisations and career paths in the real world. Not only are career activities now available, we’ve also introduced valuable company visits and hosted the largest Careers Week ever with more than 35 alumni sessions!

We’re so grateful for all our alumni who continue to keep our connections alive whether it’s through these opportunities or in our network.

Let’s stay connected and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in person, in the coming months.

Warmly,

MENTORSHIP MATCH

The Alumni Mentorship Programme puts a spotlight on student innovation

Adapted from a report by Vedant, Grade 12, UWCSEA Dover

In a world where change is more the norm than the exception, an ‘outside the box’ approach to problem solving is high on the list of priorities for organisations seeking to recruit the best young talent. At UWCSEA our learning programme is built to equip students with the necessary skills and qualities to meet the challenges of the future world of work. Our Alumni Mentorship Programme is helping them to pair these skills with current world experiences.

Vedant, a Grade 12 student on Dover Campus, shares his story about using innovative thinking to meet an important need, and how he is tapping into the UWCSEA Alumni Mentorship Programme for the support he needs to scale his idea.

The need

Through observations of and conversations with friends

and student groups, I noted that there is a lack of options for students to showcase their work. Some students were posting on Instagram, some on Medium, some made physical magazines, and some were simply unable to share it at all. I wanted to create a single platform—a positive, interactive and collaborative space for student work.

The idea

Introducing Lumenol (www.Lumenol.com)—an online hub for sharing and celebrating studentled innovation. Students, or student groups, can post creative work and others on the platform can like and comment on the work, creating a positive and encouraging community around student innovation and ideas.

The customisable profile pages also serve as a personalised mini-website/portfolio page for students which they could send as part of their university application, internship application, or job CV.

My vision is that Lumenol becomes a one-stopshop for all students to share, inspire and engage with student created projects and content.

The journey so far

My journey so far has been a non-linear trail of discovery, pivoting and problem solving.

I spent over a year understanding the problem, designing, building and coding Lumenol from scratch. My developing skills gained through hackathons and projects at the UWCSEA IDEAS Hub proved useful, but still I had never taken on a project of this scale. I had to design and build with the future in mind and anticipate challenges that come with scale. I researched as much as I could, tried and failed numerous times, and learnt through the experience.

The growth of Lumenol has been a journey of twists and turns, failing and learning. It continues to evolve, helped by the feedback and creative input from students and mentors around me. It’s this collaborative approach instilled by UWCSEA that has made Lumenol possible. It was a jump into the unknown and I am glad I took it.

The next steps with UWCSEA’s Alumni Mentorship Programme

I’m now looking to leverage UWCSEA’s incredible network of alumni to help guide me through Lumenol’s future as an official platform with students from all over the world. There are about 14,000 UWCSEA Alumni globally, all with an amazing array of skills and real-world experience. The UWCSEA Alumni Relations team has been extremely helpful, connecting me with UWCSEA Alumni through their mentorship programme. These mentors will help and guide me with important next steps to launching Lumenol. This is one of the things that makes our UWCSEA community so special, our Alumni remain connected and give back through programmes and opportunities such as this. I’ll be an alumnus soon and I hope to be able to do the same.

I hope to officially launch Lumenol soon and I can’t wait to see the positive impact it has on showcasing student innovation.

“I’m now looking to leverage UWCSEA’s incredible network of alumni to help guide me through Lumenol’s future as an official platform with students from all over the world.”

1,153

Alumni involved

90+

Internships available

Industries 20+ Countries 70+

NETW RK C MMUNITY HOW A

ALUMNI GIVE BACK BY SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCE

Want to be a part of the video production crew for companies like Adidas or work with children at a therapy centre? Or perhaps you’d like to be a researcher at a private equity firm or explore the ropes of the Tourism Industry at a luxury resort?

