ONE° NORTH Vol 16 December 2018
The Alumni Magazine of UWC South East Asia
Feats of endurance for scholarships Hospitality, African-style Physician-educator Broadway musician Best-selling author and more
I believe that education is the most important thing, not just for students but for everybody.� Kyong Christopher Oh ’91 Read more on page 12
Inside 02 MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD Chris Edwards on UWC strategy and values
03 ALUMNI OFFICE A note about change
03 ALUMNI AND STUDENTS ENGAGE OVER PROJECT WEEK Patrick Rouxel ’84, Sun Bear rescue
A sample of the huge variety of events and activities that take place at the College
Worldwide alumni get-togethers and Reunion 2018
20 NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
Linda de Flavis reminisces about hospitality, Africanstyle
08 GRADUATION 2018 Dover guest speaker Ros Wynne-Jones ’89
Robin Macatangay ’83
Mikael MÖrn ’92 Charlie Ormiston, Former Board Chair
26 RECENT EVENTS
06 UBUNTU AND NYAMA CHOMA
10 BROADWAY MUSICIAN
04 AMAZING FEATS OF ENDURANCE FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
14 YEAR IN REVIEW
12 PHYSICIAN AND PHYSICIST WITH A PASSION FOR EDUCATION Chris Oh ’91
16 RESTORING NATURAL HERITAGE ON DOVER CAMPUS Memorial trees and a future forest
18 UWCSEA ALUMNIFOCUSED AD CAMPAIGN “What is your alumni story?”
28 UPCOMING EVENTS
Yang Sze Choo ’92
Reunion 2019 and worldwide event schedule
22 CONTEMPORARY SURREALIST
28 ALUMNI SERVICES
Fiona Hollis Carney ’96
Stay connected
24 AWARDWINNING PRODUCER Romilla Karnick ’96
25 EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON … Alice Whitehead ’98
COVER Mikael MÖrn ’92 climbing one of the three mountains he summited in support of a UWCSEA scholarship.
Editor: Brenda Whately; Design: Nandita Gupta Printed on recycled paper | MCI (P) 027/07/2018 | 005ALUMNI-1819
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One°North is published by UWC South East Asia anually for alumni, staff and friends of UWCSEA. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited without written consent. Send your address change to alumnimagazine@uwcsea.edu.sg and/or update your profile on the UWCSEA alumni website. We welcome your feedback; please send comments to alumnimagazine@uwcsea.edu.sg. Please send your articles and/or suggestions for articles, for the next issue, to alumnimagazine@uwcsea.edu.sg.
Message from the Head Dear Alumni, I am writing on one of those Singapore days when the sky looks as if it has a hundred different ideas about what it might do next. You know—or you will remember—the situation: brilliant sun to the left; low, black storm clouds to the right; fluffy white dots ahead and dreary drizzle behind. Any of these, or variations upon those themes, might win the day. The metaphor is a convenient one for the seeming state of the world, and I hope, in these troubling times, you’ll forgive a rather more strident introduction to this publication than is usual. For every posturing thug in power, there are others looking to use the tools of reason and compassion; the isolationists and nationalists are counterbalanced by those who seek understanding and accord; the rhetoric of division and superiority is met with calls for universal social justice; and those who refute and mock our agency in the changing climate have clear and unambiguous warnings ringing in their ears. Whether the rain or sun will prevail, I guess none of us know; cynics will probably predict drizzle; somehow, they’ll say, we’ll muddle through. UWC the movement and UWCSEA the school should not watch from the sidelines because if that’s all we do, we are of course taking sides. As a UK citizen I’ve witnessed the blight visited upon a nation by apathy and complacency. So I’m thrilled to say the new UWC Strategy—2018 and Beyond—is partisan, as is the new five year strategy from UWCSEA. I suppose you might say we believe certain truths to be self-evident, and when I see in the UWC Strategy Executive Summary key macro words and phrases like “deliberately diverse … cooperation … values-based … transparency and inclusion … celebration of diversity”, I feel very comfortable. And I hope we make certain people decidedly uncomfortable. UWCSEA’s alumni around the world, are engaged in incredibly varied work. But I believe one’s job, within reason, is immaterial when it comes to fulfilling the UWC mission: depending on their ethical disposition and bias for action, one person might have far more impact as a homemaker in a rural town than another might running an NGO. What I do know, having again met so many of you at our recent reunion, is that many torches still burn very brightly and that the inspiring stories of our alumni—some global, some decidedly domestic—are lighting the pathways within our strategies. My job is often humbling.
