My experience at RVRC fell nothing short of spectacular, despite the limitations posed by the Covid pandemic. These experiences have truly equipped me with the confidence and competency that made me choose to run for the President of the 45th NUSSU Council. At RVRC, I had the opportunity to be the team leader of my GEQ1917 course project and the Captain of the RVRC Badminton ICG Team. I was also a Director in NUSSU as a Year One student. The different nature of these teams (academics, sports, student leadership organization) did not stop me from adopting the new leadership mechanism, and it achieved great returns with my team scoring an A for the RVRC course, a motivated and competitive badminton team, and an efficient team in NUSSU. In short, the courses, opportunities, and mentorship that I experienced in RVRC have been formative for me; these have shaped the leadership style I have today as the President of the NUS Students’ Union.

With the myriad of opportunities available at RVRC, I carved my own journey with a sense of purpose and passion. The college helped me grow holistically. As an educator today, I am required in my professional capacity to be an empathetic leader in the classroom, and a concerned citizen of the world. The lessons I have attained from the RVRC courses, and the experiences I have gone through in the college have allowed me to hone important values and skills which enable me to perform my professional duties as an educator.

RVRC has shaped me into who I am today – from interest groups that allowed me to discover new passions and fostered long lasting friendships, to the 2-year stint as a Residential Assistant which allowed me to directly nurture bonds in the community.

My greatest takeaway were the engaging sustainability modules and volunteerism that kickstarted my climate change engagement – and in a broader way, fostered my desire to look at the bigger picture and to scrutinize the future I wanted to forge. I decided that I wanted to build a career focused on contributing back to society. I am currently on an education and healthcare track – I work with various healthcare professionals to create professionally certified courses focused on palliative care – an area that Singapore has only just begun to realise a growing need for. The friends I’ve made, the role models I’ve learnt from and even the life partner I’ve met in RVRC make me immensely proud to be an RVRC alumni.

RVRC is at the heart of my core university memories. I had joined initially because the theme of sustainability resonates deeply with me, which offers a crucial perspective on social-related issues. Some of my fondest memories were also created during outdoor learning excursions—climbing Gunung Pulai, kayaking around Pulau Ubin—each experience formed the fabric of my university life. Initiating the Garden at C Block and later starting a butterfly garden for my GEQ project are cherished moments.

I have one too many amusing tales of my attempts to befriend squirrels with bananas and grapes but what truly made RVRC incredible for me was the close-knit community at RVRC. It's more than a place to crash; it's a home where learning extends far beyond the confines of classrooms. My professors and tutors weren't just educators; we'd share coffee moments (and still do!) as they genuinely care for each of us. The friendships forged at RVRC are not just memories; they're the bedrock of some of my closest relationships today.

I started university knowing that I wanted to work on sustainability, but RVRC helped me widen my understanding of what that could look like. Collaborating on the RVRC Symposium 2017 project to encourage students to walk, learning about the relationship between us and nature, running the Artelier interest group, and being a Resident Assistant, all these experiences helped me realize why I cared about sustainability. This encouraged me to pivot from focusing on energy engineering to solving sustainability issues from a policy and business perspective, leading me to my career. My first two years in Singapore were spent in RVRC, and the experiences I had, and the friendships that I made, defined my university journey. If you believe your university experience can be more than just a degree, RVRC will likely be a good fit for you.

RVRC has given me many opportunities to learn and develop as a person. It has shaped the way I think and work, through experiential learning with lifelong friends. The courses I read at RVRC were designed to equip residents with valuable soft skills that are crucial in the workplace and everywhere else. Other than the courses, RVRC also provided plenty of opportunities for students to explore personal interests. The college has played an impactful role in my NUS university journey, as I look back fondly at the memories and bonds that have been forged there. RVRC was truly my home away from home.

RVRC was my first home in Singapore - it will always hold a special place in my heart for helping me make long-lasting friendships, teaching me the importance of sustainable living, and introducing me to interesting people from all walks of life through its industry visits, house bonding events, seminars and interest groups. The people and time management skills I gained over two years as a Resident Assistant taught me to balance my work life and social commitments, and I'm sure that this is a skill that will be of use for me throughout in my career.

I was an RVRC resident for 2 years, where I grew as a person and a leader. I participated actively in multiple interest groups - Jukebox, Floorball and Tchoukball. I was able to learn time management, and how to set priorities. I was given multiple leadership roles in the college which helped me learn about people management and working effectively with others. These experiences got me hired at ExxonMobil. A large part of my job is to make heating more efficient, to reduce the carbon footprint of the company. Now, I am able to contribute back to society by making energy more sustainable!

It was in RVRC where I forged many meaningful relationships, some of which have continued into the professional world as colleagues in the public service and contacts in the private sector. The philosophy of sustainability from those formative years in RVRC remains salient in my work and life as well. In an age of quick wins and instant gratification, it is critical that we understand our purpose, interests, and whether our ideas and ideals can be sustained meaningfully, be it on workplace initiatives or foreign policy recommendations that will affect Singapore and Singaporeans.

In my role as a Foreign Service Officer for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore), I monitor regional and global developments, and work to sustain and strengthen Singapore’s relationships with our international partners.

Congratulations to RVRC on the 10th Anniversary milestone!