Thinking of becoming an entrepreneur or a lawyer? Get some tips from our alums on how to survive college and achieve your dream career Mrs Roisin Paul shares her aspirations for the future of SJII and the importance of our alumni community https://connect.sji-international.com.sg/ PerspectiveEducators’ AlumniStoriesGet to know Our High School Principal SJI International Alumni Magazine | Volume 9, 2022 | INFINITASCelebrating15YearsofMakingaDifference Our long-service educators provide their own perspectives on students, the campus and wishes for SJII
2 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012 - 2013TIMELINE2014
St. Joseph’s Institution International Ltd. Co. Reg & GST No. 200607833C 490 Thomson Road, Singapore 298191 Tel:6353 connect.sji-international.com.sgalumni@sji-international.com.sgwww.sji-international.com.sg9383 4 MESSAGESWELCOMINGALUMNISPOTLIGHT VISITSALUMNICONNECTIONSMATTER SJII PERSPECTIVESSTAFF 54 SJII’s Values Inspired Future CarvingNoEntrepreneurFinishLineaNew Niche in Facade Engineering A Passion that Leads to TheOpportunityRoadI’ve Taken Tinker to Success SJII Debate Club Spark Interest in Law Relishing Every Opportunity to Excel Celebrating the Class of 2021 Graduation 2021 Awards University Matriculations Meet your Class and Country ProgrammeSJIIRepresentativesAlumniEngagement An Interview with the High School Principal 15 Years of Serving with Fun, Passion and Love The ‘Ibu’ (Mother) of the SJII ACommunityMelodious Journey that has No Boundaries CONTENTS 3 TIMELINE From Brother Larry From the Alumni Association President 11108 20161412 4038363430282624 4644 12 24 642
FROM BROTHER LARRY
Valerie (‘15) and David (‘09), armed with a passion for helping others, chose to pursue law and learn the ropes of our judicial system. Their inspirational stories, like many others, should prompt all of us to reflect on the last line of What a Difference a Day Makes?, the song I mentioned at the beginning of this reflection. It goes like this, “. . . and the difference is you!”
The mission of St. Joseph’s Institution International, empowering young people to become people of integrity and people for others, signifies our faith in the transformative power of Lasallian education and the difference our graduates will make in the fulfilment of their dreams for a better world. It becomes a part of their Lasallian DNA from the time they first step foot on campus, entering to learn, until they graduate 12 or 6 or even two years later, leaving to serve. Through a variety of experiences, from the Grade 7 trips to Bintan, serving meals to the elderly, support Brother Humphrey,LawrenceFSC
It also earned her first top ten pop hit, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100! It has been sung by many artists and featured in many films ever since. Similarly, in this issue of INFINITAS, we are invited to consider the question, What a difference 15 years make? This issue of acknowledgesINFINITASwhatadifference
15 years can make and have made – in the life of our school and the lives of our students - and especially in the lives of the 1979 alumni of our 13 graduating classes of 2009-2021.
“The mission of St. Joseph’s Institution empoweringInternational,youngpeople to become people of integrity and people for others, signifies our faith in the transformative power of Lasallian education and the difference our graduates will make in the fulfilment of their dreams for a better world”
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What a Difference a Day Makes? A popular song by that title was made famous before most of you were born by the singer Dinah Washington back in 1959. for the Purple Community Fund and Fukushima, trip to Baan Dada and Koh Chreum, Hair for Hope, the Safe Water Gardens, Challenge Week expeditions – the list goes on and on! What a difference SJI International students have made in our world over these 15 years! For many of our graduates, their SJI International experience marks only the beginning of a life of service. Ezra (‘18) developed a business platform connecting the right clients with freelancers looking for gigs. Alex (‘21), the recipient of the 2021 Josephian of the Year award, is a young entrepreneur who serves as the Director for Digital and Innovations for The BAUM Movement, a project led by various SJI International alums aiming to educate Gen Zs on sustainable investing. Add to that the fact that he is a race car driver with several trophies under his belt!
Dhanesh Thiru ‘14 For us here in Singapore, the start of 2022 has been rather eventful with the much anticipated “opening up” of the country.
supersedes a purely academic one. SJII must maintain this essence while identifying opportunities for growth and readjusting its education to fit that of this new generation along with the changing global climate. I look forward to watching how this next chapter of SJII unfolds. For our alumni community, as the school gets older, we too get older and grow as a cohort. With this comes diversity. Diversity of people, professions, interests, perspectives and the list goes on. I hope our diverse alumni community will be able to support one another, provide guidance to those around us and give back to SJII within our own capacity. The association and ACO will drive opportunities for this to happen and we hope more alumni will be keen to participate in these initiatives. I look forward to meeting more of you at our in-person events in Singapore and Withoverseas.that I shall leave you in the company of the wonderful stories and experiences of our alumni in this edition of INFINITAS, Celebrating 15 Years of Making a Difference.
life. Granted these opportunities and events were watered down, possibly oversimplified the issues and did not include the harsh realities of the world, it nonetheless lit a spark that I have carried with me since. This year I have ascertained my desire to be a public health practitioner who works with marginalised communities on their health, to enable them to uplift themselves. As I reflect on this decision, that spark in wanting to serve and give back to society was the basis upon which this path I venture on was formed. I wonder how many of you share the same sentiments as I do. If you look back at your time in SJII, did it shape the direction you took even in a small way? Were there specific people, memories, subjects or events that became the first building block in shaping the current path you have chosen to take? As the school turns 15, I would like to take the chance to express my gratitude to the school, the staff and most importantly the people who I have crossed paths with, for creating a wonderful environment for us to learn. I am very fortunate and privileged to have received an education from SJII and to have spent my formative years in the school surrounded by such brilliant, gifted and talented people (shoutout to class of 2014), who have shaped me in more ways than one. Moving into the next phase of SJII’s journey, I hope the school and its community continues to retain and refine its holistic and autonomous approach to education. SJII gave a space for students to engage and concretise ideas of their own, with guidance from staff and support from peers. In doing-so, some of us gained insight into our chosen path, others discovered areas they excelled in and most of us made lifelong friendships. A holistic student empowered to take charge of their learning journey and given the opportunity to fail safely, far It is a landmark moment after two years with a multitude of measures and in true Singaporean spirit, a bunch of acronyms that require an annex for us to keep track of. The only certainty being the pandemic’s presence. Nonetheless, I want to congratulate everyone in making it through two years of this difficult and uncertain period wherever you may be in the world. This year is also a landmark moment for our school as we celebrate 15 years of SJII. This year will be a celebration of the school and its people who have journeyed through the famous gates of Thomson. This edition of INFINITAS kicks off the celebration with our theme, Celebrating 15 Years of Making a ComingDifference.from the class of 2014 where the school was only two years old when I first joined, 15 years serves as a reminder that time truly flies and you age fast. As I look back to the six years of SJII, for me personally, service learning – opportunities to organise service events, volunteer with NGOs or head on service trips to places such as Sangklaburi –became a small but significant part in shaping my current direction in “I hope our diverse alumni community will be able to support one another, provide guidance to those around us and give back to SJII within our own capacity. “
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THE ASSOCIATIONALUMNIPRESIDENT
FROM
FIND OLD CLASSMATESLOOK FOR OR POST JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS
MATTERCONNECTIONS 6
SJII Alumni Connect has been created so that alumni who shared a unique student experience while at SJI International can stay in touch and connected with each other after graduation. As a membership portal, it offers updated news stories, upcoming events listings, publications, mentorship and business directories and more. All the things our alumni want access to, but within a safe password protected space, making it an excellent place for alumni to visit and connect. Find old schoolmates using the search function enables you to locate any student registered on the site from the class of 2021 to the first ever intake in 2007. You can filter your search by house and the year of graduation, and by country, profession and company. One of the most exciting things about the new site is that alumni can use it to find or post internships or job opportunities depending on the stage they are in their education or employment journey. It’s an excellent way to find that outstanding opportunity, or that special person to fill a role. Got a new or existing business you would like to promote to fellow alumni? Or perhaps looking to help support a fellow alums business. This is a free directory service for alums to promote their business and for alums to take advantage of those opportunities.
USE THE BUSINESS‘NEW’DIRECTORY
The site’s news pages cover everything from current school news, alumni and school event highlights, and alumni in our spotlight features who share their stories about their academic, professional accomplishments as well as adventures they may have been up to and wish to share.
READ THE LATEST NEWS BE IN THE KNOW https://connect.sji-international.com.sgJOINACLUBORGROUP
Join your former schoolmates for a casual get together, a sports event, a professional networking event or a reunion. Look for regular updates to the event list.Many SJII alumni are so proud of their school’s unique efforts or ethos and values that they often ask how they can give back something by volunteering their time in support of the school. Opportunities arise throughout the year to support the counselling office with college or career fairs and talks, or to assist the admissions office with family and student tours. There are also opportunities to come in to speak with students on specific subject areas as and when possible.
The ‘Share Updates’ feature is the place to do it. This is a new initiative underway to have alumni join groups and clubs in the countries or cities where they live, or for alums to set up affinity groups around an area or field of interest.
SIGN UP TO ATTENDYOURVOLUNTEEREVENTSTIME
DISCOVER WHAT YOU CAN DO AT SJIICONNECTALUMNI 7
Want to know what the rest of your class is up to? or the class above? or your house? Through the ‘Share Updates’ feature everyone can share recent news, or post reunion gathering photographs and albums. So whether your school and batch mates have posted a business success, a birth, a marriage or a life update.