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And it is also nearing its end. After five very happy years at UWCSEA I shall be leaving in July. So please enjoy this publication, and may I wish all of you—those I have met and those I hope to meet at some future time—every success and happiness. And I would add that aside from earning our wages and salaries, we all have a job to do.
Chris Edwards Head of College
Note from the Alumni Office I have worked at UWCSEA for several years now and I’ve seen a lot of change in that time, to both Singapore and the College. Change is inevitable and we will see more of it at the end of this academic year when Head of College Chris Edwards leaves after five years at the helm. Also leaving at the end of this academic year is Dave Shepherd, who many of you have been taught by, or have met more recently at various events. Dave has been at the College since 1992, first as a PE teacher, then Head of PE, then Director of Admissions and currently Director of College Advancement and the UWCSEA Foundation. I’m sure you will join me in wishing Chris and Dave both, all the very best. What doesn’t change at the College, is the wonderful buzz, the activity and sense of purpose that one feels every day here. There is always something interesting and exciting happening—students preparing for expeditions, sporting events, art exhibitions, Project Week, Model UN, Initiative for Peace, UN Night, CultuRama, OPUS, UWC Day, International evenings in the Boarding House, building robots in the IDEAS
Hub, participating in Service and Global Concerns, helping to install solar panels on the roof … It’s an inspiring list—and all of these activities go on in addition to the classroom lessons. I’m sure most alumni will remember what a busy place UWCSEA has always been. This year, as we try to get to know more about our alumni in order to share their knowledge and experience as a resource to staff and students, we will be sending out a series of requests for updates in various areas. The first one will be a request to let us know if you or alumni you know, have published a book, fiction or non-fiction for a list to be prepared and shared with staff. Please watch for these requests in our monthly e-newsletter, the Alumni eBrief and please help us to build these resources. We look forward to seeing some of you at upcoming events this year. Please do keep in touch. Warm regards, Brenda Whately Director of Alumni Relations
Alumni and students engage over Project Week
Please visit www.uwcsea.edu.sg/Patrick-Rouxel for more about Patrick.
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This year, for Grade 11 Project Week, five Dover students embarked on a journey to the remote forests of East Kalimantan, Borneo, where they spent a week with UWCSEA alumnus Patrick Rouxel ’84, supporting his Sun Bear Outreach Programme. The programme currently looks after 52 sun bears who don’t have the skills to survive in the wild on their own and the students spent some of their week helping to construct an enclosure that will house several of the bears in a natural forest setting. They also had the opportunity to gain an interesting insight into Patrick’s own Project Week experience in 1983, which was instrumental in guiding him to his career as documentary film director and activist for animal protection and conservation.
SCALING MOUNTAINS in support of education “I do not know a group of more positive and passionate leaders of tomorrow than UWCSEA graduates—within that cohort, the grit and determination of scholars, who have often risen from incredibly challenging circumstances, makes them change-makers to watch!” Mikael MÖrn ’92
By Brenda Whately In late August 2018 Mikael MÖrn set out to summit three of the highest peaks in some of the most remote and beautiful regions of the world. It would take 14 days and he would ascend a total vertical height of 16,500 metres. Mikael says, “I set out on this expedition as a personal challenge and with a commitment to my former school, UWCSEA in equal parts. I wanted to challenge myself to reach greater heights on the big mountains of the world, and at the same time, inspire awareness of and support for the incredible scholarship programme which brings motivated students from all over the world to Singapore to learn and contribute to the ideals and spirit of the UWC movement. I was extraordinarily fortunate to attend UWCSEA for seven years. My experience was and remains central to my world view, ambition, values and continuing happiness. Through this fundraising initiative I aim to bring a scholar from an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) region to UWCSEA, with a strong conviction that he or she will benefit in similar ways.” Mikael’s climbs included Mount Damavand (5,610 metres), the highest mountain in Iran and highest volcano in Asia, Mount Elbrus (5,642 metres), the highest mountain in the Caucasus mountain range of Southern Russia, and Demirkazik Mountain in the Taurus mountain range of Turkey. Mikael’s passion for mountaineering started at the age of 13, when he ascended 4,100 metre high Mount Kinabalu in Sabah Malaysia, and his love for it has obviously continued to grow since that ascent. Mikael found many of the people he met along the way particularly interesting.
