A publication of Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Issue 2 of 2014
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Medicine
Woman
Our first female
grad to enter local
medical school
Training
Cyber Cops
A new diploma
grooms IT
security pros
06
Contents
01
02
newsroom
Ngee Ann Wins President’s
Award for the Environment
Singapore’s highest environmental
accolade is a nod to the polytechnic’s
environmental commitment
The School of InfoComm Technology’s
fifth diploma will offer cyber security
internships with key partners
03
Heeding the Call to be a Doctor
04
Engineering a Route to Success
05
Free Eye Checks for Cabbies
06
08
12
New Diploma to Boost
Cyber Security
Lim Xin Yan is Ngee Ann’s first female
graduate to enter local medical school
The pioneer batch of Engineering Science
graduates proves their diploma is a gateway
to great opportunities
Taxi drivers enjoy better eye health,
thanks to eye checks at Ngee Ann’s
Optometry Centre
10
The Ngee Ann Youth Academy enables
students to create their own success stories
Tapping on technology to develop
smart solutions
Talent in the Arts Grant recipients attend
masterclasses and overseas summer school
A Harmony of Arts and Heart
12
My Global Classroom
14
16
tech talk
IT Gets Innovative
Lessons from Masters of the Arts
11
cover story
Making Every
Opportunity Count
highlights
17
Campus arts festival raises funds for
needy students
Our students traverse the globe on unique
learning journeys
heart
Going Places with Kindness
Staff and students bring cheer to the
needy – both locally and overseas
people
When Less is More
Hear from two students who survived on
a meagre income to better understand the
plight of Singapore’s needy
the last page
Going Baldly Where Few Girls
Have Gone
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
EDITOR
Jeanine Tan
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Melanie Wee
SENIOR DESIGNER
Frances Sim
Cover photo: Sam Chin
For enquiries, contact
us at askNP@np.edu.sg
or call 6466 6555.
Newsroom
NGEE ANN WINS
PRESIDENT’S AWARD
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
The polytechnic is awarded Singapore’s highest environmental accolade
for its efforts in environmental sustainability
For its environmental advocacy efforts spanning over 20
years, Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) received the President’s
Award for the Environment in September.
The award, Singapore’s highest environmental accolade,
was presented to NP's Principal Mr Clarence Ti by President
Tony Tan Keng Yam at an award ceremony held at the Istana.
Ngee Ann's environmental charter aims to incorporate
environmental awareness into campus life. Every year, about
200 students graduate from environmental-related courses,
and green champions are nurtured via student clubs.
Facilities like the Environmental & Water Technology
Centre of Innovation and Solar Technology Centre tap
on new technologies to further the environmental cause.
Three new campus buildings were recently conferred the
BCA Green Mark Platinum Awards, and NP hopes to obtain
similar certifications for 80 per cent of its campus buildings
by 2020.
Reasserting NP’s commitment to environmental
excellence, Mr Ti said, “We are honoured to receive this
award, and we pledge to continue doing our utmost to
inculcate environmental awareness and responsibility.”
CHAMPIONING THE GREEN CAUSE
1000
Related
diplomas
4
Students & staff driving
environmental efforts every year
200
Students
trained
per year
130
17
100
Environmental
projects
spearheaded
by students and
funded by NP
from 2011
to 2013
Environmental Rangers
(Student club)
Green Volunteers
(Student club)
1700
Students
trained
since 1998
27
Staff Green
Champions
(From left) Principal of
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Mr Clarence Ti, President
Tony Tan Keng Yam and
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan,
Minister for the Environment
and Water Resources.
1
newsroom
NEW DIPLOMA TO boost
cyber security
School of InfoComm Technology partners key players for internship opportunities
The launch of the new Diploma in Information
Security & Forensics in April 2015 is a timely response
to the recent slew of cyber security breaches and
Internet crimes.
It is the fifth diploma to be offered by Ngee Ann’s
School of InfoComm Technology. Besides gaining a
strong foundation in IT security and digital forensics,
students will learn to set up secured networks,
develop secure software applications and investigate
cyber crimes. Master classes by information security
professionals are also on the cards, as are internships
with leading IT security organisations such as
CrimsonLogic, Microsoft and Palo Alto Networks.
With the global shortage of IT security professionals,
students can look forward to careers as digital forensics
investigators, secure software developers and malware
analysts with security agencies worldwide.
