Community support made tangible at NUS Business School’s Bizad Charity Run 2026
At the Bizad Charity Run on 17 Jan 2026, a record turnout and the special appearance of an electric van used by a local non-profit group to reach at-risk youth highlighted the impact of community support on the lives of needy students.
More than 1,500 people, comprising the largest turnout in over five years, signed up for the 2026 edition of the NUS Business School’s annual flagship event. They were flagged off on their 5km and 10km runs by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies.
Jointly organised by the NUS Business School Alumni Association (NUSBSA) and the NUS Bizad Club, the Bizad Charity Run brings together students, alumni, faculty and partners to support financially disadvantaged business school students and the community. Over the past 16 years, it has raised more than S$3.3 million and engaged 14,500 participants to support the NUSBSA Bursary and Experience Funds and selected community beneficiaries. This year’s event raised nearly S$100,000, and members of the public can visit this link to donate to the ongoing fundraising drive until 31 Jan 2026.
The fundraising run appealed to Year 4 Business Administration (BBA) student Jordon Khoo as a running enthusiast and scholarship recipient, since it combined his hobby with the opportunity to help others in need. “I understand first-hand how impactful financial assistance can be in helping students pursue their academic aspirations to the fullest without financial barriers,” Jordon shared, adding: “If there’s one reason to sign up for BCR, it’s the chance to make your exercise rewarding – every step taken contributes towards its meaningful cause!”
Beyond being a competitive run, the 5km route also offered a fun twist for participants, with game stations at 1km intervals where they could play simple games and collect armbands to take part in a lucky draw at the end of the run. The final station was an electric van operated by Youth Guidance Outreach Services (YGOS), serving as a tangible example for participants of how the funds they helped to raise would benefit disadvantaged youths.
Equipped with comfortable seating, extendable canopies, video games and Wi-Fi, the van is part of YGOS’ Mobile Outreach Support Team (MOST) initiative to engage youth-at-risk by creating a space for them to interact with one another and YGOS volunteers, who can connect them with social services for their needs.
YGOS is the run’s community beneficiary for a second year in a row, and the non-profit will use the funds it receives to continue driving meaningful youth engagement through initiatives like MOST that transform “passive youth participation into active involvement”, said Mr Wilson Tan, executive director of YGOS.
The event’s larger-than-usual turnout introduced a new level of complexity to the planning that was both exciting and challenging for the organising committee, shared Lydia Ng, a Year 4 BBA student who served as digital content and strategy head. The committee sought advice from NUSBSA and BizAlum, the school’s alumni office, on matters like stakeholder management and contingency planning, emphasising ownership and coordination among the sub-committees to execute their respective responsibilities.
Through the experience, Lydia learnt the importance of adaptability and how trust is earned not through leadership titles, but through showing up for others. “Over time, I developed a servant-leader approach, especially during busy periods, stepping in to support teammates who had more pressing needs,” she said. In addition, the dynamism of a large-scale event taught her to stay on top of responsibilities while remaining flexible and to make decisions with the bigger picture in mind.