THECELEBRATINGCLASSOF 2021
Despite these challenges, adoption of technologyenabled platforms supported not only the continued delivery of curriculum with remote learning but also provided parental access to special events via live Thestreaming.highlight of our streamed events was undoubtedly the ‘Class of 2021 Graduation’ which took place on 20th November 2021, providing well-deserved recognition to the Grade 12 cohort, of whom we are all incredibly proud. Our class of 2021 IB graduates thrived in spite of the tremendous challenges brought about by the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic. Completing their entire final two years of study under the cloud of Covid-19 made the average point score of 39.3 for the IB, the highest to date for SJI International, most commendable.
As parents watched remotely, speakers, staff and students gathered in smaller groups around various parts of the Theschool.opening address was given by Mr Kenneth Hegarthy; Prayers by Brother Larry and a Principal’s Address by Mrs Roisin Paul. The ceremony continued with Major Awards being presented by Mr Roy Quek, Chairman of the Board of Governors; ‘’Josephian of the Year’’ presented by Brother Larry and a Senior Council Address made by Alex Brown and Kiera Chua.
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2021 marked another year in which the Covid-19 pandemic restricted our travel, our ability to spend time with friends and family, and even how we were able to study and work.
Subject Award Prizes and the presentation of individual certificates completed the 2021 Graduation event.
Alumni President Dhanesh Thiru shared a pre-recorded message for the graduating class, welcoming them all to the Alumni, via the end of year alumni newsletter and on the SJII Connect Alumni Portal.
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Louis-Tchine Pickering The Principal Award Academic Prize for Business and Management
Arya Muthukumar Academic Prize for Visual Arts
Joel Jai Wei Ng
Academic Prizes for: MathematicsChemistry,Biology, Sandeep Vinay Senthil Kumar Academic Prize for Computer Science
The Philip Yeo Trophy for the Josephian of the Year
Evangel Kit Wai Wong Academic Prize for Theory of Knowledge
The Lawrence Da Silva Trophy for Sportswoman of the Year
Lewis Clive McLellan Academic Prize for Economics
SangMin Shin Academic Prize for Asian Language (Korean Literature)
Hari Govind Menon Academic Prize for European Language (French ab)
The Brother Patrick Trophy for Outstanding Achievement Academic Prize for Music Alaia Zi Yi Tan Academic Prize for English Literature
Sacha Ai Shuen Tan Academic Prize for Sports Health and Science
Madeline Xiang TongYeo Academic Prize for Theatre
The Leadership Council Shield for Academic Excellence Academic Prize for History
The SJIOBA Trophy for Distinguished Service
Academic Prizes for: English Language and Literature, Physics Arushi Ramgopal Agrawal
Leon James Kitcher
2021GRADUATIONAWARDSAlexanderBrown
Kai Ryn Tan Academic Prizes for: EnvironmentalGeography,Systemsand Societies
Margaret Megan Lim The Dick Lee Award for the Arts
Yan Jun Wong
Ella Jiayi Liu Academic Prize for Psychology
Peter Letian Wang Academic Prize for Asian Language (Chinese)
The Lawrence Da Silva Trophy for Sportsman of the Year Taila Thia Nawas
Ian Chee Yan Tham
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CLASSESMATRICULATIONS:OF2017-2020
British University of Vietnam Chung Ang University City University of Hong Kong Fudan University Ghent University Global Campus
Tsinghua
WasedaUniversityUniversityofTsukubaUniversity
UNIVERSITY
UNITED KINGDOM Architecural Association School of BellerbysArchitectureCollege Brighton Birkbeck, University of London Cardiff CourtauldUniversityInstitute of Art Durham Univeristy Imperial College London King’s College London London School of Economics and Political Science
Hong Kong Baptist University Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong University of Science & InternationalTechnology Medical University, Malaysia Keio University, Japan National Taiwan University New York University, Abu Dhabi Savannah College of Art and Design, Hong SungkyunkwanKong University Tama Art University
Wales University of Queensland University of Sydney University of Western Australia Victoria University William Angliss Institute
EUROPE (ex UK) Bocconi University Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne Erasmus University College Istituto Marangoni, Paris National University of Ireland, Galway Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Technische Universiteit Delft Trinity College Dublin UniLasalle, France University College Cork University College Twente University College Utrecht University of Amsterdam SINGAPORE Curtin JamesSingaporeCookUniversity Singapore LASALLE College of the Arts Nanyang Technological University National University of Singapore PSB Academy SIM Global Education Singapore Institute of Management Singapore Institute of Technology Singapore Management University Singapore University of Social Sciences Singapore University of Technology & Yale-NUSDesign College
Cross Cornell YaleWesleyanVassarUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityTheSwarthmoreSUNYStanfordSmithSkidmoreSavannahSarahSantaSanRhodePrincetonOccidentalNorthwesternNortheasternNewMiddleburyMichiganLoyolaJohnsIndianaGeorgetownUniversityUniversityUniversityatBloomingtonHopkinsUniversityMarymountUniversityStateUniversityCollegeYorkUniversityUniversityUniversityCollegeUniversityIslandSchoolofDesignFranciscoConservatoryofMusicClaraUniversityLawrenceCollegeCollegeofArtandDesignCollegeCollegeUniversityGeneseoCollegeNewSchoolofCalifornia,BerkeleyofCalifornia,IrvineofCalifornia,LosAngelesofCalifornia,SanDiegoofKentuckyofMichiganAnnArborofNotreDameofPennsylvaniaofSanFranciscoofSouthernCaliforniaofVirginiaofWashingtonCollegeUniversityUniversity Asia (ex SG) 3.3% Australia 11.7% Canada 5.3% Europe (ex UK) 5.7% Singapore 35.3% UK 24.7% US 14.0% 11
Bates CaseBrownBrandeisBostonCollegeUniversityUniversityUniversityWesternReserve University Colgate University College of the
Norwich University of the Arts Queen Mary, University of London Queen’s University Belfast Royal Veterinary College University College London University for the Creative Arts University of Aberdeen University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Cambridge University of Dundee University of East Anglia University of Edinburgh University of Exeter University of Glasgow University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Liverpool University of Manchester University of Northumbria University of Nottingham University of Oxford University of Sheffield University of Southampton University of St. Andrews University of the Arts London University of Warwick University of York USA Barnard College Holy
One or more students from the Classes of 2017-2020 has chosen to matriculate at the following universities.
ASIA (ex SG) Ashoka University Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
AUSTRALIA Australian National University Curtin College Curtin University Edith Cowan University Monash College Monash UniversityUniversityUniversityUniversityofAdelaideofMelbourneofNewSouth
CANADA Concordia University Emily Carr University of Art & Design McMaster University University of British Columbia University of Toronto Western University York University
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Roisin Paul | SJII High School Principal SJI International High School Principal, Roisin Paul has been part of the school since 2019.
Thank you for giving us your time for this interview, and how has your week been so far?
With more than 13 years of knowledge and experience in the education sector, her leadership, presence and contributions to the well-being of staff and students resonate throughout campus. As the school celebrates its 15th anniversary, we decided to interview the lady of the hour as she shared her perspective on SJII, her hopes for the school and the importance of our alumni community.
Mrs. Paul: It has been quite a busy week for us as we are preparing for the new term and finalising what’s left before the holiday kicks in. However, it is always a pleasure to be involved in an alumni related article!
Excellent, so our first question is, what interested you in joining SJII and relocating from the UK to Singapore for the role? I think both Singapore and SJI International are inseparable as it is one of the schools that I looked into first before moving to Singapore. SJII represents what I love about education due to its holistic approach to educating students beyond classroom activities. Students can enjoy outdoor education activities and servicelearning, which is new to me. I thought to myself, “wow, this is brilliant for me” because it draws on Catholic values that resonate with me as I am a Catholic. The Lasallian ethos spoke to me, and you could feel the values etched within the community as there’s a family feel to it. The facilities themselves are amazing as the school is extremely beautiful and filled with lots of greenery. I mean, where can you find a swimming pool in school? You can’t find that in the UK. Other than the facilities and its community, the exam results speak for themselves. Students continue to achieve phenomenal results, which tells me that they are dedicated and committed to education. Plus our dedicated teachers are always there to help students with their grades. As for Singapore, we did our homework and realised that it is truly a diverse country with various races and religions living harmoniously together, not forgetting that many of our friends told us that it is one of the safest countries in the world. Singapore is also central to South East Asia, and we wanted to travel around the region to explore this part of Asia. So, all in all, it was a perfect fit! What are your thoughts about SJII’s history and its alumni community? The alumni community are an important representative of the school. Whether it is past students, staff, or others like our donors or ex-governors, these individuals believe in our mission statement or have invested their efforts in our school. That again leads back to why I was attracted to SJII as it has such a strong mission statement, it is not just written in our constitution but in our hearts too. Our community really lives and breathes it. In a way, I believe that all of those who have come to SJII have experienced a holistic education, and they believe in our mission and become role models for our younger generations. These are young people, particularly when we say “learn to learn, learn to live” and also “people of integrity and people for others” these messages are instilled in these individuals as they spent their time in SJII. Therefore, they are ambassadors not only for SJII but also for the Lasallian education, and they continue to carry the message put forth by St. John Baptist De La Salle. The other aspect of it focuses on the activities organised by the alumni community through donation drives, mentorships or even organising career industry talks on campus. The alumni are incredibly talented and generous individuals, and it leads back to my first point about why I like the school as it has the “community feel” to it. Plus, it doesn’t stop when you leave the campus. You are part of it forever, and like they said, “Once a Lasallian, always a Lasallian” True, Once a Lasallian, Always a Lasallian! My next question is, what does ‘Making a Difference’ mean to you?
