Building strong alumni ties

NUS’ biggest homecoming event Kent Ridge Alumni Family Day welcomed almost 5,000 alumni, students and staff, along with their friends and family, to University Town on 19 August. Organised by NUS Alumni Relations, the evening was filled with fun, food and entertainment for all.

Gracing the occasion was NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan who encouraged alumni to keep their connections with NUS and their fellow alumni strong. Prof Tan also submitted his Chinese ink painting titled Landscape of the Mind for the NUS Alumni Art Exhibition, one of the fringe activities by the NUS Chinese Studies Alumni Association.

Children playing one of the many games set up across University Town

All across University Town, NUS offices, alumni and student groups held interactive activities such as the Student Life Fair, a friendly volleyball tournament between alumni and students, as well as a hands-on drone workshop. The Environmental Atrium, by NUS Environmental Sustainability and NUS Facilities Management, showcased the University’s sustainability efforts and how everyone can do their part for the environment, while NUS Centre For the Arts set up a performance space featuring exciting shows such as one by the Lion Dance troupe. The Faculty Networking Booths saw representatives from NUS Engineering, Arts and Social Sciences, Business, Science, Medicine and the Duke-NUS Medical School organise fun carnival games and mingle with guests.

Things heated up at the Battle of the AlumNUS Foodpreneurs organised by NUS Campus Amenities, where eateries on campus established by NUS alumni entrepreneurs competed to impress the judges including NUS Society President Mr Eddie Lee and University Health Centre’s Senior Physician and Advisor Dr Catherine Chua. The Spread café at the Mochtar Riady Building run by alumnus Mr Foo Yuk Sam (Arts and Social Sciences, ‘14) was declared the winner.  

The rock-climbing wall, children’s art session, virtual reality racing and temporary tattoos turned out to be huge hits, along with free ice cream, popcorn and candy floss. Guests were also entertained by local magician Anderson Chua, as well as friendly mascots LiNUS and NUS Medicine’s Meddy and Neddy.   

Posing for a shot with the NUS hashtag

“I enjoy attending homecoming and other school activities when time permits. I get to reconnect with classmates and pick up new skills through activities organised by my faculty,” said Ms Suria Wijaya, who completed her NUS MBA in 2013.

Come night time, participants spread out their picnic mats on Town Green and enjoyed live music performances by alumni and student groups such as TO Ensemble, Festive Drummers, Singapore Idol 2006 first runner-up Jonathan Leong, PennyLane, winner of the Singapore leg of Sing! China Marcus Lee, and Cosmic Armchair. The event ended with an outdoor movie screening on campus of popular animated movie, Trolls.

See here for more alumni events.

By NUS Alumni Relations