The inaugural Economics Alumni Homecoming event was held on 9 December 2017 at the NUSS Guild House @ Suntec City. Alumni, professors, postgraduates and undergraduates from the Economics department convened for reunion and networking over food. This year was particularly memorable, as it was the NUS Economics Alumni’s 10th anniversary.
Our alumni president, Ms Chang Rui Hua, warmly welcomed the = attendees of the night in her SEE opening address. She recounted the history of how the alumni committee was founded — an idea that was conceived during a dinner with her university friends — and hoped that the alumni circle will continue to grow. Ms Chang highlighted the need for maintaining the relations and friendships forged during our university days. Despite being the most active alumni in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, there is a need to continuously reach out to the alumni and encourage them to be active members. Many alumni give back to the alma mater through mentoring undergraduates and sharing their experiences in the job market with them. The NUS Economics Alumni has been active with the NUS Economics Society, co-organizing speed mentoring events and alumni sharing sessions for the undergraduates. Some alumni also provide financial support in the form of bursaries for the needy students in the Economics department. The Alumni Committee will continue working closely with the NUS Economics Society in helping the Economics undergraduates.
Following the opening address, attendees then enjoyed the sumptuous buffet dinner, accompanied by music from a live string trio. Icebreakers such as the “Human Jackpot” and the “Fashion Catwalk” were played. During the “Human Jackpot”, three members of the alumni committee played the role of symbols in a jackpot machine. To try their luck, contestants “inserted” $2 into the human machine. Contestants who won the jackpot walked away with highly sought after vouchers. Much cheers and laughter came from this game of chance.
The night drew to a close too quickly and the alumni gathered to take a group photo before bidding each other good-bye. It was a great night of bonding between the alumni, strengthening their sense of identity and spirit of the community. Many remarked that they were heartened to reconnect with their friends and are looking forward to the next event organized by the alumni committee.
First published in ECONews in July 2018