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
“We have to have a living history that moves forward all the time, and whether the school is looking to 100 or 300 years, ultimately when somebody walks in through the doors, they will need to be able to feel the mission statement instilled in all that we do”
Final question, SJII is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, what are your hopes for the school and its alumni? I hope that SJII will have a long and thriving future. In the years to come, SJII won’t feel like a new school, and I want it to feel like it’s really an established part of Singapore. I want it to be the top international school in Singapore, and I hope that it will be the school of choice for everyone and be an absolute first on the list.
13 Ultimately, it comes down to service-learning and the phrase “the last, the lost, or the least.” In my perspective, it affects every person at some point in their life. Whether you are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, or whether you have a job or are jobless at some point in your life, everyone will experience being either “the last, the lost, or the least”. So if you have adopted that perspective and understand that everybody needs a helping hand at some point in their life. Then, the next thing is to ask yourself, what can I do to help? As for me, I want to help others through education. I love giving back through education. I get a huge sense of fulfilment and enjoyment watching young people come in at the age of 12 and seeing them when they leave. The growth that these young individuals gained in terms of their mental ability, spirituality, and sense of self is huge in their six years on campus. That is just a privilege to be part of. The other bit that I love is growing staff. I get a real kick out of developing staff into future leaders. As you know, I will not be here forever, and I certainly wouldn’t want to do all the work and make all the decisions by myself. My job is to empower my team and all the middle leaders to take part in the decision-making process, and to take ownership of areas that will make them feel more involved with the development of the school. I love watching people grow and get promoted, and that gives me lots of satisfaction. As Singapore eases its Covid-19 restrictions, what do you most look forward to when alums can return to campus? I think the first thing is to get to know them better because I didn’t get to know them very well. I know a few just from small interactions we had before COVID. Therefore, I am looking forward to the doors opening up and the alumni coming in and getting to know these wonderful people, getting to know what their skill sets are, their passion and what they love. I think the next part is to channel their interest in the right direction for future projects. Our job is not to direct or tell them what to do but to make connections based on their interests, passion and skill set.
The biggest hope I have is for the school to never depart from its core purpose which is our mission statement. As schools get bigger, sometimes it becomes a little bit impersonal and it is at that point that you begin to lose what the school initially set out to be. Particularly with changes in leadership, history dies or becomes part of a book or a plaque. We have to have a living history that moves forward all the time, and whether the school is looking to 100 or 300 years, ultimately when somebody walks in through the doors, they will need to be able to feel the mission statement instilled in all that we do.
“I think that everyone has fond memories of the school and the friendship that they’ve made. I would love for that to continue in one shape or form”
I would also like to acknowledge the pioneer batch of 2009, placing their trust in the school without any history. They were the first to participate in the challenge week, establish a long-lasting event such as the Blood Donation Drive, and be part of House events such as the Cross Campus Run. Many of these students are now enjoying a pathway they have set for themselves rather than following the road most travelled.
The changes in relation to our facility, staff and building are always consistent every year. We have worked hard to provide that foundation for change to blossom. In terms of following our mission, what you feel today and those from 2007 are similar - ‘to learn how to learn, and to learn how to live’ and ‘being the people of others and being people of integrity’ are very symbolic. I think that is one area that has been constant throughout the growth of our institution.
As a member of the founding SJII team, he has been instrumental in the success of the school. Despite his busy schedule, we managed to sit down with him and chat about the history of the campus, and find out which cohort was most memorable!
Mr. Rainone: I’ve been here since July 2007, pretty much when pterodactyl ruled the sky! SJII was not as big as it is today. Previously our High School was located where ES is right now, and the student population was only 104. Now we have grown to 1300 students just in High School alone. So the changes have been quite astronomical.
14 Renato Rainone | SJII Vice-Principal A legend among many alums and one of the most popular staff members on campus.
With students graduating every year and leaving the school campus for their next adventure, what are your thoughts and feelings about saying farewell to them?
15 YEARS OF SERVING WITH FUN, PASSION AND LOVE
You have dedicated 15 years to SJII. Tell us about your experience teaching here and how you first got started?
I adore all of our farewell assemblies, graduation ceremonies, staff vs students football matches, challenge week celebrations, and above all, SJII’s Got Talent. It is not every day that you can see Mr Skipper floating across the stage on a wrecking ball (unless of course, you are Mrs Skipper!). The same can be said for Mr Thorpe in a tutu!
Last year, you participated in the Alumni Insta Live series and answered a few interesting questions from our alumni community. However, there is one burning question in everyone’s mind about who is your favourite cohort of all time. Would you be able to share your thoughts on this? I previously mentioned 2009, and they were a fantastic bunch of individuals who came together during those challenging years. I would consider them friends today. However, if I were to pick one cohort, and I love all of them, but if I were to pick one, I would say the batch of 2012. They were true pioneers as most of them came from Grade 7 and grew up all the way through to grade The12. main reason they are dear to my heart is due to their characters as an individual. They displayed every aspect of a person; they were kind, considerate, cheeky, and got into all sorts of trouble. There are some really unusual characters in that year level. In the end, they really managed to bond together and forged friendships that could last a lifetime. They organised one of the best rock concerts in SJII, and do things that are out of the ordinary. The diversity they brought to the school is one aspect of that cohort that kind of chips in front of the other cohort. Just a little bit that is. What are your hopes for the current graduating batch of students? What are your hopes for those who are thinking of furthering their studies? Actually, I am hoping that the 2022 batch will be able to follow the 2009 cohort by focusing on their passions and continuing to be the ambassadors of our mission. I know that the 2009 batch came out with high scores in their IBs, and a lot of them diverted their interest, studies and vocation into an area of interest rather than following the norm. I would say the same for this batch as they are very talented and highly academic. They have the opportunity to follow the same path as their predecessors in terms of following the road less travelled with regard to following their passion. Now that the COVID safety measures are more relaxed, what do you hope to see from our alumni community? I am happy that we have a platform that caters to our alumni for keeping in touch with each other and our school. I believe our alumni are a diverse community that has multiple skillsets. I think their diversity will be useful, and if we could somehow harness all their experience and keep them centralised in our school, we would then be able to have a long-term understanding and sharing of knowledge with our current students. I would love to see events such as reunions, and I know that our alumni are scattered all over the world, but for those who are living in Singapore, it would be great to see them again. Also, live events, and I think that everyone has fond memories of the school and the friendship that they’ve made. I would love for that to continue in one shape or form. I hope there will be more reunions, online media events, and getting support from our alumni community for annual events such as Hair for Hope and the Blood Donation Drive.
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6) Any wishes or thoughts for our alumni community? Please stay in touch, and continue to support the school in any shape or form that you can. I hope that they continue to keep in touch with each other, and I hope that they were able to build lifelong friendships. Most of us have not been back to high school for a long time. However, my main group of friends still consist of my high school buddies, and I am hoping that many of our alumni will feel the same way. That all the friendships made and the school community are kept dear to their hearts. I think it would be a shame if we lose contact with our alumni because each one of them is very important to us, and that is the attitude that I want to inculcate within the school.
From SJII’s humble beginnings to its current standing as one of the top international schools in Singapore, Ibu Susi together with many others blazed a path to success for SJII, fuelled by sheer dedication and love for the school. Here she shares her experience, effort, and a little bit of history about SJII’s growth and success.
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How long have you been with SJII?
Mrs. Teo: In 2006, our sister school, St. Joseph’s Institution, provided two offices to do preparation work for setting up St Joseph’s Institution International. I started my career with SJII in September 2006, working as a volunteer for the school. Eventually, I received a full-time teaching contract and was appointed as Vice-Principal Pastoral in November 2006. I believe you have seen the school grow from a small institution to a bigger campus. Would you like to share with us the experience?
Susi Parwati Teo | Language Teacher Mrs Susi Teo or Ibu Susi as she is fondly known has been among the SJII community for 15 years.
Rafael Block, now an Elementary School Block, was our High School campus on the first day of school. We had 105 students with three classes of Grade 7, two classes of Grade 8 and one class of Grade 9. It was a small school. Teachers, administrative staff, ancillary staff and students were very close-knit and worked cohesively and collaborated in a beautiful way. We had a very strong and supportive parents group. Our first Cultural Carnival was held in May 2007, in two classrooms combined to function as a hall at Rafael’s Block. Brother President, Principal, teachers, administrative staff, all students and parents were involved in presenting a rich cultural show. It was a very successful and memorable evening. In 2008, we moved to the present SJII’s venue. We held the first musical, Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat successfully in the Assembly Hall at the end of 2007. The whole school, from Grade 7 to Grade 9 back then were involved in social service at Lee Ah Moy, Riding for the Disabled, MINDS, St. Theresa and Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped. We were very passionate about giving back. For example, for the weekly visit to MINDS, our students always came prepared with an exciting programme for the clients such as organising songs and dance, making sandwiches etc. Our students were deeply motivated to perform at these organisations and were touched by the response from the clients there. We also had Lasallian activities, sports activities and various CCA. At the beginning of the year, though a small school, under the leadership of Mr Andrew Bennett, we established the foundation for the future development of SJII. Year by year since then, SJII has grown into a
THE ‘IBU’ (MOTHER) OF THE COMMUNITYSJII
As an international school, we believe that it is important to introduce the culture of the regions to our students. We identified Balinese gamelan as one of the possibilities. We owe thanks to the Salim group, which donated the fund for us to purchase the Balinese gong Kebyar set. My good friend in Bali helped the school to purchase the gamelan set from a prominent maker. The set is hand crafted and carved beautifully with an enchanting sound. One parent sponsored the instructor’s fee for the whole year. We had students from many nationalities join the gamelan group, such as Vietnamese, Philipinos, Cambodians, Finnish, Burmese, Indonesians, Singaporeans. Students love doing gamelan as it is one of the ways to understand and respect the culture of others and to understand the differences and the similarities of the cultures of their own and those of others. Through this effort, hopefully, the world will become more peaceful. The way of learning gamelan is unique. Players need to use their listening and collaborative skills a lot as there is no music score and no conductor. Also most of the instruments in the set are classified as either lanang (male) or wadon (female). They have different pitches and yet they are harmonious when played. That is the Balinese philosophy. We can be different and yet we can live harmoniously. Promoting harmonious living among different individuals. As an educator, I believe you have many beautiful stories to share. So what is your proudest moment as an educator to our students? My proudest moments are when my students develop and flourish despite facing challenging obstacles in their lives and when they stay true to the Lasallian core values and spirituality. I have one student who is now a doctor at the A&E, who initially wanted to be a paediatrician, only to realise in the latter part of his studies that he wanted to work in the A&E department in a hospital to attend to patients who need an emergency response.