The new Information
Security & Forensics
course will train
students to investigate
and fight cyber crimes.
A $7.97 MILLION GIFT
FROM NGEE ANN KONGSI
(From left) Principal of Ngee Ann Polytechnic Mr Clarence Ti, Guest of
Honour Minister of State Ms Sim Ann, President of Ngee Ann Kongsi
Dr Lim Kee Ming, and Ngee Ann Kongsi Chairman of Education for
Scholarships and Bursaries Committee Mr Goh Kim Hock.
2
Meeting a woman who stays in a one-room flat and looks after her
elderly mother was what inspired final-year International Business
student, Tan Kit Yee, to pursue her interest in social work.
Kit Yee met her last year during the Community Adventure
Challenge, one of Ngee Ann Polytechnic's (NP) development
programmes made possible by a donation from Ngee Ann Kongsi.
This year, the philanthropic foundation gave $7.97 million to NP.
Ngee Ann Kongsi contributes 25 per cent of its income to
NP every year. Up to 50 per cent of this amount – capped at
$2 million – goes into an education fund for study grants and
development programmes. The remaining amount will be placed
in an endowment fund.
The Community Adventure Challenge, which aims to develop
empathy and social responsibility, saw Kit Yee and other NP
students clearing tables at food centres, distributing bread to
needy families and interacting with foreign workers to better
understand the challenges they faced.
“Even though the woman I met has very little materially, she
is happy. I’ve been considering a career in social entrepreneurship
or community service, and this challenge gave me exposure to
the needs of others,” said Kit Yee.
HEEDING THE CALL TO
be a doctor
Biomedical Science graduate is Ngee Ann’s first female graduate to enter
National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
There were five before her. But Lim Xin
Yan is Ngee Ann's first female graduate
– and the sixth to date – to secure a spot
in the National University of Singapore's
(NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
The five Ngee Ann graduates who
had previously gained direct admission
were all male.
“I’ve been interested in biology since
I was in secondary three. I decided to
pursue that interest with a biomedical
science diploma because I wanted
something more practical and focused.
"Taking modules like immunology,
microbiology, physiology and genetics
at Ngee Ann provided an in-depth
understanding of how the human body
functions, and gives me an edge in my
current medical studies,” shared Xin
Yan, who entered NUS in August.
When asked why she felt a calling
to the medical profession, Xin Yan
said, “During my hospital attachment
as a Ngee Ann student, I saw how
patients, especially the elderly, trusted
their doctors implicitly. Their lives are in
the doctors’ hands. I want to be able
to comfort and help these patients; to
reach out and really make a difference.”
students care service award for ngee ann
Over the past two years, students from the Clementi
Students Care Service (SCS) have enjoyed outdoor activities
like football kickabouts and rope adventure classes, as
well as life skills workshops and study sessions held at
Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP).
Through these, the students gained self-esteem and
confidence by interacting with NP staff, many of whom
they view as mentors.
For its outreach efforts to these students, NP was
awarded the Friends of SCS Award at the SCS volunteers’
appreciation event in September.
The events for Clementi SCS students were organised
by the polytechnic's ComServe committee, which aims to
provide staff with the opportunity to make a difference
through acts of kindness and serve the community together.
NP’s staff and students travel far and wide to reach out to
the needy. Read about their community service efforts on
pages 14 and 15.
3
newsroom
ENGINEERINg
A ROUTE to SUCCESS
The pioneer batch of Engineering Science graduates have proven that their
diploma is a gateway to great opportunities and rewards
When Ekko Chua graduated from Ngee Ann in May with a
Diploma in Engineering Science (ES), she received not one,
but six different scholarship offers, including four from
universities in the United Kingdom.
She is among the 25 per cent of the inaugural cohort
who won local or overseas undergraduate scholarships.
Ekko eventually chose the Energy Market Authority
Scholarship to pursue a Master of Engineering (Chemical
& Energy Engineering) at the University of Leeds.
An impressive 85 per cent of the cohort have been
accepted into prestigious local and overseas university
programmes. The national average for fresh polytechnic
graduates enrolling into both full-time and part-time
degree courses is about 45 per cent.
“The Engineering Science course gave me a strong
foundation in different engineering fields, helping me to
discover my strengths and interests,” said Ekko, who hopes
to work in Singapore’s energy sector in the future.
