Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees, Mr Wong Ngit Liong (left), presenting Prof Shih with a painting from the University.

It was a night of reflections, reminiscences and well-wishes as the NUS community celebrated Professor Shih Choon Fong’s 12 years of excellence and commitment to the University.

As the tributes poured in throughout the appreciation dinner held on 8 November 2008, one evening hardly seemed enough for 800 alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends to pay homage to the man at the helm of a University which, under his leadership, has transformed from a good educational institution into an internationally-respected, research-intensive, global university.

The dinner at the Raffles City Convention Centre was hosted by Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees and attended by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence; Dr Tony Tan, Chairman, National Research Foundation; NUS Pro-Chancellors, Mr Ngiam Tong Dow and Dr Cheong Siew Keong; among other honoured guests.

Prof Shih has, since 1 December, assumed office as Founding President ofthe King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), passing the mantle over to Professor Tan Chorh Chuan.

Dr Tan, in his tribute speech, spoke of Prof Shih’s single most important contribution to NUS: his singular focus on raising academic quality and standards. Dr Ng acknowledged Prof Shih’s able leadership and complimented him for being an effective and successful President and for handing over NUS “in a better shape than when he received it” while Prof Tan applauded Prof Shih for placing NUS on the global stage.

The accolades did not just come from the top echelons. Tribute messages penned on the spot by alumni, students and friends of NUS were continuously flashed on the screens. Alumni and friends also came forward to speak of Prof Shih’s contributions and to offer their well-wishes, including Dr Richard Drobnick, Managing Director of APRU World Institute; Mr Arthur Yap, Alumni Advisory Board (AAB) member and Chairman of the NUS Alumni Chapter in Vancouver; Mr Harry Chan, AAB member; Mrs Tan Suan Imm, senior alumni; and alumnus extraordinaire, Dr William Tan.

Senior alumni Mrs Tan Suan Imm gives Prof Shih an embrace to thank him for reaching out to NUS alumni and engaging them in NUS’ aspirations.

Prof Shih, in his speech, thanked the NUS family for the opportunity of partaking in an unforgettable and exciting adventure, that of serving the University.

He said: “These 12 years have been nothing short of a once-in-a-lifetime adventure… As a friend of NUS, I have one wish to share… I see us meeting again at our Shaw Foundation Alumni House. I see us returning home across oceans and seas. I see our alumni, spanning generations and geographies, coming together to celebrate the National University of Singapore.”

Yes, and the NUS family will certainly look forward to Prof Shih returning to the University as a Returning Salmon!

Click here for tribute messages from the NUS community to Prof Shih.

A toast to lasting friendships: Then NUS President-designate, Prof Tan Chorh Chuan (Medicine, Class of 1983) (fifth from left); and Director, NUS Alumni Office, Assoc Prof Teo Choo Soo (fourth from left); with the Class of 1983 volunteers who organised the reunion, (from left) Mr Kingston Sia (Pharmacy), Mr Lim Swee Keng (Engineering), Ms Tan Bee Tee (Business Administration), Mr Perry Hee (Science), Ms Chan Soke Kuin (Accountancy) and Ms Aileen Bong (Arts and Social Sciences).

It was a memorable and enjoyable evening for the Class of 1983 which celebrated its 25th anniversary of graduation with a reunion dinner on 15 November 2008.

Enthusiastic alumni started arriving early in the evening to catch up with one another over cocktail. After a delightful tour of The Waterway at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House, they adjourned to the newly-reopened Guild Hall of the NUS Society (NUSS) Kent Ridge Guild House, which is next to the Alumni House, for dinner.

Guest of Honour, then NUS President-designate, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, who is from the Class of 1983 (Medicine), said that the reunion will reinforce “the importance of the kinship between alma mater and alumni” and inspire alumni to “contribute to the continued success of the University in which we all have a shared infinity”.

Prof Tan added: “For some of us, this may be the first time that we are meeting friends and former professors after 25 years. Whatever the time lag, I am sure that the collegiality that was forged in our halcyon student days has remained strong throughout the years.”

The reunion was organised by passionate volunteers from the Class of 1983, comprising Mr Perry Hee (Science), Ms Tan Bee Tee (Business Administration), Ms Chan Soke Kuin (Accountancy), Ms Aileen Bong (Arts and Social Sciences), Mr Lim Swee Keng (Engineering) and Mr Kingston Sia (Pharmacy); and supported by the NUS Alumni Office.