“The characters you come across when high up in mountains all over the world are often driven by similar combinations of altitude ambition, open-mindedness, diverse education and a general interest in the adventures of others. The Three Peak expedition gave me enough literary fodder to think about a novel in which the worlds of a senior Iranian horticultural researcher, Anna the Russian divorce lawyer, Farhad and Sayyed the Tehran martial arts thugs and Mohammed the Turkish sheepherder collide.” We’ll certainly watch for that. On the 6th of September, Mikael completed his final climb. The following week he wrote in his blog, “One week ago today, I summited the final peak, Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in the Caucasus, Russia and Europe, and one of the tallest volcanoes on the planet. I had anticipated that it would be the biggest challenge, at the conclusion of the three-peak expedition, and it was. The combination of the 4 am 1,800 metre vertical ascent, strong wind and sudden fog and clouds made the final hour to the summit one of the most memorable of my mountaineering life.” Mikael’s 2019 ambitions include higher climbs to 6-7,000 metres in Ecuador and Kyrgyzstan. Mikael holds a degree in Economics and History from Dartmouth College and has spent much of his career in the commodities industry. He is a former Director of the Norwalk Children’s Foundation, a Mentor with the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, a member of the UWCSEA Foundation Leadership Council (FLC), and a global advocate for the UWCSEA Scholarship Programme.
Cycling coast to coast in support of education
Charlie Ormiston at the Atlantic Ocean, having reached the end of his successful coast to coast ride.
Around the same time that Mikael was preparing to climb mountains in support of a scholarship, Charlie Ormiston, parent of a UWCSEA graduate and former Chair of the UWCSEA Board of Governors cycled an incredible 3,840 miles across the USA—from the Pacific to the Atlantic—also in support of UWCSEA scholarships. Charlie was an important part of the team that established UWCSEA’s East Campus in 2008—an initiative which allowed the number of students receiving scholarship funding at the College to rise to over 100. Charlie’s ambition is to double that number, in part through this coast-to-coast cycling trip. The Ormiston Family Endowed Scholarship, once fully endowed, will provide the funds for a new scholar to attend UWCSEA every two years over the next 25 years.
“It was a daunting goal, but every journey starts with one turn of the pedal.”
Read more about Mikael’s three-peak challenge here: https://bigmountainchallenge.wordpress.com/ Read about Charlie’s amazing cycling adventure here: www.charliesxamericatour.com
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Both Mikael and Charlie matched the funding achieved through their amazing feats of courage and endurance, creating a double impact.
Photo L to R: Linda de Flavis with Abiy ’08 to her left and Jawar ’05 two to her right; Linda, Dorothy ’08 and Mike ’08, waiting for Ng’ang’a ’04 at the matatu stop.