The ES diploma, launched in 2011, has been attracting
‘O’ level students with excellent results. They are drawn
by the rigorous, broad-based curriculum designed in
collaboration with Nanyang Technological University (NTU);
exposure to technological developments through visits to
overseas universities; and prospects of working on research
projects and attending classes at NTU, National University
of Singapore (NUS) or Singapore University of Technology
& Design.
ES graduate Koh Hui Fang, who was awarded a
Defence Science & Technology Agency Undergraduate
Scholarship, relished the diploma’s learning opportunities.
“We took additional modules in programming and
maths. This gave us in-depth knowledge, greatly reducing
the learning curve when we study similar modules in
university,” shared Hui Fang, who is pursuing a Bachelor of
Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) at NUS.
Fellow graduate Benjamin Chia considers the diploma’s
focus on applied research one of its strengths. “The research
projects I did in NTU and NUS provided an ideal platform to
apply my theoretical knowledge in real life,” he said.
Benjamin won the SPRING Executive Development
Scholarship and will study Engineering Science in NUS
when he completes national service in 2016.
THE ENGINEERING SCIENCE DIPLOMA IN NUMBERS
85%
secured a place in one
or more universities.
Ekko Chua is among
the inaugural batch of
Engineering Science
graduates who received
prestigious scholarships.
5
1
Number of secondyear ES students
who received the
A*STAR Science
Awards (Poly) 2014,
which provide
R&D internship
opportunities at
A*STAR’s research
institutes.
in 3
first-year ES students
received the NP Engineering
Scholarship or Merit Award
4
25%
Pioneer batch of graduates
who accepted scholarships
from local universities and
organisations.
5
second and third-year
ES students were offered
the Diploma Scholarship
by DSO National
Laboratories, which
includes an internship at
the national defence
R&D organisation
FREE EYE
CHECKS
FOR CABBIES
Optometry students perform eye examinations
for taxi drivers in new initiative
Optometry students
performed free
eye checks for taxi
drivers at Ngee Ann’s
Optometry Centre.
Second and final-year Optometry students had the opportunity to
conduct comprehensive eye checks for taxi drivers at Ngee Ann
Polytechnic's (NP) Optometry Centre.
This was part of the Taxi Drivers Eyecare Ambassador Programme,
launched in October. It was a tie-up by optics company Essilor Singapore,
the National Taxi Association, Singapore Polytechnic and NP. Under the
initiative, about 2,000 taxi drivers could visit the optometry centres at
either polytechnic from October 20 to December 6 to have their vision
and eye health assessed.
The programme aims to engage these taxi drivers as eye care
ambassadors to spread the importance of annual eye checks to the
passengers they pick up daily.
“We are pleased to help raise awareness of the importance of
primary eye care in Singapore through this collaboration with our
partners. The community project provided a valuable learning platform
for our Optometry students who were involved in conducting general
eye examinations for the taxi drivers under the supervision of their
lecturers,” said Dr Phang Chiew Hun, Director of NP's School of Health
Sciences, which oversees the Optometry course.
SPECIAL
MENTIONS
• Ngee Ann Polytechnic received
a $2.12 million donation from
the Daisy Phay Foundation to
provide financial assistance to
needy students. The cheque was
presented to Principal, Mr Clarence
Ti in July by Mr Ng Hark Cheng,
a trustee of Dr Phay's estate.
The late Dr Phay – who was
Chairman of the Public Service
Commission from 1962 to 1975 –
set up the foundation in memory
of his wife, Daisy.
• Ngee Ann Polytechnic was
among the three recipients of an
$8.3 million grant awarded by
the Building and Construction
Authority (BCA) in July. Under
BCA's Building Energy Efficiency
Grant Call, researchers will develop
energy-efficient, cost-effective
technologies for buildings in the
tropics, focusing on air-conditioning
and mechanical ventilation,
and building management and
information systems.
• Temasek Foundation, Ngee Ann
Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic
signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with Myanmar's
Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief
and Resettlement (MSWRR) in
August to enhance Myanmar's
local enterprise development.
The initiative will see the two
polytechnics facilitate the training
of MSWRR senior government
officials in strategic planning,
capability building and policy
development over a period of
two-and-a-half years, with
$973,000 in funding support
from Temasek Foundation.