Alumni lapping up the fun, joyous mood of the reunion.

Besides some 200 alumni, the dinner was also attended by Mr Johnny Tan, NUSS President; Mr Viswa Sadasivan, Alumni Advisory Board member, and Mrs Sadasivan; and Mr Mohd Iqbal and Ms Jun Chua, both Relationship Directors of Wealth Management Singapore for ABN AMRO, which sponsored the lucky draw prizes.

Former deans were also invited to reunite with their students and with one another, including Emeritus Professor Edward Tock, former Dean of Medicine; Dr Edmund Tay, former Dean of Dentistry; Emeritus Professor Edwin Thumboo, former Dean of Arts and Social Sciences; Dr Lee Soo Ann, former Dean of Business Administration; Professor Poo Aun Neow, former Dean of Engineering; and Dr Gloria Lim, former Dean of Faculty of Science.

As alumni caught up with one another, they were also entertained by a slideshow highlighting the headline news in 1983, as well as performances by Dentistry, Medical, Pharmacy students and the NUSS Choir.

Mr Hee, Organising Chairman, urged his friends to stay connected: “I leave the stage with this heart-felt wish – that we may reconnect with one another as the evening progresses and that we may continue to extend our alumni network through similar celebrations in the years to come.”

Members of the newly elected 30th NUS Students’ Union (NUSSU) Executive Committee (EXCO) were invited to the Shaw Foundation Alumni House on 11 November 2008 for a dialogue and tea session with Director of the NUS Alumni Office, Associate Professor Teo Choo Soo, and staff.

During the session, the new NUSSU EXCO members were introduced to the work of NUS Alumni Office and the programmes we run for the NUS community. The NUSSU EXCO also took the opportunity to share with the NUS Alumni Office the union’s renewed focus on helping students becoming good future alumni, and also on the various projects they run in collaboration with the NUS Alumni Office.

The NUSSU EXCO also highlighted the creation of the new post of NUSSU Directorship of Alumni Relations, created to signify the commitment of NUSSU to building meaningful and lasting relations with the NUS Alumni Office. Ms Loh Shufang is its new Director.

The session was a fruitful one in renewing commitment between the student body and the NUS Alumni Office.

Director of the NUS Alumni Office, Assoc Prof Teo Choo Soo (right), and Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees, Mr Wong Ngit Liong, at the Benefactors’ Foyer where donors are recognised in a special manner on the wall.

It was a warm, bustling night on 24 October 2008 as benefactors, alumni and friends roamed the ground that once was an empty plot of land and witnessed the transformation of the Shaw Foundation Alumni House from blueprint to reality.

The Shaw Foundation Alumni House – a tangible testament of NUS’ commitment to alumni – would not have materialised without the giving of the time, talents and treasures from our generous benefactors, alumni and friends.

Director of NUS Alumni Office, Associate Professor Teo Choo Soo, said: “The Alumni Complex signifies the strong bond and cooperation of our alumni with their alma mater. The Complex comprises the NUS Society (NUSS) Guild House and the NUS Shaw Foundation Alumni House… A quantum leap in alumni relations will be achieved with the establishment of the Shaw Foundation Alumni House. It will be a vibrant hub for building bonds, expanding networks, encouraging lifelong learning, connecting with our global community and fostering partnerships.”

Registering gratitude to our Principal Benefactors – The Shaw Foundation and NUSS – and the many Founding Benefactors, the NUS Alumni Office held an appreciation dinner at the newly-reopened NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House to honour the University’s supporters. The event was sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank and Vinum Fine Wine Merchants.

Gracing the event were Guest of Honour, Chairman of the Shaw Foundation, Dr Shaw Vee Meng; Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees, Mr Wong Ngit Liong; NUS President, Professor Shih Choon Fong and Mrs Shih; NUS President-designate, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan; NUSS President, Mr Johnny Tan; as well as some 200 benefactors, alumni and friends.

The distinguished guests were first brought on a tour of The Waterway, which is dedicated to all returning alumni, and the Benefactors’ Foyer at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House. They then adjourned to the NUSS Guild House for an evening of fine dining before being treated to three delightful pieces by Australia’s renowned chamber music ensemble, the Flinders Quartet, sponsored by the Shaw Foundation.