UBUNTU AND NYAMA CHOMA Reminiscing about hospitality, African-style
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By Dr Linda de Flavis University Advisor
There’s nothing like home-cooked food—especially familiar food from home—to tide someone through a wave of homesickness. For many years, I’ve invited groups of scholars over for dinner during school holidays when they can’t go home, due to the distances involved. In exchange for subjecting them to my experiments in African cuisine, I’ve learned about their cultures and enjoyed their exuberant energy as they tease each other mercilessly and fill the room with their irrepressible laughter. Even more than the food, the scholars appreciated being in a family home, and invited me to visit theirs, if I got the chance to travel to their countries. That wasn’t something I really expected to happen. But then, 10 years ago, I found myself in Kenya and Ethiopia and discovered the profound meaning of hospitality, African-style. ‘Karibu,’ Kiswahili for ‘Welcome,’ was the word I heard most frequently in Kenya. People everywhere were warm and friendly: in the markets, in the museums, and on the matatus—those jam-packed minibuses with crazy drivers, loud Kenyan hip-hop, four people squeezed into a seat for two, a baby randomly dumped on your lap, and a live chicken in a basket at your feet. As for the families of former UWC scholars, clearly nothing is too much trouble. At the first house I was invited to, in safari-country Nakuru, my host had taken the day off work to cook a traditional Luo lunch. We enjoyed tilapia (fish) and a vegetable stew with ugali, a maize-based staple used to scoop up
the food, delicious when infused with rich gravy. Then, back in Nairobi, there was the savory feast prepared by former student Dorothy ’08. I disgraced myself by taking three helpings of irio, a dish of mashed potato-and-peas studded with pieces of the chewy white maize which grows abundantly in Kenya and is much tastier than the yellow kind. My third invitation was to Ng’ang’a (Peter) ’04 Muchiri’s home. He came to the matatu stop to meet me and the UWC students his family had invited, and walked us back to his parents’ farm, a few kilometers down a country lane ending in a steep, muddy hill. I was worried I would slip and slide backwards to the bottom, but luckily that opportunity was seized by one of the students, Waruiru ’09, instead. At the Muchiris’ farm a goat had been slaughtered, its barbecued ribs arranged on an enormous platter for the neighbours invited to the nyama choma. There I met Ng’ang’a’s new brother, a teenager who had walked all the way from a Sudanese refugee camp, carrying a scrap of paper bearing the name of a Nairobi pastor—his sole contact in Kenya. Through that tenuous link, he had come to know the Muchiris, who gave him a warm karibu and a home. This boy’s easy inclusion in the family taught me the depth of kindness and hospitality in Africa. After lunch, on a tour of the farm, father and adopted son proudly demonstrated the workings of the new well; 80 feet of digging had finally ended the need to rely on bottled water. I was then shown some new crops designed to grow faster, yielding three
Photo L to R: Abiy’s mother at her home; Ng’ang’a’s dad on his dairy farm.
times a year. I mentioned the controversy about genetically modified crops in the west. Mr Muchiri’s reply put things into perspective: ‘If I can get three crops a year, that’s another term’s school fees for my Sudanese son.’ I left Kenya in 2008 and landed in Ethiopia in the year 2000. Ethiopia’s calendar is eight years behind the rest of the world’s—just one example of their unique culture. I headed for the ancient Muslim walled city of Harar, one of the world’s wonders. Here Islam, like everything in Ethiopia, is radically different from anywhere else in the world. For one thing, the dress code is sexier. Robes are shaped to linger on the curves of the body; headscarves are brilliantly-coloured and woven into elaborate, eye-catching coifs that enhance a woman’s beauty more flamboyantly than hair ever could. The riot and swirl of colour, as people in fanciful costumes move rapidly through the labyrinthine passageways of the city, is dazzling. It makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into the colourful pages of an illustrated children’s Bible suddenly come to life, especially when you make way for troops of donkeys driven by young girls, or glimpse camel trains moving sedately along outside the city walls.
The coffee ritual reflects Ethiopians’ very different relationship with time. I was thrilled whenever my hosts took out the charcoal burner to roast those delicious green beans. It takes time for the beans to roast, to inhale the aroma, to fill the tiny cups with the fragrant brew. But time is on your side in Ethiopia; after all, they have eight years to catch up to the western calendar. I loved that coffee so much that I had to fight the urge to snatch my neighbour’s cup right out of his hand. Back in Addis I spent a day with another UWCSEA graduate, Abiy ’08, whose mother invited me to a phenomenal feast of traditional dishes. Remarkably, the entire meal had been made on a two-ring gas burner. It made me realise my own laziness—despite all my kitchen gadgets, I often eat salad or microwave popcorn for dinner, unless I’ve invited guests.