17 top International School in Singapore that offers holistic education. I am very happy to see how the school has grown and developed so well. Thanks to all the present stakeholders, the old boys of SJI, the Chairperson of the Board, the late Mr Lawrence da Silva, the Board members, the Brother President, Brother Michael Broughton, the founding Principal Mr Andrew Bennett, the VicePrincipal Curriculum, Dr Underwood, the teaching staff, administration staff and the ancillary staff who were committed and dedicated to the establishment of SJII. I also would like to thank parents and students who had such a great confidence and trust in SJII back in 2007.
Wow, an incredible journey and you were part of it from the beginning! You are now involved in the school’s gamelan CCA. Can you share a few short stories about how gamelan was first introduced to the school and why it is one of the most popular CCAs on campus?
That said, not all would like to become doctors or lawyers, and we support every career aspiration. I have another interesting student who is passionate about food and his eyes sparkle every time he talks about it. He felt he should follow a more traditional academic career in business studies to conform to family expectations. Unfulfilled, he changed direction and pursued his dream career as a chef. Embracing the challenges of a chef, he has acquired a couple of scars and burn marks on his hands along the
Finally, what are some of your wishes for both SJII current students and alumni? My wishes are for them to be happy, healthy and to understand their role in society and the meaning of life. I would like to say thanks to our stakeholders, the old boys of SJI and the Board of SJII for helping and supporting us during the beginning stages of this school. I would also like to thank our former Brother President, Mr Michael Broughton and the founding High School Principal, Mr Andrew Benett for their efforts in building the school.
Last but not least, I would like to say thanks to the late Mr Lawrence da Silva for believing in this school and for all the things that he did to make it what it is today.
Networking is very important, and there should be more alumni gatherings and events that allow our alumni to interact with their peers and the rest of the school community. We have a lot of alumni living in Singapore, and it is a pity that we only see them once or twice a year. I think our alumni inspire our current students due to their success in industry and they should be invited to talk to the school assemblies.
Additionally, our alumni also have strong determination and resilience to pursue their dreams and goals. As Singapore starts to loosen its safety measures against COVID, what do you hope to see more from our alumni community?
“My proudest moments are when my students develop and flourish despite facing challenging obstacles in their lives and when they stay true to the Lasallian core values and spirituality”
18 way. Gaining mastery in the culinary arts, he is now working at a Michelin Star restaurant in London. Thus, I am most proud when students achieve their goals and career aspirations in spite of the challenges they encounter. Their success is due to their effort, their parents’ support and other stakeholders who are responsible for helping them achieve their dreams.
How long have you been working in SJII, and what are some of the changes that you’ve seen around the school? Mrs Thorpe: I have been with the school since 2010. Back then, the school population was quite small, as it was around 600 students? All of the staff knew each other, we are used to having staff briefings in the staff room where we all would just stand around and chat with each other. Now, the number of staff has grown so much to meet the current demand needed for the school. What are some of the things that you enjoy most as a teacher? Students and staff (especially from the Arts office!) are great people. We share many waves of laughter, and there is always cake for birthday celebrations. I love working with teenagers, especially with our senior students as they are talented individuals. With their level of musicianship, it is truly a pleasure to teach. Honestly, some of the students I have had the pleasure of teaching at SJII have been inspirational. Holding musical events such as concerts can be stressful but fun! Performing in the orchestra pit with students and staff is really exciting and rewarding for me. There were moments when we brought in professional musicians to join us for a concert. Musicians such as Pablo Calzado, one of Singapore’s top drummers, were invited to perform West Side Story and Hairspray together with our students and staff. I was able to experience memorable moments during a concert - such as performing in the sunken, darkened orchestra pit and communicating with the backstage crew via talk-through equipment. Aside from concerts and events, I really love all the overseas expeditions and professional development courses that I have been fortunate enough to go on. Trips to countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Bali, Australia, South Africa and Botswana are unforgettable, and these trips could either be for the NYAA or grade trips. I am sure that many alums might remember Grade 7 Lool and Grade 8 Tioman trips as I certainly do! I remember going on a South Africa Service trip
A NO BOUNDARIES
Ineke Thorpe | Music Teacher If you are formerly an SJII High School musician extraordinaire, chances are you have been taught by Mrs Ineke Thorpe.
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JOURNEYMELODIOUSTHAT HAS
She has led numerous musical events as a conductor and as a performer together with talented students and staff in SJII. Always passionate about music and creativity, her words of encouragement help motivate students to pursue their aspirations in music.
What are your hopes for the current graduating batch and those pursuing their studies in music?
There are more awesome memories but this one is definitely my favourite. We hosted two Capella groups from YALE University, the all-female group known as True Blue (2014) and an all-male group, Yale Alley Cats (2016). They contacted me and asked if I could help to host and publicise a concert for them. I replied to them that I would do it on one condition, and that is to allow our students to sing with them. That was one of the most memorable nights for our students and an incredible opportunity for our two young singers, Karisma Radjukar, and Ledy Manurung as they sang together with the group. I still kept the recording and listen to it sometimes, they are truly talented! What are some of your fond moments in SJII with regards to educating students and organising/ performing in musical events? We did numerous performances and I would say almost all of them are special to me. However, there was one performance that stood out to me. Performing the Hallelujah Chorus in the chapel with the Grade 12 Graduation Choir, and the chamber orchestra in 2014 does take the cake. It was an incredible and challenging piece of music to work on and we still have it on our school’s YouTube channel. Other concerts such as the Botanical Gardens Concert left a positive mark on me. The Botanical Garden Concert was an event that happened three times in my earlier years at SJII. It was an evening concert that involved all the Lasallian schools in Singapore, with students from Elementary to High School. I was given the task as a Musical Director for the entire event, and it was really a challenge for me to organise all the logistics needed prior to the event. I remember Sam (Uncle Sam), Hussain and his team always complained about having to move the gamelan instruments around the school, but for this event, we not only took the gamelan, but we also moved the entire samba drumming kit, full orchestra set-up (including timpani drums), 50 musical stands and countless numbers of amps. It was a logistical nightmare!
21 organised by Greg, and we took both of our children on that trip, and they were really young at the time. But it was great because we had 20 babysitters with us! We basically did service work at a local school in one of the poorer regions of South Africa which involved painting, gardening and general cleaning. We also brought instruments as gifts to the school, and sang ‘Africa’ by Toto and ‘We are Lasallian’ for them. Students from the biology class also got a chance to dissect an impala. But as a vegetarian, I skipped that activity and made a car out of dried dung with my little boy.
Marching with the Samba Band for St. Patrick’s Day Parade at Boat Quay was always hot and sweaty but fun too! Hopefully, with the restrictions lifted now, that event will return to Singapore. Another thing that is memorable for me is watching performances by our students for the first time. Whether it’s VIBES or part of an ensemble in Musical Moments concert or singing in a musical performance, their sense of achievement, fulfilment and joy is really what makes my job so special. Listening to our students’ exciting chatter when coming off the stage is infectious. They love it! I think it is due to these events that students really remember when they’re older. Not so much of the day to day lessons; it is more about the concerts, shows, events, sports matches and trips. That is what makes the school special and memorable. I really love being able to be a part of that.
Those who choose to continue their study in Music and Performing Arts are really a special breed of people. It takes courage and passion to pursue a career/study
I would like to say thanks to those who sent me emails occasionally and let me know what they are up to. I really love hearing your news! For those who went on to become doctors and lawyers, many of whom were incredibly musically talented, I hope you still have music in your life and can find time to play your instrument. “So for those who follow their dreams and creative talents, I say ‘Good for you!’. Your life will be all the richer for it”
I would love to see them back on campus to give talks to our students. Be more involved in CCA activities and jam with us. I believe our school alumni are made up of talented individuals who are more than eager to share their knowledge with our current students. A helping hand or two with CCAs is always a plus, and I would love to discuss this further with our alums if they are interested. It is always great to have past students on campus and get updates about their life. I for one have a few of them on my social media account and once in and while, we do say hi to each other, but it is always better to have them back on campus. I do look forward to the alumni reunion, and I hope to be there for the event. Any wishes or thoughts for our alumni community?
22 20 in arts. Sometimes, it is a decision that is not always welcomed by families expecting an academic career. So for those who follow their dreams and creative talents, I say ‘Good for you!’. Your life will be all the richer for it. During COVID, everyone turned to Music and Arts (and Netflix) to help them get through the lockdowns. Can you imagine the world without the performing arts and especially without music? It would be a pretty sad place.