5
Cover Story
MAKING EVERY
OPPORTUNITY
COUNT
At Ngee Ann Polytechnic, every student
gets to create their own success story
In a seminar room, Ngee Ann students huddle around in
groups, furiously brain-storming ideas as a facilitator shouts
words of encouragement. After a few minutes, they fall
into their “lanes” as it is time for the race to begin – each
group needs to form a human “car” with “working parts”
like tyres, lights and wipers, and navigate it around a set
course in the fastest possible time.
Aimed at encouraging out-of-the-box thinking, the
activity was part of the Empowerment Camp, one of the
many programmes organised by the Ngee Ann Polytechnic
(NP) Youth Academy.
Set up in 2012, the Youth Academy seeks to provide
every student a wealth of opportunities to develop their
fullest potential, pursue their passions and deliver their best
6
–­ a “best” that may not necessarily be defined by winning
trophies or scoring a perfect GPA.
The Youth Academy programmes are specially tailored
for each level, and open to all NP students pursuing fulltime diplomas.
Freshmen can sign up for empowerment camps
to discover their personality profiles, strengths and
weaknesses, while second-year students build on
this foundation with leadership and communication
workshops. Final-year students can look forward to training
in resume writing and interview techniques, to better equip
them for work and university when they graduate.
“The Youth Academy was set up to provide every
student in Ngee Ann the opportunity to benefit from
enrichment programmes as an extra top-up beyond
academic pursuits. Over their three years in NP,
students will go through the process of self-discovery,
broadening their horizons and gaining real-world
insights,” said Mr Mun Kwok On, Director of the
Student Development & Alumni Relations Office
which oversees the academy.
Through the Youth Academy, NP students are
also imbued with values that will anchor them for
life. Programme facilitators are required to be familiar
with NP’s six core values – responsibility, respect,
resilience, integrity, compassion and gratitude –
and integrate them seamlessly in the design and
delivery of all programmes, encompassing leadership,
character building and personal development.
The polytechnic’s core values are also infused
through the INSPIRE Speaker Series, where society's
changemakers and community leaders share their
success stories. Most recently, Group President of the
Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
and former Head of the Civil Service, Mr Lim Siong
Guan, addressed students on the topic of “The Social
Leader as a Change Maker”.
At the end of the day,
we hope that every NP student
will be empowered to create his
or her own success story — one
that may not be measured by
conventional standards.
– Mr Mun Kwok On
Director, Student Development & Alumni Relations
“The response to our programmes has been positive,”
shared Mr Mun. “We continue to listen to feedback from
our stakeholders, thought leaders and practitioners to
improve our programme content, design and delivery to
make them more effective, interesting and relevant.”
The Youth Academy's programmes drew over 1,400
students in its first year, with another 2,000 participants
expected by the end of its second financial year next March.
Next up for the Youth Academy is the inaugural Social
Leadership Challenge, where final-year students will
embark on an overseas learning journey with anchor host
partners reputed for their social leadership practices and
initiatives. Through their interactions with these advocates,
students will be inspired to consider how they can “pay it
forward” by giving back to the community.
“At the end of the day, we hope that every NP student
will be empowered to create his or her own success story –
one that may not be measured by conventional standards,”
said Mr Mun.
NURTURING TALENTS FOR
THE FUTURE
While catering to all NP students, the Youth Academy
also has a talent development programme for those
with special talents and high ability.
Known as The Christieara Programme (TCP), it is
designed to stretch these students beyond academic
excellence, through exposure to global affairs and
critical thinking skills, as well as provide mentorship
and guidance for their scholastic pursuits.
TCP was started in 2002, and now comes under
the Youth Academy to provide greater synergy in
delivering quality development programmes. TCP
students have since gone on to pursue degrees in
renowned universities worldwide and secure multiple
scholarship offers, including those from the Public
Service Commission.
7
Tech Talk
The ColourLife
application has
various functions to
aid the colour-blind in
day-to-day activities.
itgets INNOVATIVE
Ngee Ann’s staff and students tap on technology to develop smart solutions
that make life simpler
HELPING THE COLOUR-BLIND TO SEE
Computer enthusiast Hang Zhi Cheng loves joining cables
together, but that hobby poses a great challenge to him
because he is colour-blind.