Each year, 500 young adults graduate from our IB programme, with many continuing on to notable universities around the world to follow their dreams of becoming scientists, artists, writers, humanitarians, lawyers, entrepreneurs and more. As the professional landscape grows more challenging and competitive, there is a greater emphasis on the value of hands-on work experience.

Our Alumni team is dedicated to encouraging the career development of our students and young graduates. We’ve focused on consolidating all our resources from our network of parents, alumni and partners to build a community that learns from each other through the exchange of careerrelated knowledge and professional skills.

To our alumni who have offered traineeships, internships, careeradvice, company visits and more, thank you for your support so far. Your involvement has enabled our current students and recent graduates to gain such valuable insight into their desired career fields, helping them to make informed choices for their future.

RK

MMUNITY BECOMES A

If you are interested in joining our mentorship programme, have an internship opportunity or wish to facilitate a company visit, let us know via email (alumni@ uwcsea.edu.sg) or scan QR code to visit our job portal on UWCSEA Connect platform!

Career/ University talks

East Careers Week, PA Careers Talk, UAC events

Company visits

Google, Asian Development Bank, Bloomberg, Visa, Abbott

Internships

From our Alumni, Parents and Business Partners to our HS students and Undergraduates

Mentoring

CONNECT platform and informal introductions

Networking

UK Alumni Chapter

Internships

With the tremendous support and interest from our alumni, our internship opportunities continue to grow, with more than 80 positions in over 25 organisations now available to our High School students.

Mentoring and networking

Our mentorship programme works hand-inhand with internships—more than 1,100 alumni from 70 countries have signed up as mentors, sharing their knowledge and skills with our student mentees. Being able to offer our students such unique and valuable networking and learning opportunities which help to inform their own decisions, is just one of the many benefits of this fantastic programme. We look forward to seeing it continue to grow. Thank you again for your support.

Company Visits

The opportunity for students to visit companies was born out of an idea from the Singapore Alumni Chapter and has gained considerable traction in our student, parent and alumni community. These company visits give current students an insider’s look at how corporations operate and a private tour and audience with key leaders and teams. So far students have been able to visit the workplaces of wellknown corporations such as Google, Asian Development Bank, Bloomberg and Visa! Spots are limited and allocated to Grade 11 and 12 students through a ballot system. Again, we are excited to see where this programme goes and look forward to organising many more of these visits with our community in future.

Asian Development Bank

In November 2022, the Alumni Team kicked off their very first company visit with tech giant Google. Twenty students from both campuses were hosted by Google representatives who gave an exclusive tour of Google’s famous and “super cool” offices! Students were treated to a complimentary lunch at the famed Google cafeteria (more like a restaurant!) before heading back to campus.

Thanks to Saumitra Shrivastava ’98 from Bayfront and the Singapore Alumni Chapter, 13 students were able to visit the Asian Development Bank (ADB) where they learned about the world of international development and the funding of economic projects in developing countries. Most of the students who attended were seriously considering a career in Economics so it was incredibly interesting for them to hear about how sustainability, equity and climate change—important issues at UWCSEA—are applied in a corporate banking landscape.

VISA

Our final company visit for the school year was made possible by a current parent. 14 students visited the offices of VISA where they were welcomed by members from the Innovation and Payments team. Here they saw the innovation centre, and how VISA collaborates with clients on new technology, functionality and even sustainability in payments. Tackling fraud is a hot-topic in payments and it was very interesting for them to see the full spectrum of work being done in this space. They were treated to an afternoon tea and then a session on the evolution of payments and the VISA company, proving that VISA is “not just a credit card company!”. It was an inspiring and interactive session, planting seeds in the bright young minds of our students.

Bloomberg

Saniya Ramchandani ’17 and her mother, Vandna Ramchandani, helped organise a company visit to Bloomberg. For the 19 students who attended it was an amazing opportunity for them to learn how “People, Passion and Philanthropy” set Bloomberg apart from other organisations. They had a chance to listen to staff members from the Customer Support, Analytics and Data teams and to submit questions to the panel. Visits such as this give students an exclusive inside look into working in the “real world” and help to chart their future professional goals.