What are some of the contributions that you look forward to from our alumni community now that the COVID restrictions are lowered?
Once a Lasallian Always a Lasallian was written by Anh Tran (‘10), reflecting on how far she has come from her days studying in SJII
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EZRA JAMES ‘18 | CO-FOUNDER OF HUST
SJII’S ENTREPRENEURFUTUREINSPIREDVALUES
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When the alumni association approached me to write this article, I was quite surprised. Being a less-than-average student back in SJII, how did I earn the privilege of writing for the school magazine?
“Wait, Ezra. School and a start-up at the same time? How can you balance everything all at once?”. This was something that I wish I’d learn earlier, which was how to plan my time better. It might even make me appear like I have a severe case of OCD. From scheduling meetings with friends weeks prior to the date we’ve decided upon, to planning every single thing I had to do that day. But it worked.
I’m currently writing this article on my flight to London, which gives me a good long 14 hours to reflect on the circumstances that led me to be where I am today. A little background as to who I am: my name is Ezra, graduate from the Class of 2018. Immediately after graduation, I took on a stint as an Administrative Assistant because I wanted to relinquish the dependence I had on my parents. Thereafter, like every other Singaporean boy’s rite of passage into adulthood, I completed my National Service in the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Here I am now, pursuing a degree in the Bachelor of Science in Marketing at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Studies aside, I engage in powerlifting, I play golf, and, oh! I’m an entrepreneur as well; I am the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of my freshly started up company, Hust. –something I never thought I would have done 4 years ago.
So here’s my story. With a predicted IB Grade of 27 just 6 months to the final IB exam and having my priorities set completely wrong, at first glance you’d think I’d be having trouble in securing a place in university and possibly lead a less-than-intriguing life. Grade 3s and 4s rained down on me for the entire IB Programme, as if everything was telling me that was all I deserved. I wanted to challenge that – with just weeks left to the final exam, I realised that mind maps work for me as a way of retaining information. Yeah, imagine the amount of preparation I needed to make leading up to the exams; I rewrote every single chapter in the form of a mind map. My final results came as a surprise to both me and my tutors. Although it was not as perfect as I wanted it to be, knowing that I have improved
“I’m on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend” –Augustus Waters “SJII has taught me about taking initiative and responsibility in one’s own learning, and I finally learnt the significance of lifelong, continuous learning.”
My Co-Founder reached out to me with an opportunity during the first few weeks of university, which I took with a leap of faith. Little did I know by saying “Yes”, I’ve opened myself up to endless doors of opportunities. The idea came about because of my co-founder’s struggle with finding clients for his side-gigs. I used to be an avid photographer, doing photography gigs on the side, and I, too, struggle with this problem. Hence we decided to bring our heads to come up with a solution together: Hust.! An all-inone platform for everything side-hustle! We aim to encourage everyone to take up side-hustles, and we provide them with the means to make side-hustles easier for them. In essence, it’s a platform for the next generation of digital natives to earn an income Beingsocially!an entrepreneur isn’t easy – sure the title and statute that comes along with it might turn heads and impress people, but it takes a huge amount of effort to make the idea come into fruition. The values I’ve attained from my time in SJII has definitely shaped me and largely contributed to the way in which I portray myself as a Co-Founder, and a leader. SJII has taught me about taking initiative and responsibility in one’s own learning, and I finally learnt the significance of life-long, continuous learning. Even with my position in my start-up, comfort is viewed as one’s hamartia. I have to find ways to continuously improve myself, to keep myself up to date with current events to make the necessary business decisions. For those of you who are thinking of starting something of your own go for it. You’ll never know what’s in store for you! And you miss a 100% of shots you don’t take, so why Offnot!the
top of my head, one particular struggle we faced whist brainstorming on the whiteboard was “Where are we going with this?”. Dubbed as a “tweener” by Maynard Webb, author of Dear Founder, I finally understood the struggles entrepreneurs and founders face during the early stages of a start-up. I would say that the mindset that I’ve seasoned in the past few years from my experiences kept me going; I hate quitting. Ultimately, a Eureka moment came into my mind in the middle of McDonald’s during a meeting. Right there and then, I developed a new, distinguishable peripheral business model that we will be adopting into our operations as soon as our app is released.
25 tremendously and it was the best I could’ve done was all that mattered. This leads me to what this article is about: success from the perspective of an average joe. As you know, I wasn’t always the brightest student in class. But I really had ambition. My final results, the could have beens and National Service changed me for the better and instilled a discipline in me that I would never have attained. I understood that I could either mope about not being able to do better, or make the best out of the situation I was in; I chose the latter. With this change in mentality, I achieved numerous awards while in the Air Force and I sought to exceed expectations of both myself and the people around me. Which was why I founded Hust.!
If I could turn back time and relive my time in SJII, I’d definitely make the best out of my time there, way more than I did before. For the graduating students of 2022, a word of advice from your friendly entrepreneur: do not compare yourself with others. You’re on your own journey through life. Here’s a quote by Tim Bergling (Avicii) that I hold close to me “One day you’ll leave this world behind, so live a life you will Toremember”SJII,avery Happy 15th Anniversary! Thank you for shaping me to be the person I am today, with the very values that you have instilled in my very being in the 4 years that I’ve been there! I hope that the school will continue churning out the next generation of successful individuals; they have more potential than they will ever realise.
The Singapore Permanent Resident’s racing career took off ten years ago. Now at 18 with five championship titles under his belt, he’s showing no signs of slowing down, both on and off the race track. For starters, he graduated as the ‘Josephian of the Year’ in 2021 – the highest honour given to a student at SJI International – and scored the highest marks at the IB examinations held in November. This is certainly no mean feat, excelling in academics while balancing his passions, which go beyond racing.
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NO FINISH LINE
As an SJI International Elementary School student, Alex joined the school’s Robotics CCA out of interest in STEM. Moving up to high school, he led Robotics Unbound, providing free introductory robotics and programming workshops to young children at SJI International Elementary School and through partnerships with local organisations like The Salvation Army, TOUCH, and MENDAKI. “I was determined to help these young students also potentially find passions in robotics or STEM learning as well as develop crucial skills such as communication and problem-solving,” said Alex. In 2019 he co-founded XS News, a platform that condenses global affairs and complex issues into palatable forms for Gen Zs. The project was in response to the influx of fake news on the internet and to help his peers keep up-to-date ALEX BROWN ‘21 | RACECAR DRIVER AND SCDF FIRE FIGHTER For young racing champion Alex Brown, the pursuit of excellence has no finish line.
“Knowing that I was supported and kept up-to-date by my teachers gave me the freedom and confidence to explore my passions despite the workload of the IB Diploma Programme. I am truly grateful for all the teachers that mentored and supported me throughout my time at SJI International,” he said. Over the next year and a half, Alex will fulfil his National Service (NS) duties for the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
“During this time, I hope to continue growing these projects. After NS, I aim to study engineering at university while also continuing (to participate) in some forms of car racing championships overseas. This allows me not only to continue pursuing my passion for motor racing but also advance my knowledge of the practical application of engineering that I learnt at SJI International.”
“Knowing that I was supported and kept up-to-date by my teachers gave me the freedom and confidence to explore my passions despite the workload of the IB Diploma Programme.” with current affairs without going through articles full of jargon. “We felt that this is especially pertinent in the current context of the pandemic, as it is important for people our age to stay informed about the global situation and its wider implications as well as not be influenced by fake news. Our bite-sized content aims to retain people’s attention whilst still allowing people to stay updated,” he XSshared.News won the Young Founders Summit 2019 in Peking University, Beijing, receiving monetary backing of US$10,000 and mentorship from Founders Bootcamp, the world’s most extensive start up program for teenagers, to help them with this initiative. The project runs on Instagram as its main platform, amassing over 2,200 followers as of writing. Alex and his co-founders Marcho and Kai-Ryn – all SJI International alumni – have grown their team to include students from around the world. He indeed has a long list of passion projects, as he also serves as the Digital and Innovations Director for The BAUM Movement, another SJI International alumni-led initiative educating Gen Zs on sustainable investing.
I’m a façade consultant by day, and artist/illustrator by night. I majored in Architecture in college (University of Cincinnati, the United States, 2011-2015) and worked in an international architecture firm in Singapore for 3 years before I switched to façade industry. In case you’re wondering, no I did not plan the switch in my career, but it has done me wonders and I’m happy where I am with current affairs without going through articles full of jargon. Back in pre-IB time, my mind had already fixed on architecture, as I have always enjoyed design and drawing, and I was recommended to do Architecture for job opportunities after graduation. Picking IB subjects was straightforward. I picked what made sense the most: Physics, Art and Maths HL, which, ironically, I found out later I did not need to understand Physics or Maths to do Architecture (thanks to structure engineers).
CARVING A NEW NICHE IN ENGINEERINGFACADE
Picking universities was also smooth, as I, like many others, went for the “top X programs” in our chosen country. However, looking back, I would have done a few things differently. One thing would be, to explore other related fields. In high school, we think we know what to do for our future, but in reality most of us don’t. We think one specific direction is the only choice, so we don’t look any further. I would suggest you go through what the many universities offer and see which major(s) gets your attention. It is also OKAY to go in without a major; in the US, you can start the first year or two undeclared until you have a better idea what you want to pursue. Back to my story, I would have looked into graphic design, or animation.
To be clear, I do appreciate my university and the degree I graduated with, as well as the internships, job My name is Anh Tran, and I graduated from SJII in 2011 (Wow – that’s been a while ha!).
ANH TRAN ‘10 | FACADE CONSULTANT AT INHABIT Hi everyone!