To overcome that, Zhi Cheng was inspired to create
ColourLife – a mobile application to help others like him to
accurately identify colours.
“I needed help from my parents to differentiate the colourcoded computer cables,” said the Class of 2013 Information
Technology graduate, who suffers from red-green colour
blindness. “So I decided to come up with an application to
help colour-blind users track colours on the fly.”
ColourLife, which was launched late last year for
Android phones, was developed by Zhi Cheng and a
team of lecturers and students from Ngee Ann’s School of
8
InfoComm Technology. Its colour identification function is
easy to use – simply activate the camera function on the
application and point it towards a particular object. The
colours of the object will then be stated on the screen.
The application also helps users to identify their type
of colour-deficiency, and automatically tweaks the phone
accordingly. Even the fashion-conscious get a helping
hand – once users have snapped a photo of their outfit
and indicated the colours they are wearing, the application
advises on whether their colour choices are a good match.
ColourLife is a boon for the colour-blind in their dayto-day activities. Mr Andrew Tan, one of the lecturers on
the team, said, “The colour identification function can help
users, for example, to tell apart the red and green colours
on the MRT map.”
ON THE ALERT FOR
NEIGHBOURHOOD CRIME
The crime alert signboards you see around your
neighbourhood could soon be sporting a new, hightech interface, thanks to an award-winning system
developed by Electronic & Computer Engineering (ECE)
students and staff.
The Electronic Crime Alert Signboard was first
conceptualised as a final-year project by ECE students
for the Singapore Police Force. Using a secure mobile
application, the police can remotely and almost
instantaneously update these signboards with the latest
crime alert information.
Messages, which can be customised by category
such as crime type, location, and date and time, will be
read by a microcontroller on the board, before being
updated in real-time for public viewing.
“With this device, the police no longer need to
visit different locations to modify each sign,” said Dr Li
Yan, a lecturer from Ngee Ann’s School of Engineering
which oversees the ECE course. “Based on feedback,
we are now working on certain improvements such as
enlarging the display and incorporating audio output.
PHYSIOTHERAPY MADE FUN
A simple visit to a Thye Hua Kwan centre was
the inspiration behind the Integrated Hand Grip
Physiotherapy System developed by Ngee Ann's School
of InfoComm Technology (ICT) in collaboration with
Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society.
The Integrated Hand
Grip Physiotherapy
System incorporates
gaming elements which
motivate patients to
complete their exercises.
The crime alert signboards
can be updated remotely
and almost instantaneously
using a secure mobile
application.
We are also exploring other modifications to
make it tamper-proof, water-proof and more
energy efficient.”
The innovative, time-saving project won two
awards at the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Security
Awareness for Everyone competition last year.
The visiting ICT lecturers had noticed many
of the centre's patients doing physiotherapy with
an ordinary stress ball. Because the exercises
were highly repetitive, patients were unmotivated
to complete them, and required constant
supervision from the centre’s physiotherapists.
This sparked the idea of applying digital
game design techniques into an integrated
computerised system to liven up these
physiotherapy sessions.
Consisting of a specially-designed ball with
sensors that emit signals to a computer, the
system can monitor the patient's performance
and even store data which is accessible by doctors,
nurses, therapists and caregivers. Incorporating
game elements makes the exercises more
enjoyable, motivating patients to complete them.
Currently undergoing clinical trials, the portable
system can be deployed to any Thye Hua Kwan
centre when needed.
The project received $153,000 in funding
from the Tote Board’s Social Innovation Research
Fund and Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and is an effort
to capitalise on staff’s knowledge, skills and
experience to develop solutions that improve lives.
9
Highlights
LESSONS FROM
MASTERS OF THE ARTS
Talent in the Arts Grant paves the way for artistic talents
to develop their full potential
Loretta Lim, a second-year Arts Business Management (ABM)
student, got the rare opportunity to travel to London to train under
a world-class ballet dancer.
Loretta is one of four winners of this year's Talent in the Arts Grant,
which has been awarded annually to talented ABM students since
2011. The grant, worth up to $5,000, paved the way for Loretta to
attend a two-week summer school programme from July to August
at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London.
Her daily classes included contemporary dance techniques,
contemporary jazz and intermediate ballet. The ballet lessons were
taught by Liz Alpe, a former dancer from the Royal Ballet, one of
the world's most esteemed dance troupes.
