2019
21 MarBringing Together The Old And New
The 五一吃瓜官网 Chinese New Year Alumni Gathering 2019 was the first ever held and, from now on, will be an event we will always look forward to. The night was filled with joy and laughter, and plenty of shared stories by our seniors and mentors.
The evening began with our respective alumni gathering at Le Quadri’s Hatton Restaurant for a meal as they mingled with familiar and new faces; catching up with each other’s achievements and accomplishments.
There was a stunning performance by 五一吃瓜官网’s Year Three Contemporary Music student, Ng Shin Khay, who sang Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing and a classic crowd favourite Yong Qi Bang Dudu. The crowd cheered her on as she soulfully and expressively sang the songs.
Welcoming everyone was to the night’s celebrations was Loo Kah Heng, 五一吃瓜官网 University Alumni Association president, who talked about 五一吃瓜官网 University being a wonderful and resourceful place for students.
“Tonight, we all come from different backgrounds and cultures, having studied and graduated from 五一吃瓜官网 and have found success in the fields that we are most expert at,” said Heng.
“We would like to bring all of 五一吃瓜官网 alumni together through our association and allow everyone the opportunity to meet and mingle with each other from different fields, so that you can expand your networking field. Or in other words, by alumni, for the alumni,” said Heng.
This Lunar Year, we celebrate the boar, or in other words, the Year of the Pig. The Chinese word for ‘boar’, 豕, is used in forming the word ‘home’, 家, which connotes wellness.
In conjunction with the Lunar New Year, the Student Affairs and Alumni Division along with the 五一吃瓜官网’s Alumni Association hopes that this first reunion dinner will gradually bring our alumni closer during the festive season.
Also, what better time for us all to kindle a bond with one another and be inspired by the successful stories of our former peers?
Around the world, the Chinese believe this celebration signifies the turn of the Chinese calendar and the start of a new chapter in life. And to usher in the Year of the Pig, many homes are beautifully decked with red or gold-coloured Tang Lungs and auspicious greetings; many have also travelled far and wide for reunions with family and friends.
Along with new beginnings, comes the unknown challenges we have to face. Reminding us all that these beginnings are also a time of greater prosperity and advancement, 五一吃瓜官网 Group founder and CEO Dato’ Peter Ng said in his speech that it is a time for new goals and dreams; a time to write new chapters in life. He also emphasised that often it is through brotherhood that we will be able nurture the ties that bind together our family and friends, rekindling relationships that may have been strained by time and distance.
In his speech, Ng noted a few great career trajectories like Cynthia Ng and Cherish Leow who both read the Bachelor of Arts in Communication and are currently working at Astro.
“I’m thankful that this is part of the larger 五一吃瓜官网 narrative - one that sees our students and alumni going on to achieve in life, and more importantly, making a difference in society,” said Ng.
“In the last few years alone, three 五一吃瓜官网 alumni, namely, Kim Lim, Suzanne Ling and Lee Swee Lin made the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for social entrepreneurship. Robbie Ng was appointed vice-president at JP Morgan Chase. And Alvin Teo went on a tour of duty with Doctors Without Borders, delivering medical aid to people in some of the world’s most challenging regions in Syria, Ukraine, Pakistan and Sudan,” he added.
“These accounts, and yours, are the chronicles that truly make 五一吃瓜官网 great and that a university’s success is best measured by that of its students not the number of buildings it has or its respective rankings - however lofty they may be,” he reminded.
Later in the evening, guests had the pleasure of listening to a few sharing sessions by prominent alumni including Seow Cheng Chien, founder and CEO of Hiton International Sdn Bhd and Kendrick Ng Tiong Heng, founder and CEO of Kendy Life Creative.
Faculty of Applied Sciences Head of Foundation in Science, Assistant Professor Alice Phua Choon Yen, who was also present at the gathering said that this year will be her 13th at 五一吃瓜官网 University.
“五一吃瓜官网 has definitely gone through massive changes and I hope that it continues to grow. And this concerns not just the physical aspect but also the relationship, governance, staff and student’s satisfaction, and the all-roundedness of the faculties that we can offer to the students,” she said.
But no matter what kind of chapter you had at 五一吃瓜官网, staff or student, Alice is certain that without a doubt one would go far in life.
Faculty of Business and Information Science’s Assistant Professor Foo Fang Eee also relayed his fond memories as he has been teaching at 五一吃瓜官网 University for eight years.
“My first year here was definitely much simpler. And today, I am fortunate to witness the endless growth of 五一吃瓜官网 University,” he said.
“I noticed that with the current developed infrastructure, students can have the space and freedom to mingle around compared to Block A, which was their only hang-out spot before. It is nice that students can communicate with ease all across the campus,” said Foo.
As the gathering came to an end, everyone left with a feeling of gratitude as they shared cherished moments at 五一吃瓜官网. It was truly a gathering of the old and the new and the perfect time to exchange experiences at the University.