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17 career switch I never knew I needed, as I feel confident with my professional development.
I hope you get something useful out of my story. Remember - Don’t limit your options with anything. Explore different paths. It is absolutely normal to feel like you’re lost. Understand your needs, both personal and professional.
Finally, put yourself first and find your own balance, happiness, and goal in life. My goal in life at this point, 6 years in working life, is to have time for my 2 dogs, my art, and my loved ones. opportunities I had. But you know, there are always whatifs, and this has been one of the biggest what-ifs I have had at the back of my mind. Fast forwarded, I was working as an architectural designer. While the job was great, and I was learning a lot from my coworkers and mentors, soon enough I realized I was working without passion. The long hours eventually drained me, and my mental health took the hit. No job is an easy job, and I would like to say that especially with architecture and some other fields (eg. medicine, law, finance), OT sadly is a culture. My one advice is that, you need to put your mental health a priority, and know when to move on for your own wellbeing. Fortunately for me, through my first few years working, another job opportunity came through. I then left architecture and joined the façade engineering Whatworld.is façade? It is the envelope of a building. As façade consultants, we work very closely with developers, architects, and other consultants (structure, MEP, acoustics etc). Our job is essentially to take architect’s design and develop technical details to ensure the design can work structurally in real life. Our consultants come from very diverse backgrounds –architects, lighting designers, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, building contractors. My architecture background has helped me understand architect’s design intent, making the design and technical development process seamless and efficient. Since I became a consultant, I have also taken a more active role in project management and client liaison. I have even gained more knowledge in other disciplines offered by my firm, and learned the ins and outs of lighting and acoustic consultancy. All in all, this was the “Don’t limit your options with anything. Explore different paths. It is absolutely normal to feel like you’re lost. ”
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30 But thanks to more than my fair share of lucky breaks and kindness, I have done one thing that you may find interesting. Many SJII students are fortunate enough to go to college or university abroad. For some of you, this decision will result in the chance to begin your career overseas. For others, this opportunity may present itself at a later stage in life. I returned to Singapore 9 months ago after 9 years abroad. I’ll share some lessons I learned, as well as what motivated my return. I graduated from SJII in 2009. After finishing my NS, I started my LLB in London. My college offered a program that allowed me to spend 2 years in London and 2 years at a law school in New York. I was lucky enough to be selected for this program. In 2017, I graduated with a double degree: my English LLB and a JD, a postgraduate law degree, from an American law school. I was offered a job at a law firm in New York City, which I accepted. I worked there for 3 and a half years. As a university student, most of your life revolves around campus life. Dive into it. It’s a great opportunity to meet similarly-situated people from around the world. If you’ve spent your whole life in Singapore, it’ll take some time to adjust to the bite of winter and four o’clock sunsets. The particularly adventurous among you may study in a country where English isn’t the word on the street. But even if, like
OPPORTUNITYLEADSTHATPASSIONTO
DAVID MENON ‘09 | DEPUTY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR AT AGC I find it hard to write articles like this. I am neither sufficiently famous nor accomplished for the story of my life to be independently inspiring. A
me, you opt for an English-speaking country, living in a new city is like learning a new language. You learn to navigate the public transport system, work out what time the Premier League is on TV, and realise that world-class hawker food is a uniquely Singaporean comfort. This is an exciting odyssey, but it’s a well-trodden path. Odds are, you won’t be alone on this journey. You may be accompanied by other Josephians. At minimum, you will have other Singaporeans for company. The only advice I have for this phase of your life is to mix with students from many different backgrounds. Immersing yourself in this kind of diversity will broaden your perspective. You shouldn’t spend 3 years in a country and have nobody to call on when you return.
Third, you should be aware of what you want out of your life. As I started my sixth year in New York, I decided I did not want to spend the rest of my life there. I had always envisioned returning to Singapore. My family was here, and so were my friends. The greatest gift SJII gave me was my group of friends. The core of the group came together through the SJII football team. Nearly 15 years later, we’ve mostly stuck together ever since. They’re still the guys I hang out and watch football with, celebrate birthdays with, go on holidays with, and consult when I need advice. Some things have changed a lot; others haven’t changed at all. As you fly through your twenties, you should develop a greater awareness of what brings you joy in your life. For me, it was meaningful work, and spending time with my friends and family. If, like me, you are lucky enough to have formed a group of friends during your time in SJII, treasure them. A solid group of friends makes all the difference in your twenties. It’s a group of people who will keep you honest and push you to achieve your best. People who will be there for you in your lowest moments and celebrate with you in your highest ones. Two years ago, my best friend got married, and I was the best man. We met on his first day at SJII. As I trundle towards the first anniversary of my return to Singapore, I have no regrets. I am fortunate enough to have found a job in Singapore that offers me a chance to do work that is equally as meaningful as the work I was doing in New York. I spend quality time with my friends and family, and I am starting to see the life I envision for myself in Singapore taking shape. A return to Singapore will not be for everyone. Some of you may find that life in another country offers you everything you could possibly want. I could not be happier for you. But
Second, you should be aware of the quality of your work. Malcolm Gladwell describes meaningful work as work that offers autonomy, complexity, and a tangible connection between effort and reward. Your job will likely dominate your 20s, so it’s important that you find a way to derive joy and satisfaction from your work. If you find yourself constantly struggling for this, you will need to adopt urgent measures to avoid burnout.
3119 Living as a professional in another country poses unique challenges, with unique rewards. Your first job out of college is your first serious job. Speaking as a former fresh graduate, you know nothing as a fresh grad. Nothing prepares you for your first job, so your first year is spent learning how to be a good professional. Your employers know this and they temper their expectations accordingly. In this formative year, your best attribute is your attitude. Say yes to work and ask loads of questions. Still, the first year will bring setbacks, and this is where living abroad will have its disadvantages. Rather than a cosmopolitan university campus, you may find yourself an expatriate in a predominantly local workforce. What is appropriate business small talk? Is it sports? Weather? Is small talk even appropriate in this environment? You may doubt yourself and your ability. Last year, the WSJ reported that as many as 82% of young professionals fall prey to impostor syndrome. Who do you turn to when you make your first professional mistake, pull your first professional all-nighter, or receive your first professional reprimand? The people who know you best – your family and friends – are likely all in Singapore, and the time difference may mean regular phone calls are difficult to schedule. You must persevere in the face of these challenges. Perseverance in the face of adversity builds resilience, which is a vital life skill. In time, you will begin to develop competence, both as a professional and in your specific field. This competence brings with it gritty, hard-earned professional confidence. As you develop competence and confidence, you should anchor these attributes to First,awareness.youshould be aware of your circumstance. Nobody achieves anything on their own. They are the product of an invisible web of support, a healthy dose of good fortune, and the kindness of many who have gone before them. After years of the grind, you may be tempted to pat yourself on the back. Amidst the self-congratulation, never forget where you came from or how you got there. I trace my own web back to SJII, my parents who put me in the school as a member of the pioneer IB batch, and the friends I made during my time at SJII.
32 But it’s important to make that decision intentionally and with awareness. When all is said and done, you are only accountable to yourself for your happiness. I hope you lead a life that brings happiness and meaning to yourself and those around you. “Your job will likely dominate your 20s, so it’s important that you find a way to derive joy and satisfaction from your work.”
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I have always considered my time at SJII as the key that unlocked the door towards a multitude of transformative experiences that led me to where I am now. Not just the school itself, but the community that surrounded me – my teachers, mentors, friends, host family, batchmates, the uncles and aunties at the school canteen, the cheerful security guards that greeted me every morning and afternoon, and the sweet Filipino staff that made me feel at home. Those 2 years were some of the most productive and fruitful years of my life, but I felt that it flew by so fast, that I spent most of it adjusting and adapting, and by the time I felt ready to do more, the journey was ending. Shortly after, I realized that the journey did not end; it only paused, because the things I learned and discovered about myself while at SJII and the eagerness to explore and do more significantly influenced my attitude and perspective towards entering university.
THE ROAD I’VE TAKEN
STUDENT AT HONG KONG
BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
I graduated from SJII in 2016 and joined Hong Kong Baptist University in 2018 as its first international student from the Philippines. Looking back, I realize that some of the things I’ve done in the past 4 years mirrored my interests and experiences at SJII. At SJII, I was always into cultural exchange, both in sharing my own and immersing in others. Being in the Balinese Gamelan ensemble and performing Filipino folk dances on Founder’s Day or at our host family gatherings were most memorable to me. During Challenge Week, I discovered that I loved the outdoors as my favorite activities were our treks and hikes.
34 JESSA ALFAJARDO ‘16 | B.A
treks and hikes. At HKBU, I get to continue doing this and more, whether it’s in sports or trying out something I’ve never done before like being a barista at our campus café. I’m also grateful to be of service to my batchmates and juniors by taking up leadership positions to represent their interests and communicate their needs to the school. Furthermore, I get to serve the extended school community by being a Community Engagement Organizers Ambassador working with our Hall Life Team in organizing and implementing activities for the elderly in Hong Kong. How I connect with my school community at HKBU reflects how I built relationships at SJII. I am friends with the helpers and canteen staff at our uni. The security guards greet me along the way. I realize that I still carry that attitude. Being a Josephian continues to be part of my Oneidentity.ofthe things that inspire me the most about SJII is its strong commitment of encouraging students to enter to learn and leave to serve. I think that SJII students do not
In December 2021, Typhoon Rai struck the Philippines, leaving Cebu in a state of calamity with no electricity and drinking water. I personally could not contact my family for days, only to find out later on that they had to queue up for hours just to get water or charge their phones and that our house did not have a roof anymore. I am grateful for being able to support my family at that time, but I could not help but think about those who really had no one. I could not accept that there was nothing I could do because I am far away. Luckily, I met a group of people online who started an initiative to provide free drinking water to those heavily affected in Cebu City. While communicating with them, I did my own fundraising here in Hong Kong, and it was proven to me again that adversity can bring out the best in people as the donations from my end provided SGD1270 worth of free drinking water and relief goods for the affected families.