“I never thought that I would ever meet a Royal Ballet dancer,
let alone take classes under one. Ms Alpe even stayed back after
lessons to help us fine-tune our techniques. To learn from the best
was a dream come true, and the Talent in the Arts Grant made that
possible,” shared Loretta.
Having taken ballet classes for 14 years since she was five,
Loretta only picked up contemporary dance when she entered
Ngee Ann. The grant will allow Loretta to continue honing her
dance techniques through contemporary dance classes with local
companies next year.
I never thought that I would ever meet a Royal
Ballet dancer, let alone take classes under one...
To learn from the best was a dream come true, and
the Talent in the Arts Grant made that possible.
THIS YEAR’S TALENT IN THE ARTS GRANT WAS ALSO
AWARDED TO:
Brendan Ong } Brendan’s interest in a capella music developed when he
was a choir member in St Gabriel’s Secondary School. He will be taking vocal
lessons under Babes Conde, one of the Singapore's top vocal coaches.
Jenson Tan } A self-taught artist since the age of 14, Jenson attended a
short course on drawing using different methodology at the Slade School
of Fine Art in University College London. An aspiring graphic designer
and curator, Jenson uses digital software as his primary medium.
Gabriel Goh } Gabriel’s interest in photography was “accidentally”
piqued when he stumbled upon negatives of old family photos. Having
attended the Fine Art Photography short course at the Slade School of Fine
Art in University College London, Gabriel seeks to explore themes of visual
cultures and history through photography.
10
Thanks to the Talent in
the Arts Grant, students
like Loretta Lim can
pursue their passion in
music, dance, theatre
and visual arts.
A HARMONY OF
ARTS AND HEART
Arts Fiesta raises over $120,000 for needy students
Arts and cultural CCA
groups performing
the mass dance finale
at the street parade.
More than $120,000 was raised for
a worthy cause during Ngee Ann
Polytechnic's (NP) Arts Fiesta, held on
campus from October to November.
The amount, which came from ticket
sales went towards the Student Aid
Fund – established by NP and supported
by several philanthropic endowments –
to benefit needy students.
The event opened on a high note
with a colourful street parade featuring
23 CCA groups. In line with the
theme “PLAY”, highlights of the Arts
Fiesta included garden swings and art
installations in the open field, and a
Zumba dance party.
CCA groups showcased their talents
in key performances, culminating in
the ever-popular Danzation, a dance
extravaganza which brought the sixweek arts celebration to a rousing close.
LIGHTING UP WITH BRIGHT IDEAS
It was a race against time for over 200 secondary school
students at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) in September, as
they competed to design a modular lamp within four
hours in the NP-BCA Design Challenge.
The inaugural event was a collaboration between
NP’s School of Design & Environment (DE) and the
Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to encourage
the creative and sustainable design of everyday items.
Working in groups, the students – who came from
30 secondary schools – were tasked to create lamps
comprising “modules” of the same shape without using
any adhesives. They were also judged on their learning
portfolios which showcased the lamp’s concept and the
team’s understanding of sustainable design.
"Our judging panel was amazed by the 61 teams'
unique creations. We hope that through this experience,
students will be able to better appreciate the importance
of design – where even something as basic as a lamp
The winning team
from Crescent
Girls' School.
involves a lot of design thinking," said Mrs Pang Peck
Hong, Director of DE.
Crescent Girls' School won the Gold Award and the top
prize of $1,200, along with a trophy. Greendale Secondary
School and Tanglin Secondary School came in second and
third, winning $800 and $500 respectively.
11
Highlights
Students attended
classes at Syracuse
University’s Maxwell
School of Citizenship
and Public Affairs.
MY GLOBAL CLASSROOM
Teaching goes beyond just classroom lectures, as Ngee Ann students traverse
the globe on rewarding learning journeys
NEW YORK, USA
Before he left for New York in June, final-year Aerospace
Technology student Jasvinderpal Singh knew nothing about
American politics. However, after a three-week visit to the
city, he is now in the know about the country’s society,
public policies and legal system.
“I was nervous before the trip, as I had no prior
knowledge of political issues. But learning about the
American political system turned out to be a highlight
of my trip! I was amazed by how the country and its
different states are run by different levels of government,”
he shared.
Twenty students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) were
awarded the Overseas Merit Fellowship to New York, as
part of the polytechnic’s talent development programme.