Career/University Talks

In collaboration with the Parents’ Association on both campuses and the University Advising Committee, our alumni have been involved in annual events such as Careers Week and Careers Fair, to share personal experiences in their professional journeys. They have also engaged in over 35 sessions to help Grade 10 and 11 students discover their interests and be well-equipped with the relevant skills required for their careers.

Whether maintaining connections both personal and professional, the role of our alumni continues to evolve. Together, we can inspire our students and young alumni at UWCSEA as they navigate the professional landscape. One opportunity from you can go a long way, so join us in supporting them in the next phase of their lives!

A GIVING SPIRIT

Deepened engagement leads to greater Mission impact

Our alumni are an active and vital part of the UWCSEA story, graduating from our campuses to then go forth and make their own unique marks on the world. Whilst many of our alumni bring their commitment to peace and sustainability to life through their professional careers and community leadership, many also give back to the College in the form of volunteerism and philanthropy.

In the 2022/2023 school year to date, our generous alumni community, spanning decades and continents, has donated more than S$223,000 in support of scholarships, sustainability, innovation and endowments; this figure surpasses funds raised in the previous year, and we still have several months to go! A heartfelt thank you from the entire UWCSEA Foundation Team.

Our annual UWCSEA milestone reunions provide a wonderful opportunity for alumni to come back together, reconnect with classmates and the campus and to reflect on past experiences and memories at the College. Many of you who have attended these reunions are very eager to share specific ways in which your UWCSEA experience helped shape who you are today and express your desire to support others so that they can also benefit from a UWC education. The good news is, you can!

In upcoming milestone events, we hope to add to the funds raised this year with additional contributions from alumni. Please keep an eye out for more information about how you can donate as you celebrate and make a meaningful difference. Your support will provide access to scholarships and values-aligned learning for other students to experience the same kind of UWC education and memories you look back on from your own time on campus.

Our teams would like to share our sincerest thanks to all of our dedicated and generous alumni from around the world, who continue to support our students and our Mission in their everyday lives. You make such an important contribution to our fundraising efforts each year which helps us to continue to go above and beyond, and to pave the way for generations to come. Thank you.

“Thank you very much for giving the opportunity to young people who want to belong to a movement that forms agents of change and who want to change their reality and their environment.”

Giselle ’24 Scholar from Guatemala

GIVING DAY - United in community giving

In December of 2022, UWCSEA held its second annual Giving Day, and we are pleased to share that it was a tremendous success! In just 30 hours, our incredibly generous UWCSEA community donated over S$292,000 from 565 donors to support the Scholarship Programme and our broader Mission. Thank you to our alumni and parents of alumni from across the decades who made gifts and spread the word about Giving Day! UWCSEA’s inaugural Giving Day in December 2021 raised enough funding to provide a transformative UWC education to four scholars: Giselle from Guatemala; Albertina from Zambia; Alonso from Costa Rica; and Hamida, an Afghan scholar who attends UWC Thailand.

For these scholars, a UWCSEA education opens doors to unimaginable growth and possibility—academically, personally, professionally, and socially. We look forward to sharing more inspiring stories of impact as our newly supported Giving Day scholars join us in August 2023.

Our 2022 Giving Day was a true testament to the collaborative spirit and sense of community that is evident across our campuses. Students dressed in campus colours to raise awareness about the Scholarship Programme, and staff united in teams to express their support. Nick Alchin, Head of College, scaled the High Ropes wall on East Campus, in an effort to show our community that even a single donation can help us achieve great heights. What a great new outdoor education feature and a great way to celebrate our UWCSEA community uniting to support our students!

