RVRC’s Personal Development Festival (PDF) marked the launch of the College’s informal curriculum, aimed at building up students’ capabilities beyond academics. The PDF comprised of a series of workshops specially curated for students’ personal development, including mindsets and skillsets to enable students to thrive both now as a student, and in the future at the workplace.
The PDF is the culmination of RVRC's efforts to prepare its students not just for the rigors of work, but also life. As a new initiative, this Festival rides on RVRC marking its 10th year of progress to launch the College's new initiative to equip students with transferable skills taught by NUS career specialists and external trainers. This Festival is brought about by course feedback from RVRC students wanting to prepare themselves for their next phase of life. It also dovetails with the upcoming university wide "NUSOne" initiative that will integrate formal and informal curricula to enhance student development.
With the theme “Knowing Self, Building Self, Applying Self”, the event aimed to foster a positive growth mindset, cultivate the habit of continuous self-improvement beyond the formal curriculum, and equip students for personal and professional success. These activities help to develop their capabilities and potential for facilitating their future employability, enhance their quality of life, and facilitate the realisation of their dreams and aspirations.
Spanning across three days, the event saw students attending a diverse range of workshops, ranging from mindfulness and leadership, to communication and negotiation skills taught by NUS specialists and external trainers. Workshops such as “Discovering the Art of Nature Journaling” and “Forest Bathing” brought students closer to nature through observation and ‘bathing’ in nature, equipping them with the tools to navigate life’s challenges with resilience and clarity.
Forest Bathing was organised by Ms. Wong Soon Fen; it allowed students to nurture their personal growth while developing a deeper connection to nature. Available in two sessions, students learnt to be present in nature, soaking it in with the different senses, and reconnecting with nature and oneself. “What struck me the most during Forest Bathing were the ‘invitations’ from nature—the birds chirping, the rustling of leaves—it made me truly aware of my surroundings. This experience reminded me to prioritise self-care and of the simple joys in life. It’s amazing how something as simple as immersing oneself in nature can have such a profound impact on our well-being”, said an attendee, Azfarul Matin, a Year 2 Computer Engineering student.
For students wanting to improve professionally, they could attend dynamic workshops led by speakers from CELC and CFG, as they used interactive methods to improve their self-confidence in networking and presentation skills, through workshops such as “Network with Confidence” and “Punch the Powerpoint”. One such attendee of the workshop “How to give Critical Feedback without Anyone Losing Face (Workplace Scenarios)”, was Lisa Lim Xin Quan, a Year 1 Real Estate student. She felt that “the lesson was fun and informative, and has helped fulfil my personal goal of learning conflict resolution”. The speakers, Mr. Timothy Groombridge and Dr. Owen Harry introduced politeness strategies and facilitated role play to allow students to practice interpersonal communication. “As someone who has faced small conflicts in the workplace, it took a toll on me as I did not know how best to resolve the conflict. I am glad RVRC has given me the opportunity to learn the proper methods to improve my work experiences in the future”, added Lisa.
Workshops teaching technical skills were also available, one such workshop being “Data Storytelling – Engage, Convey, Inspire”, led by Mr. Charles Pang. The session aimed at providing students with a quick entry into the realm of data storytelling. Attendee Chong Zhi Hui, a Year 2 Food Science and Technology student, said that she learnt “new Excel skills, how to draw connections, and how to present data in a storytelling format”. “As a science student, I often have to work with a lot of data, and gaining the ability to make data more engaging is definitely a useful skill”, she added.
The student organising committee for the inaugural event comprised of RVRC students from different disciplines and years – Wenxuan, Zi Xuan, Jia Xuan, Jong Hyeok, Samuel, Roy and Uyen, led by RVRC Fellows, Dr Kelvin Lee and Dr Lin Wenlin Yvonne. For Tan Jia Xuan, a Year 3 Chemistry student, organising PDF was “an enriching experience”, and being able to see participants “engage and apply what they learnt was incredibly rewarding, highlighting the event’s success in fostering holistic development”. “The journey of organising this event deepened my appreciation for the continuous process of learning and self-improvement”, she added.
The PDF is a testament to RVRC’s commitment to nurturing students to become professionals, but also well-rounded individuals in life. The College would like to extend its gratitude to all the incredible speakers and the entire team that made this event possible.