There, they attended lectures at Syracuse University
12
covering the local government system, legal system as well
as America’s public and foreign policies. They also visited
government offices and non-profit organisations.
The students were also challenged to write an
individual policy memo that required them to analyse and
compare the public policies in America and Singapore, and
address issues in either country.
Final-year Chinese Media & Communication student
Koh Cheng Jun said, “It was a challenging but eye-opening
assignment that helped to shape my perspective of
American and Singaporean politics.”
Summing up the memorable trip, Jasvinderpal said,
“Getting the opportunity to study in an overseas university
was my biggest takeaway, and learning under different
professors who were so open to discussions and debates
taught me to think more critically.”
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Not everyone has an opportunity to get up close and
personal with a Nobel Prize winner, but that was just
what Landscape Design & Horticulture student Jonathan
Goh got to do when he visited Western Australia.
“It was inspiring to attend a lecture by Professor
Barry Marshall, who won the 2005 Nobel Prize for his
discovery that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is the
cause of peptic ulcers and gastric cancer. Scientists
and doctors had thought otherwise, but he proved
them wrong. It taught me to be unafraid of taking
risks and journeying on paths less trodden to make a
difference,” said Jonathan.
The lecture was part of the Overseas Merit Award –
a two-week trip in October for Jonathan and 19 other
third-year scholars from the School of Life Sciences &
Chemical Technology.
They attended lectures at the University of Western
Australia on topics like forensic science and food
security, and went on site visits. These included an
experiential geomorphological journey around the
region to study landforms and analyse soil quality,
a study on marine ecology in Rottnest Island, and a
trip to the volunteer-staffed Earthwise community
centre to learn about composting and environmental
conservation.
| Jonathan Goh (right)
posing with Professor
Barry Marshall and
the Nobel Prize medal.
All the students, including Jonathan
(pictured here) got a chance to
play the didgeridoo, a traditional
aboriginal instrument.
When she wasn’t at work,
Dione Lum enjoyed hiking
along Hawaii’s scenic trails,
including this one in Aiea.
HONOLULU, HAWAII
Hawaii is the “Paradise of the Pacific”, famed for its sun,
sea and surf. But its idyllic shores were more than just an
exotic holiday destination for recent Mass Communication
graduate, Dione Lum.
Dione finished her six-month internship at Pacific
Telecommunications Council in Honolulu this year. It was
an eye-opening experience, as she helped to organise
the Pacific Telecommunications Conference 2014 which
brought together the world’s largest and most influential
telecommunications companies.
“I met leading executives from AT&T, TATA, Equinix
and CITIC Telecom,” she shared. “Experiencing such a
large-scale event first-hand gave me valuable insights of
the industry, and I even got to stay at the luxurious Hilton
beach resort where the conference was held!”
Spearheading volunteer recruitment efforts for the
conference, Dione’s role covered planning media platforms
for advertising, conducting outreach programmes
targeting university students, scheduling rosters and
volunteer training. She was also involved in co-ordinating
sponsorships, designing conference materials and the stage
management of keynote speakers.
Reflecting on the experience, Dione said, “The many
skills I picked up at Ngee Ann were put to good use during
my internship – from advertising, copywriting and research,
to design software and even talent management.
"This internship has been an incredible learning journey.
I’m now more confident of taking on the challenges of the
working world.”
13
Heart
Muhammad Amirrul
Afiq (far right) and his
coursemates enjoy a
fun day out with the
Vietnamese students.
going places
with kindness
Ngee Ann staff and students bring cheer to the needy
– both locally and overseas
designs that make a difference
His first attempt at communication was a failure, but
that didn’t stop Muhammad Amirrul Afiq from trying
to reach out to hearing-impaired students in Vietnam.
Along with 17 other students from the Diploma
in Product Design & Innovation (PDI), Amirrul visited
the Lam Dong School for the Hearing Impaired on a
community service trip in September. The PDI students
conceptualised designs for products such as bags and
stuffed toys, which the Vietnamese students worked
in groups to produce. Some did embroidery, while
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others did sewing, knitting or beading.
“It was our first time relating with the hearingimpaired, so we didn’t know how to communicate our
initial design ideas to the students. But we learnt some
basic sign language, and with their teachers’ help, we
managed to successfully finish the second and third
projects,” said Amirrul.