When I received alumni communications for Giving Day, it brought back nottoo distant memories of being involved as a Global Concerns student. The Global Concerns programme provided an early opportunity for me to engage inquisitively and proactively with grassroots organisations implementing positive human rights services. These experiences are instrumental to who I am today, and I know I can act on my privileges coming out of UWC by continuing to support philanthropy as an alumna.

Erynn Lau ’21 young alumna who is currently studying at Wellesley College

STEPPINGSTONES TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS

UWCSEA's Outdoor Education programme gets back on track

This year our Outdoor Education Department launched its first overnight, off-campus trips since the start of the pandemic, starting with local overnights in Singapore, before moving further afield to expeditions in Malaysia. Once more, students were able to participate in the impactful outdoor education activities that are a fundamental part of the UWCSEA experience. Overnights at Sarimbun Scout Camp in Singapore allowed students to develop expedition skills and connect to nature without crossing the border. Once the due diligence was completed to ensure international trips could start again, groups returned to our 5-day trips in Gopeng and Tioman, Malaysia—expeditions that are surely fondly remembered by many of our alumni!

THE HOUSE THAT TABITHA BUILT

A special tribute to Global Concerns partner, Tabitha Foundation

UWCSEA’s Service programme is woven into the fabric of the College and our service partners are integral in bringing our Mission to life both within Singapore and abroad. One such partnership has spanned nearly three decades and sadly, has drawn to a close in January 2023. Tabitha was a much loved Global Concerns (GC) partner whose mission was to:

“enable the poorest of the poor in Cambodia to recognise and develop inherent skills and resources in a way that brings dignity and respect within the people we work with; within the country and within the world; and that will result in measurable and visible improvement in the lifestyles of the people we work with.”

Tabitha Cambodia’s programmes and the families who joined Tabitha have left an indelible mark on the lives of those who have participated in the many house-building projects and fundraising efforts over our 28-year partnership.

This enduring relationship became so much more than just a partnership, but a beautiful story of people on a shared mission for grass roots change in a country torn apart by genocide.

The story of Tabitha and UWCSEA began with a fortuitous meeting of characters. The protagonist, Janne Ritskes meets Andy Payne, a Design and Technology teacher at UWCSEA. Both had different backgrounds and a different set of skills, but they shared a dream of breaking the cycle of poverty for the Cambodian people.

To know Tabitha, you need to first know its founder, Janne Ritskes. A Canadian citizen of Dutch descent, who, prior to her arrival in Phnom Penh in 1993, had worked with large non-government organisations in Kenya and the Philippines. Janne withdrew her life savings and founded what became Tabitha Foundation Cambodia. At the heart of Tabitha was a savings programme, which empowered Khmers to decide how much of their humble incomes they would choose to save. Week on week, the Tabitha staff would record their savings and after a ten week cycle, families would purchase their dream items: a set of pots and pans, a bag of rice, a set of drinking glasses, a water well, some piglets, eventually leading to a new home.

During the early days, Janne met local artisans who still knew the traditional methods of crafting silk, thereby regenerating Cambodian silk production. The Tabitha silks cottage industry provided a safe place for women to craft and Janne began to look for ways to sell the goods and generate income to cover Tabitha’s administrative costs. UWCSEA was pivotal in selling the silk handicrafts and from the Singapore expatriate community, new chapters of Tabitha Foundations were established in Australia, the UK and the US.

The early 90s was a very dangerous time in Cambodia, especially after dark, when the Khmer Rouge would reenter the city. With gun fire and bullets flying around the streets of Phnom Penh, Janne would sleep in her bathtub for safety. In spite of the dangers, she was determined to help effect grass roots change for the people of Cambodia and help them rise from poverty.

In 1995, Janne met Andy and Mary Payne, both teachers at UWCSEA Dover. Andy taught Design and Technology and Mary, Mathematics. Andy and Anthony Skillicorn, the Head of Global Concerns, knew that Tabitha would be an exceptional learning experience for our students and our wider community. Tabitha provided a vehicle for UWCSEA to meaningfully engage and together, in partnership, we have changed many lives and widened perspectives.