To my fellow Josephians, we’ve still got so far to go, so let’s keep moving, enjoy the seasons as they change, and remember why we decided to take the wheel in the first place. As our Mater proclaims, let us move FORWARD, with hearts sincere, render with joy, and stay valiant and true, heirs of St. Joseph!
I used to feel so behind compared to my peers because my studies kept getting delayed. Seeing their graduation photos when I was just starting university made me wonder why my life took such an interesting turn. But now, I think that all those years of waiting served a purpose. I have learned to stop comparing my own progress with that of others because we have different timelines, and we are on different journeys. I have learned that in life, there are plenty of times when we look back and question the decisions that we made but we have come too far that so much has already happened. We have driven down the road far enough to be unable to see where we came from and we doubt if we should ever come back, but the road keeps extending that we cannot see where we are going either, so we feel stuck. It’s very easy to think that way when we focus too much of our energy on our point of departure and destination. But when we think about the things that we were able to do, the lives we touched and those that touched ours, they are well worth the ride. Most importantly, I think that if you really have that drive to serve, then no matter which path you take, not even a pandemic can stop you.
“I have learned to stop comparing my own progress with that of others because we have different timelines, and we are on different journeys.”
35 wait to leave before they could serve, because even during the school years, the students were already demonstrating the spirit of service as I recall the numerous studentled initiatives at school, some of them I am grateful to have participated in, such as Waves & Wheels, Key Club Busking, and Hair for Hope. Remembering this led to two meaningful acts of service that I didn’t think I could do in the last 2 years. When the pandemic first took a toll on public schools in my hometown, Cebu, many Filipino students and teachers alike unfortunately could not cope with having online classes because aside from internet issues, the majority just didn’t have computers and tech devices that they could use. Instead, the schools adopted what they call a “modular learning” arrangement in which printed copies of learning modules were produced for students or parents to pick up on a periodic basis which the students can study on their own or with the help of their family.
However, some schools such as my High School Alma Mater could not produce enough modules because of too many students and too little resources. After hearing about this, I shared it with my friends and others through social media to connect with people who might want to help, and I was really moved by the number of people who extended their kindness and showed support, raising SGD1135 worth of materials such as bond papers, ink, and rubbing alcohol for the school staff and parents to use during the distribution of modules. Together we helped hundreds of students continue their studies amidst the pandemic.
I am the stereotypical kid who loved Legos and origami, but it was not until I joined Physics Club in SJII that I put a label on it. I clearly remember having just spent the past few hours sawing, drilling, and assembling a wooden structure for a robot’s obstacle course arena, when Dr. Del Linz said: “Juan, this is exactly the work that a mechanical engineer does,” which really stuck with me. Fortunately, that made picking a major a whole lot easier. After all, I had always enjoyed physics, math, and chemistry, so engineering seemed like a natural path to take. Knowing this decision is often difficult, I believe my story speaks to listening to your inner passions and trusting those. Sometimes it just takes the words of a caring individual to make it click. While I always knew Facebook was criticized for its controversial decisions, I was not disappointed with what I saw inside as a mechanical engineer intern. The community, teamwork, and caring culture in my team were absolutely amazing, and they were working towards a more socially responsible company. Even though I struggled with much of the work, my manager and peers never turned me down, and instead wanted me to ask for help more often. It was a pleasure to work on some revolutionary projects and grow immensely as an engineer, developing servers that run twice the amount of data, while running 100% renewable energy and net-zero emissions. Finally, the perks of being an intern at Facebook are certainly the best you’ll ever find: all meals at the office covered (still looking forward to in-person); health insurance and a wellness reimbursement (I basically got an Apple watch for a third of the price); discounts at almost anything you want; and a relocation stipend to basically cover all housing costs.
36 JUAN BANCHS ‘17 | MECHANICAL ENGINEER
TINKER TO SUCCESS
Looking forward, I want to continue to develop my engineering skills, but unsure of which area. Perhaps I will be creating rollercoasters at Disney, working at Apple on the next iPhone, or maybe I will continue with the
At the same time, the professors here truly challenged, encouraged, and motivated me in ways open to no other profession. Similarly, I was exposed to many cultures, and experienced first-hand the synergy, beauty and importance of diversity and inclusion. SJII was a transformative experience in my journey, and, of it, I am very proud to be an alumnus. Studying at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), I’ve had and explored a myriad of opportunities that have changed me in many ways. While I used to play a lot of soccer and do cross country back then, now I’ve gotten into spikeball, bouldering, and calisthenics. Loving hands-on experiences, I have joined clubs like Super Mileage Vehicle (SMV) where we create electric and gas hyper-efficient one-person vehicles, and Creative Labs where we created a virtual piano web app and an IoT flowrate sensor. I also had the opportunity to participate in hackathon, start-up, and the Disney Imaginations competitions. The world really is your oyster. All of this I say in the hopes of motivating you to pursue your dreams and always dream bigger. Of course, I’ve also developed academically – especially growing from being a perfectionist to being highly efficient. My one tip for the graduating class would be to never forget the 80-20 rule (the Pareto Principle): put in just enough effort to succeed in what matters and spend the rest on enjoying yourself.
AT META SJII helped to build a strong foundation in being comfortable with the uncomfortable, be it a speech in Monday assembly, Bollywood dance, or all the way to challenge week.
As for our IB grads, remember, communication is key, and feedback is a gift. Throughout my internship, I was encouraged to constantly ask for and provide feedback. No one is ready from the start and acknowledging this and acting on it shows proactivity and a drive to succeed – something that will get you very far. Asking lots of questions is a similar story: attractive of a strong candidate, and helps you learn faster. Finally, with these strong communication skills, you can put that 80-20 rule to play and spend your efficient efforts on what really matters, without a need to work overtime!
“As for our IB grads, remember, communication is key, and feedback is a gift.”
37 start-up I’ve been working at part-time. Regardless, I look forward to developing and becoming a manager, which means you may catch me doing a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in the future. Once again, the world really is your oyster, and I’m going to keep exploring it while enjoying myself as I have encouraged you all to do.
DEBATE
One of those interests has been in the law. In my five years at SJII, I was an active member of the debating society and was, in that context, introduced to many of the legal concepts that I continue to grapple with, daily, as a prospective barrister. It was also as an SJII debater that I acquired a real taste for public speaking and oral argumentation. One of my fondest memories remains my last competition representing the school, which coincidentally was the first major debating open. That is one thing I miss most dearly about my time at SJII – the “firsts”. As a relatively young school at the time, there were many things, events, and clubs that had yet to come into being, only awaiting a bright and energetic pioneer. I hope that even as the institution matures it never loses this dynamism and optimism. Outside the law and England, I have enjoyed spending my days as a graduate student exploring the cities and cultures that have excited my imagination. I spent a year studying philosophy in New York City, and am currently in the last few months of a two-year fellowship at Peking University where I have been looking into the history of
In that time, I am fortunate to have been able to pursue ideas, objects, and activities that interest me and, eventually, to have ended up in a profession at the London Bar that I find difficult and fulfilling in equal measure.
JOSHUA FUNG ‘14 | Pupillage at 7 King’s Bench Walk
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It has been 12 years since I began studying at SJII, and just over seven years since I left.
SJII’S CLUB LAWINTERESTSPARKEDIN
39 China through its art and classical literature. My favourite subject at school was history and I am particularly indebted to both of my teachers, Mr Nicholson and Ms Branson, for developing my interest in the subject, shaping my approach to thinking about the past, and indirectly guiding me towards pursuing it more seriously when the chance arose.
For now, my goals are quite straightforward. Over the past six years at university, I am lucky to have been able to think seriously about all the questions that are important to me. Now, in my first year of work – “pupillage” in the parlance of legal London – I hope to sharpen my mind and apply myself practically and effectively. Though in England, my thoughts remain firmly on the region of Southeast Asia and the countries that I consider home: Malaysia, foremost, but also Singapore. To this end, I aim to establish a public law practice in Malaysia as well and have been writing, thinking, and collaborating with members of the legal community back home. The legal challenges in England and Malaysia are quite different, but my time at SJII has taught me to confront any difficulties on the horizon with a steady eye and firm hand. My hope for each current and prospective IB graduate is that they find a community for whom it is a joy to serve. That is what I had at SJII, and I have not found a greater happiness.
“SJII has taught me to confront any difficulties on the horizon with a steady eye and firm hand”
ASSOCIATE AT STATE COURTS OF SINGAPORE In our recent interview with former scholar Valerie from the Class of 2015, she shares what drew her to the legal profession and the most rewarding aspects of her job.