There is a Zulu phrase—Ubuntu—that captures our essential social nature as humans. Desmond Tutu defined it as ‘the essence of being human … it speaks of our interconnectedness.’ I grew up Italian, so hospitality was inevitable; visitors would drop in for morning coffee and end up staying for lunch and dinner. In the ancient Mediterranean world, it was believed that the stranger who knocked on your door should be welcomed because he could be a god in disguise. I don’t know if any gods in disguise have come to my house, but I’ve enjoyed every dinner I’ve hosted, and cherish my enduring connections with our remarkable scholars!
Where are the scholars mentioned in this story now? Dorothy and Waruiru are pursuing PhDs in health sciences after graduating from University of Chicago and Macalester respectively; Ng’ang’a has a PhD and teaches African literature at a US university; Abiy went on to do a PhD after attending MIT; Jawar graduated from Stanford and Columbia, became a political analyst and a leader in the freedom struggle of the Oromo, an oppressed ethnic group in Ethiopia. To read the extended version of this article, please visit UWCSEA Perspectives at perspectives.uwcsea. edu.sg
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Food, also, is unique, colourful, and different. Meals are intensely communal affairs. Everyone sits in a circle around the injera, a fermented pancake made from teff, which grows only in the Ethiopian highlands. There are no knives and forks: the injera serves as both plate and cutlery, as you break off pieces to scoop up the food. In addition to doro
wot, a hypnotically delicious chicken stew which is certainly served in heaven, there is alecha (a vegetable stew enhanced with ginger); shiro (lentils cooked in niter kibbeh, a spicy butter); and iab, a soft curd cheese to cool it all down. These colourful dishes are spooned around the injera base like paints in an artist’s palette—a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Meeting up with former scholar Jawar ’05 in Harar, I was again warmly welcomed into people’s homes wherever we went. I also discovered Italian influences from Ethiopia’s brief period of colonisation; old men greeted me with a ‘Ciao! Come sta?’ and at one point I was invited by strangers to share a communal dish of spaghetti.
G R A D U A T I O N
“Handball is analogous to the Dover experience … its very premise is working tirelessly to cross divides and transcend borders. Waiting in line [to play] taught us patience and respect, scraping our fingers to return shots taught us sacrifice and tenacity, and aiming for the top of the grid had a funny way of illustrating that ambition can never exist without collaboration. Class of 2018, our version of handball will be the stuff of legends … Our version of handball is special because we play it with smiles on our faces. Whether in applying to colleges or suffering through exams, we have done it with an unwavering sense of humour—we take ourselves lightly and our purpose seriously. Never forget this place and never forget each other. Never forget the friends you’ve made, and in particular, never forget the friends we’ve known the longest and owe the most to—our parents. Class of 2018, we are products of the teachers, families and friends, who have shown us how to learn, how to teach, how to serve, how to make mistakes, and how to bounce back. Dover Class of 2018, keep playing handball, don’t forget to call your mom, and don’t grow up too quickly. Thank you, I love you all, and congratulations.” Arinjay Singhai ’18 Former Student Council Chair and Class speaker
“There’s a … saying of Dr Martin Luther King’s which President Obama had stitched into the rug of the Oval Office … and I hope you will stitch it into your hearts and carry it with you. ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’ … There are two ways to live our lives. In hope or in fear. I’m here to tell you that hope is the right choice … And remember—even when you can’t see the bend in the arc of moral progress—it’s still there.” Ros Wynne-Jones ’89 Journalist and Dover Graduation guest speaker
575 students “… Individual stories at East can never be told without mention of the friends we made … Our friends made our time here memorable by … challenging us to be better, and being with us during the torrid times … For some of us, East was where the virtue of empathy clawed its way into our hearts, developing in us a genuine concern for others, where … putting a smile on the face of others, meant more to us than even our own happiness … East was filled with an enormous support system of adults and young people … I’m sure, we can all attest to the matured minds we now have—nurtured in a dynamic community existent without prejudice, and with respect for your points of view …