“Who could forget lugging the big, black bags of cottage industry products on our visits and selling the items so beautifully crafted from silk and silver on our return to Singapore, especially for UN Night?” said Andy Payne. “Or sharing the pride—and the odd tear—as villagers received their new homes? Or visiting the villages we supported in Prey Veng and Svay Rieng

provinces, and seeing first-hand the wells and the resultant fields of lush, green vegetables? Or the classes of smiling faces eager to greet us as we visited the new schools that we funded? Even seeing children running around in obsolete UWC school uniforms, knowing that donations had found the intended recipients.”

Generations of staff, Grade 11 and Grade 8 students, mothers and family building groups were involved in the annual builds. This direct involvement allowed our community to see the enormous success of the Tabitha programmes.

Anthony Skillicorn reflects that “Tabitha was the one project which enabled Global Concerns to grow and mature. The resounding success of Tabitha as a GC project had its roots in three factors: the integrity and vision of those running Tabitha; the ability of all members of the greater UWCSEA family to visit, build houses and see Tabitha’s achievements at first hand; along with the incorporation of a unit on Cambodia and its struggles into the Grade 8 curriculum. To sum up, UWCSEA and Tabitha cooperated to help Cambodians with one house, one well and one school at a time.”

“Serving others means putting your needs second. Serving is not about you. UWCSEA has shown this principle again and again.”

Janne Ritskes

There has been a dramatic change in the fabric of Cambodian society since Tabitha’s inception almost 30 years ago. Remarkably and proudly, close to a quarter of Cambodia’s population has benefited from the Tabitha programmes. With the support of Tabitha and its supporters, Khmer families determinedly undertook a journey of self worth, self belief and dignity.

In January 2023, alumni and current staff joined the last house build. At the final farewell, UWCSEA thanked the dedicated staff of Tabitha Cambodia, and especially Janne Ritskes, for their remarkable leadership, commitment, compassion, faith, kindness and hope. UWCSEA will always be grateful for enriching our community and for the opportunity to foster such a reciprocal partnership in giving, service and connection to others. It has been an incredible 28 years. Thank you does seem inadequate, so as they say in Khmer: Arkoun chraen.

A COMMITMENT

TO SINGAPORE

Supporting graduates turning challenge into opportunity

Before entering his National Service (NS) in Basic Military Training, Teddy Lee ’20 never imagined he’d find himself on a 24-hr training exercise, leading a platoon of cadets digging trenches in the middle of the night. Pulling up the earth in the darkness, he shouting encouragement to the soldiers around him. Despite the sleep deprivation, and the extreme physical and mental exertion, Teddy pushed on.

“This training exercise was the biggest single challenge of my two years in NS,” says Teddy. “But I was a lot better off than most because at school I’d done a lot of sport - swimming, running and rugby. And the fitness hugely helped me throughout my training. I also think being captain of the cross-country and swim teams gave me the confidence to talk to people, to motivate people to just do our best to get the job done.”

After completing two months of basic training, Teddy was posted to Officer Cadet School (OCS), and then promoted to officer. Now, after completing his service with nearly two-years of real-world leadership experience under his belt, Teddy prepared for his next challenge: university. Last year he flew to the UK to study Sport Science at Loughborough University. He is just one in a long line of UWCSEA graduates continuing the tradition of enlisting in NS before pursuing their university studies.

LEADING THE COMMUNITY

Since its inception in 1967, more than 1 million young men have enlisted in Singapore’s National Service. UWCSEA continues its decades-long commitment to prepare students who enlist for NS after graduation. From information sessions led by alumni NSmen, to support from its University Advising team, the College recognises the value of supporting students who follow this path.

And this isn’t limited to just UWCSEA students—the College hosts Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) information sessions open to multiple foreign system schools, acting as a community leader supporting families across Singapore’s international schools as they prepare to send their sons to NS.