An appreciation dinner was held on 24 October to honour our benefactors, alumni and friends for turning the Shaw Foundation Alumni House into reality.

Thanking esteemed benefactors, Assoc Prof Teo said: “Your generosity is a vivid endorsement of NUS’ vision to be a global university centred in Asia and influencing the world. Together, we have a shared destiny in building a strong and vibrant community to stay connected with the University we all love.”

The Founding Benefactors’ Initiative engages eminent alumni and friends to play a pivotal role in bringing quality lifelong educational and self-enrichment programmes to the Shaw Foundation Alumni House. The names of this special group of Founding Benefactors are prominently acknowledged at the Benefactors’ Foyer. To make a gift of $20,000 as Founding Benefactor, please contact Ms Adeline Bek at 6516 5476 or adelinebek@nus.edu.sg.

NUS Pro-Chancellor, Dr Cheong Siew Keong (right), presenting the Chancellor’s Challenge Trophy to Mr Mohamad Kamal Bin Abdullah.	Lady golfers enjoying themselves on the green.

The 17th Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament, organised by the NUS Alumni Office, kicked off to a bright and sunny start over at the exquisite Raffles Country Club (RCC), Lake Course, on the noon of 22 October 2008. Into its 17th year, the successful golf series saw a total of over 120 participants this year.

Led by Director of the NUS Alumni Office, Associate Professor Teo Choo Soo, who is also NUS Golf Captain, our participants teed off against one another, both for the glory of lifting the coveted NUS Chancellor’s Challenge Trophy and also in the spirit of camaraderie and friendship.

The event was also graced by NUS Pro-Chancellors, Dr Cheong Siew Keong and Dr Andrew Chew, as well as NUS Society (NUSS) President, Mr Johnny Tan, all of whom have been long-time supporters of the tournament. It was jointly supported by Standard Chartered Bank, and Daimler South East Asia which provided the Hole-In-One prize of a Mercedes-Benz E200 Kompressor.

The dinner event was hosted at NUSS’ newly re-opened Guild Hall of the Kent Ridge Guild House. Our participants were treated to a much-deserved and scrumptious feast where they dined, mingled and discoursed about the day’s earlier events and their golf games. Guests of Honour, Dr Chew, Dr Cheong and Mr Tan, then presented our champions with their trophies to a sea of rousing applause, marking the closing of this year’s successful tournament.

Urging golfers to stay connected, Assoc Prof Teo said: “Though this golf tournament is an annual event, let us not wait for the next tournament to meet again. Let us build upon the many friendships that were forged and establish lasting bonds of mutual interests as well as contribute to NUS’ future aspirations.”

On a cool Saturday night in Melbourne on 6 September, the NUS Alumni Melbourne Chapter held its third annual dinner at Eastern Court Restaurant, Lower Templestowe. The spirit of friendship was ignited as 57 alumni members and friends came together to catch up with one another.

Chapter President Dr Soh Leng Lu warmly welcomed the alumni while Director of the NUS Alumni Office, Professor Teo Choo Soo, updated them on the developments at NUS and the upcoming Shaw Foundation Alumni House. The food was appetizing and wine flowed freely throughout the night. The atmosphere was congenial with light conversation and much laughter, leaving guests in high spirits as the evening came to a close. 

Ms Antonia Yeung (second from left), Assistant Director, Alumni Affairs Office, Chinese University of Hong Kong.

(Front row, from left): TCU Dean of Communications, Dr David Whillock; TCU Associate Provost for Academic Affairs,
Dr Bonnie Melhart; NUS Alumni Office Director, Assoc Prof Teo Choo Soo; TCU Director of the Center for International Studies, Dr Jane Kucko.

On 4 November 2008, the NUS Alumni Office hosted a visit from Nanyang Polytechnic which was on a study and information exchange.

Director of NUS Alumni Office, Assoc Prof Teo Choo Soo (fourth from left) with visitors
from Nanyang Polytechnic including (from left) Ms Liang Hwee Ming, Assistant Manager,
Student & Internal Communications; Ms Peggy Tan, Deputy Principal/Academic’s Office;
Dr Joel Lee, Director, School of Chemical & Life Sciences; Mr Chan Yew Meng, Senior Director,
School of Engineering; and NUS Alumni Office staff.