What have you been up to since graduating from SJI International? I have been pursuing a career in Law, firstly by attending undergraduate law school for four years, then taking the bar course and doing my pupillage for a further year. I was just called to the Bar on 23 August 2021 and am currently a Judicial Associate at the State Courts of Singapore. That is the main gist of what I’ve been doing, but when I truly reflect upon the past five years, it has been a period of self-discovery in terms of my passions and my calling. For one, I regretted not taking Spanish ab initio back in SJII and so decided to learn it by myself. Ever since, I’ve been learning other languages independently, such as French, Tagalog and Korean. Suffice to say, language learning is a great hobby of mine, and it is one I highly recommend to SJII students, who are inevitably global citizens. During the Circuit Breaker last year, I decided to use my free time to create an online course teaching Basic Malay, which I published alongside a Youtube video. How has commitment to service played a role in your life and career? Enter to learn, leave to serve. This has really resonated with me, especially now that I am out in the workforce. In my four years of law school, I had the honour of participating in and spearheading various Pro Bono projects, which opened my eyes to how rewarding service can be. It has also taught me to remain humble and always take up every opportunity to learn. Everyone occupies various niches at different stages of their lives; even as a working adult now, I am still a student insofar as Continuing Education is concerned. The point is – the learning will never stop, so don’t be afraid to take the first step to serve by applying what you have learnt – that is what I did by publishing my online course as a way of sharing knowledge with the broader community. It can also be something as small as re-teaching principles to your peers or raising awareness of a cause you have come to learn of. The little steps matter!
40 VALERIE SEET ‘15 | JUDICIAL
What is the most rewarding thing about your job as a Judicial Associate? Knowing that my actions have a positive impact. Working in a public institution like the State Courts means a great responsibility attached to my role and that my actions have real and significant consequences (on the courtgoers). For example, part of my work at the State Courts involves reviewing cases against Accused-in-persons (AIPs) facing criminal charges without lawyers. In reviewing the cases, I ensure that the charges against the AIPs are sufficiently made out, and that the sentences they are facing are well-supported by precedent and sentencing principles. While it is not pro bono work per se, it is very close to what I would be doing if I had decided to practise as a criminal lawyer instead.
TOOPPORTUNITYEVERYRELISHINGEXCEL
“Learning will never stop, so don’t be afraid to take the first step to serve by applying what you have learnt.”
41 What would be your advice to IB grads who want to take a similar path as yourself? Be open-minded. Truth be told, back in G12 I had wanted to become a doctor because I had it in my head that it was the only career that would allow me to properly “give back to society”. Obviously, I was not privy to the concept of Pro Bono lawyering. Still, I remember how adamant I was that I had selected the “right” career path even though I had yet to enter university. If I could speak to G12 Valerie, I would tell her to keep her choices open. Even though life had not panned out how I meticulously planned back in high school, I tried to make the best out of it by relishing every opportunity to excel. What is important is that you give yourself every opportunity to understand whether a certain course is palatable to you. Luckily for me, through my volunteering in Pro Bono projects and participation in moot competitions, I am happy to stay where I am. But even if I am not, it is not too late for a career switch. In fact, many of my batch mates have moved out of Law and into other industries such as FinTech and Education and are currently doing well. I’d think that Singapore takes rather kindly to persons who have mid-career switches even, so be open-minded and do not reject opportunities that come to you even if they may be less than ideal.
University Talk 2022 - Medicine Left: Rachel Tan (‘19) with our IB Students University Talk 2022 - Medicine and Psychiatry Sandesh Sambhi Kaur (‘09)
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With COVID-19 safety measurements at ease now, we are happy to invite our alumni back on campus for talks, clinics and events. Have a look at some of the activity that goes on campus during their visit.
SJII Alumni Industry Talk: Lawyers on Campus From left: Sam Padbidri (‘09), David Menon (‘09), Valerie Seet (‘15) and Ian Chai (‘09)
ALUMNI VISITS 2022
University Talk 2022 - Challenges of studying overseas From left: Brandon Goh (‘18) and Wilson Lim Setiawan (‘18)
Sandesh Sambhi Kaur (‘09) tackling topics about the importance of mental health at work to our IB Students
National Service Talk 2022 From left: Tim Chee (‘20), John Woo (‘20), Taiga Yong (‘20), Ben Smith (‘20)
University Talk 2022 - Challenges of studying Law Monica Layarada (‘12) SJII Alumni Industry Talk: Entrepreneurship From left: Ezra James (‘18), Tim Chee (‘20), Magno Guidote (‘11) and Hsin Chong (‘12)
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Our Alums discussed topics about the importance of steadfastness and inclusivity in the National Service
Andre Sng ‘14 Head of Country Reps Bar SingaporeCandidateInstitute of Legal Education Katherine Tan Si ‘19 Country Rep for UK English Literature and History of Art University of Edinburgh Bryan Defjan ‘19 Country Rep for US Design & Media Stanford University Samuel Tan ‘14 Class Rep Postgrad, East ColumbiaLanguagesAsianUniversity Clare Ong ‘20 Head of Class Reps BostonJournalismUniversity Nadya Tan ‘19 Country Rep for US Economics and Computer Science Brown University 44 Jeyda Simren Sekhon Atac ‘15 Class Rep Research Assistant LKY School of Public Policy MEET YOUR CLASS AND Alister Yim ‘12 Class Rep ManagementAccentureConsultant Hsin Chong Lee ‘12 Class Rep BusinessaxxaglobalOwner Ruru Hoong ‘14 Class Rep PhD Candidate, Economics Harvard Business School Ali Jumabhoy ‘12 Class Rep MassachusettsMBAInstitute of Technology Tara Kripalani ‘19 Country Rep for UK UniversityBiochemistryofBristol Under the leadership of President Dhanesh Thiru ‘14, please find below your alumni class and regional representatives who have volunteered for this programme to help keep all alumni connected with each other and the school, through class-based and regional activities. You can reach your representatives through the CONNECT
Mark Rodrigues ‘17 Class Rep Political Science National University of Singapore Jonas Chew ‘18 Class Rep Biomedical Science University of Adelaide Jaxsen Chew ‘17 Class Rep Mechanical Engineering National University of Singapore Leeanne Chayavirabood ‘21 Class Rep Student at Durham University Karishma Karunagaran ‘21 Class Rep University Student Alex Brown ‘21 Class Rep NS SCDF Fire Fighter Kerri Mok ‘21 Class Rep University Student Justin Tan ‘19 Class Rep Firefighter SCDF Marina Bay Fire Station Isabel Tan ‘20 Class Rep ArchitecturalArchitectureAssociation Megan Chua ‘20 Class Rep Medicine NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Anika Muthukumar ‘20 Class Rep Social Sciences SingaporeUniversityManagement Amy Zhang ‘19 Class Rep Chinese Medicine Beijing University alumni membership portal (www.connect.sji-international.com.sg). If there is no rep listed for your class or region where you live, and you would be interested in getting involved, please email the alumni office at alumni@sji-international.com.sg. 45 COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVES
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SJI YEARBOOKSINTERNATIONALONLINE If you’ve lost your yearbook, or want to check out another yearbook to look up former classmates or activities, you can find copies of almost all prior editions online. Remaining issues coming soon. connect.sji-international.com.sg/resourcesALUMNIINTHESPOTLIGHT Through our email and online offerings we socialengageaccomplishmentsshowcaseandactivitiesthatouralumniachieveandinafterleavingSJII.LookforAlumniSpotlightfeaturesontheSJIInternationalSchoolwebsiteblog,throughalumnimediachannels,andalsoin the Infinitas Alumni Magazine. 47 - 2015 - 2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019 - 2020 - 2021TIMELINE2022
For students at SJI International days are full of classes, service opportunities, sports, music and many other activities, but what happens after they graduate? Every student or faculty member who leaves SJI International becomes an automatic member of the alumni association. Here is your guide to some of the services and resources available to the wider alumni community.
The newsletter is emailed quarterly to alumni worldwide. It includes news from the school, upcoming alumni events, alumni spotlight features and links to alumni platforms and programmes to facilitate alumni connections and engagement.
In July 2019 we launched the password protected online portal community to enable alumni and graduating students to connect professionally and to look for or be a mentor. SJI International Connect promised to be a significant resource for our global community to assist members as they look for guidance in academic and career choices.
CLASS & COUNTRY REP PROGRAMME
www.sji-international.com.sg/community/alumni-engagement
SJIALUMNIINTERNATIONALWEBSITE
VISITS, VOLUNTEERING AND OTHER REQUESTS
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMES AT SJII
listings
We are happy to help in any way we can. Contact the Alumni Department to update your details, arrange a visit, request assistance with reunion planning, request a transcript, or for us to connect you with departments where you could volunteer, and engage with students through our alumni programmes.
MENTORINGNETWORKINGPROFESSIONALDIRECTORY,&PORTAL
connect.sji-international.com.sg
With the recently launched class and country rep programme, look for ways your representatives will help keep you informed about events and activities and ways to engage with your class, with the school and with fellow schoolmates in your communities.
INFINITASMAGAZINEALUMNI Infinitas is produced annually to include updates from SJI International, profiles of alumni around the world, and reunion and gathering highlights. This publication is available online, and in print to those who wish to receive it. EVENT AND GATHERINGS
REUNIONS,
Each year, alumni reunions, gatherings and events are hosted by SJI International alumni office, Counseling Office, class or regional groups around the world. Look for on the alumni website, the Alumni Connect portal, Facebook, view e-Newsletters and email invitations. Send us your details if you are planning something so we can advertise your events too!
READ THE LATEST SJIE-NEWS:INTERNATIONALALUMNICONNECTIONS
The alumni website is the public facing gateway to all the offerings and links for the alumni programme. From the website, alumni can log in to the alumni directory and professional networking portal, find all print and online alumni publications and mailings, lists of upcoming events and reunion planning guidelines.
St. Joseph’s Institution International Ltd. Co. Reg & GST No. 200607833C 490 Thomson Road, Singapore 298191 | Tel:6353 9383 | www.sji-international.com.sg alumni@sji-international.com.sg | connect.sji-international.com.sg https://connect.sji-international.com.sg/