“We work with ACCORD to make sure that our National Service boys and parents are well aware of the process,” says Pat Desbarats, University Advisor, East Campus. “But also what basic military training will look like, the different positions that are available and then their commitment long term after they finish National Service.”

SUPPORT BEFORE AND DURING NATIONAL SERVICE

Reflecting on his last two years of NS, Teddy says his time at UWCSEA (K1–12), helped him prepare in many ways.

“When I entered my OCS training, I saw an opportunity to speak up about possible changes in the use of plastic, based on my experience at school,” says Teddy. “I also think the preparation I had, through Outdoor Education and Academics, made me seem like a good candidate for OCS.” But it’s not just the holistic education process that prepares students for their time in NS—there is a very real support structure in place that helps students navigate the move from school, to NS, and then onwards to university.

“With National Service, a student may sometimes worry they are going to fall behind their peers who are heading to university,” says Shruti Tewari, Interim Head of University Advising, Dover Campus. “But it’s important to note that National Servicemen are never left without a contact person at school.”

“We ensure they do everything that their peers are doing in the application process. That’s all taken care of before they leave for National Service.”

“We make sure that the National Service candidates are equipped with making

decisions around future planning. And that includes college and university applications either before they go into National Service or while they’re in their National Service.” says Pat Desbarats.

STARTING THE NS JOURNEY

While Teddy Lee wrapped up his NS journey, Arun Kukreja ’22 (Dover Campus) was about to embark on his.

Arun says he planned to use the time in NS to reflect and grow, and then send out his university applications later in the year. He sees his service time as an opportunity to prepare for his future.

“I think you’re afforded some extra time to think about your future and tailor your applications more thoughtfully before applying,” he says. “This additional time, along with support from the University Advising Council, is very helpful in the application process.”

Arun says the thing that’s helped most so far has been UWCSEA’s informal information sessions with alumni NSmen, where enlistees have a chance to ask questions directly to alumni who’ve been through the process.

“I’ve gotten the chance to learn about their experiences,” he says. “This was really helpful in cultivating a relationship so that we always have someone to look up to

and have a guiding light into the first few months of NS.”

TURNING CHALLENGE INTO OPPORTUNITY

“National Service is a challenge, but it’s a matter of perspective - how can you turn this challenge into an opportunity?” says Shruti.

Although at opposite ends of their NS journey, this is a sentiment that both Teddy and Arun agree with.

Many of the boys who have gone through have told me it’s helped them mature, says Arun. “It’s an experience that you don’t get in university. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

When Teddy Lee came to the end of his National Service journey, he took some time to reflect, thinking about who he was at the start and who he had become. What would he say to a student like Arun who was at the start of his NS journey? “It’s like a lot of things in life—whatever you put into your National Service, you’ll get out of it,” he says.

“But in the end your story is going to be different from mine. So my advice is just to go in head on, do your best to make the most of it because if you do that,” he says, “it will be worth it in the end.”

Final farewells

It is with a heavy heart that we share the very sad news of the passing of some of our former staff that has been shared by the wider UWCSEA community in recent months. Let’s take a moment to reflect on the fulfilling lives they have led, and keep them in our thoughts.

Charles D. Engmann

on 31 October 2022 in Ghana

Chuck, as he was affectionately known, taught on Dover Campus in the 70s–80s. His many roles at the College, included 3rd Yearmaster, Director of Lower School, History, Sociology and African Studies. They only tell a fraction of the impact and passion Chuck had for the UWCSEA community. We know that he will be missed by so many of his former students, colleagues and friends across the globe.

Tribute

This one is near to our hearts for many that admired him and had such memorable interactions with him as an educator, coach, confident, mentor etc. RIP big man, preparing Ghanain dishes like Fufu and stew, football, his acting in plays, Middle School Head … Our deepest sympathies to his family and all who were his friends, teacher, colleagues and his students. We will cherish your memory.