“With their new skills, the students will be able to
make their own products for sale in future. I’m glad we
had this chance to make a difference with our skills,”
he added.
SCALING HEIGHTS, BUILDING BONDS
Multi-vine. Acid River. Nitro Crossing. Many of the 67
students from the Students Care Service and Thye Hua
Kwan family service centres had never heard of these
words before they visited Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP)
for a Rope Adventure activity in September.
But by the end of the event, they had not only
tried out the three low-element courses that take
place around ground level, but had scaled even greater
heights, attempting high-element courses like abseiling
and rock-climbing. Experienced students from NP’s
Outdoor Adventure Club were on hand to conduct a
safety briefing and belay the participants, while 30 NP
staff from various divisions provided encouragement
and support.
The event ended with a tea reception, providing
opportunities for staff and students to mingle and
interact. The Rope Adventure series is an annual event
organised by NP’s ComServe committee as an outreach
to various community groups.
SNAPSHOTS OF FAMILY FUN
For four hours in June, the sounds of children’s
laughter and happy chatter filled Ngee Ann
Polytechnic’s Staff Centre.
Ten needy families from the Siglap
community were invited for “Family Day Out”,
a half-day event on campus organised by the
School of Film & Media Studies (FMS) and
volunteers from Siglap Community Centre. The
children were thrilled by the balloon-sculpting
workshop, as they learnt to make balloonshaped swords, flowers and animals, and
engaged in impromptu “sword fights”.
The families then enjoyed a sumptuous tea
break with the 23 FMS staff and a screening of
Ilo Ilo – an award-winning
movie produced by FMS
alumnus, Anthony Chen.
Everyone also posed
gamely for their own family
portraits, taken by a team of
FMS staff and students.
Just before leaving, the
families were presented
with the framed portrait
– a perfect memento of a
memorable day of family fun.
15
People
WHEN LESS IS MORE
Living on a meagre income to empathise with the needy gave two
Business & Social Enterprise students a new perspective
Lewin Low (left) and Nicholas Fheng's (right) final-year
project Living on Less is an unusual one. For two months,
the Business & Social Enterprise students called an HDB
interim rental flat home and took up low-wage jobs in an
effort to experience the struggles of Singapore's lowincome groups. They lived on just $790 a month – the
average amount a two-person household receives monthly
from the Public Assistance Scheme.
What insights into the lives of the needy did you gain?
Lewin: We learnt not to judge, pity or force help on
them. Some homeless people don’t want help because
they simply prefer to be independent.
NicHOLAS: I learnt to see their strengths, rather than
their shortcomings. I was also touched by a family that
qualified for financial aid, but refused it, saying, “Give it to
someone who needs it more than us.”
How did the idea of “Living on Less” come about?
NicHOLAS: Empathy for the poor and helping people
have always been in our hearts. We hoped that living on a
limited budget would let us better understand the needs
of those we want to help. Much as we wanted to, it was
impossible for us to replicate the experience fully. We
believe that in reality, it would be tougher for the elderly,
the sick and families with young children.
What was the most challenging aspect you faced?
NicHOLAS: Losing the freedom to choose what you
want to do. When you’re living in poverty, you become
very practical. You work to earn money and worry about
making enough to get by. But you find meaning in work,
like setting new challenges for yourself.
Tell us about your experience as a low-wage worker.
NicHOLAS: I was a warehouse assistant for a month,
lifting and loading heavy goods. Then I worked as a cleanercum-coffee stall assistant, clearing plates, taking drink orders
and washing dishes. Once a week after work, we would
accompany a social worker to visit needy families.
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How has this experience changed you?
Lewin: It has taught me that every job is important and
it can make a difference. It’s all about finding meaning in
what you’re doing.
NicHOLAS: I have realised that we live with a lot of
excesses, for example, having multiple pairs of shoes in
different colours. These things aren’t essential for true
happiness. My needs are a lot simpler now.
The Last Page
going baldly
where few girls
have gone
Three female students (from left) Dawn Sim, Yong Hui Yu and Kok Hui Lin were among the
50 Ngee Ann Polytechnic staff and students who shaved their locks at Hair for Hope in July to raise
awareness of childhood cancer. The satellite event, held on campus for the fourth time, raised
over $15,000 for the Children's Cancer Foundation through pledge cards and donations.
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