He told me I could be anything I wanted to be. We stood on the classroom tables in Ethics class and had mock arguments. He cared about everyone and treated us all as little adults. The entire school was in tears at his leaving assembly. And he was there at our first major reunion in Singapore 2009.

Thank you for everything Mr Engmann. To your onward journey.

Deepest condolences to Dorothy and family.

Anita Kapoor ’89

Tean Chong Teh

on 16 November 2022 in New Zealand

Mr Teh or Chong, as he was affectionately known, taught Art on Dover Campus from 1974–1982 before returning as Head of 3D Art from 1992–1998. His son Rowan Teh ’94 has set up an online memory site and welcomes all tributes.

Scan QR code for online memories site

Tribute

Mr.Teh was a wonderful art teacher. Once, without my knowledge, he entered a piece of pottery I made into a national competition, then told me I had won 1st prize! I thought he was joking at the time, but turned out to be true!!! My sincere condolences to his family, may he Rest In Peace.

Tracy MacIver ’87

Such an amazing teacher - he pushed me out of my comfort zone to create some amazing pieces of art. My sincere condolences to the nearest and dearest.

Barbara Paczesna-Vercueil ’99

Mary Van Der Heijden

on 17 February 2023

Mary was at UWCSEA from 2008–2015 and was appointed as a Vice Principal in East Primary School at its very beginning. Her commitment to the Island Foundation was ongoing—continuing to visit and support right up until a month before she passed.

Tribute

All our 3 kids had the privilege of being in Mary’s care when she was VP. We will remember her fondly always. Our condolences to Mary’s family.

Audrey Goh, current parent

Sean McCauley

on 5 November 2022 in the US

Sean worked at Dover Campus from 2010–2017 as a university advisor, History and TOK teacher, as well as a boarding assistant houseparent for a few years, and even did IGCSE exam coordination for a short while. He played the tuba and was heavily involved in music performances and concerts. He was much loved by both colleagues and students—someone who really cared about each individual he interacted with, and went way above and beyond to contribute to the College community in so many amazing ways.

Scan QR code for online memories site

Tribute

Sean was a kind, humble man and always willing to help others. Even though he had cancer when he was with us, he put up a brave front. He will be missed.

Jumiah Tornroth, current staff

Suzanne Mazeyrac

on 8 December 2022 in Coventry, UK

Madame Mazeyrac was a beloved French teacher on Dover Campus from 1992–2015. Our condolences to her family— husband and also a former staff, Kevin Morley, daughter, Jean-Claire Morley ’05 and Neil.

Tribute

Heartbreaking news. Madame Mazeyrac was one of my favorite teachers - with a great sense of humor! She further inspired my love for the language.

Shveta Venkatram ’10

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Sport has always been an integral part of student life at UWCSEA. Our trainers, racquets and balls may have become more high tech, but the spirit of healthy competition, teamwork and sportsmanship have unwavered through the years.

Stay connected!

Staying connected has never been easier or more important! All you need to do is maintain the details on your UWCSEA Connect profile to ensure you have access to resources and benefits like:

• Subscription to Alumni communications like our monthly e-newsletter, Alumni eBrief and annual magazine, One°North

• A newsfeed of alumni updates, campus news, photos and conversations

• An interactive directory of alumni, current and former staff

• A Job Board to facilitate recruitment and job-seeking activities within our network

• Invitations to Alumni events such as Milestone Reunions and overseas gatherings

• A mentorship feature allowing you to offer or seek informal professional advice

www.uwcsea.edu.sg

alumni.uwcsea.edu.sg

alumni@uwcsea.edu.sg

Official UWCSEA

alumni page: UWCSEA Alumni

location-specific groups: UWCSEA [location] Regional Alumni Group

LinkedIn group: UWCSEA Alumni Community UWC South East Asia

Twitter: @UWCSEA_Alumni

UWC Hub: uwchub.org