“ I think you’ll realise as you get older … that you need a focus. You need something to keep you founded when the world tries to knock you off of your kindness and your empathy. You need … a mission that directs what you do every single day … that brings out—in the brightest and fullest ways—exactly who you are … So graduates, I want you to remember … connect who you are to what the world needs the most. And … fight for it hard.” Josh Tetrick Founder and CEO of JUST and East Graduation guest speaker
To the class of 2018, we did it … Today is the turning point … that has the propensity to shape the course of our lives as we’re being ushered into entirely new experiences … Go on to make a mark on the world through the force of your own ideas, personality, resources and desire. And, [when] asked what high school you went to, you can say ‘I went to UWCSEA East … which opened my heart, opened my mind and finally opened my eyes’.” Nana Kwame Nyarko-Ansong ’18 UWC NC scholar from Ghana and Class speaker
53 scholars
77 countries
Broadway Robin Macatangay ’83 By Jessica Wagner ’06 Robin Macatangay has been a guitarist since he was 14 years old, playing in a band called ‘Quasimodo’. After playing in school discos, concerts, musicals, and events during his seven years at UWCSEA, he spent the next 30 years working as a professional guitarist in “every kind of gig—from bars to overseas tours to recording sessions”.
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Earlier this year, I had the unique pleasure of meeting Robin and listening to him perform in the Broadway sensation, Hamilton, in New York City. His first permanent Broadway chair position, Robin is currently the guitarist for Hamilton. “In the past I had thought of exploring Broadway, but it really wasn’t an option as I was busy touring and wasn’t in town enough. My friend had been hired as the bass player and he recommended me to Alex Lacamoire, the musical director of Hamilton. Lucky for me, after we met and he heard me play, he decided I was right for Hamilton.” Robin describes Hamilton as “simply the opportunity of a lifetime. It is so unique and different, and such a magnificent work of art. To be part of history, of something so innovative and groundbreaking is a blessing.” He even had the extraordinary opportunity to perform a set of Hamilton songs with the original cast at the White House for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. “The significance of the occasion was quite overwhelming. Meeting the Obamas before the performance was just the coolest thing.” When asked about his plans for the future, he notes: “I will keep playing on Hamilton—it will be here for a while! We get to sub out, and it’s important to do
musician other musical projects to keep ourselves fresh. We have done over a thousand shows now, and we strive to play each show with the same intensity as the very first time. I do other music gigs whether they are in clubs, touring or studio work. It’s important to me that I maintain my edge and continue to do the kind of work that shaped me as a musician. This is what led me to Hamilton and what will lead me to the next endeavour.” Robin has always been into music, all throughout his seven years at UWCSEA. “Some of my fondest memories were playing guitar in the school musicals and concerts. That was where I got to be good friends with people I am still in touch with today. I loved the vinyl collection in the school library and spent many hours there.” This musical inclination was nurtured and encouraged during his school years: “The music teachers Mr Pigot and Mr Edwards, who was my tutor in my senior years, were very supportive towards me. Many staff members got involved in the arts events and participated on the performance or production sides. There were always teachers acting, singing, strumming guitars.” Robin’s musical talent has not only landed him many gigs, it also led him to his wife, UWCSEA alumna Tracey Hung ’83. “I have known Tracey since I
began at UWCSEA. We were in the same English, French and Spanish classes. We became good friends during fifth year (Grade 10), as we started doing shows together. She was in the Godspell cast and I was the guitar player—we have been married 31 years now!” Tracey has been selling real estate in Manhattan for nearly 20 years, but she and Robin have clearly passed their artistic DNA down to their son Ross, who has entered a music conservatory this fall to study classical voice and opera. After graduating from UWCSEA, Robin “took a gap year and worked in Singapore as a professional musician and gained valuable experience playing in clubs, on TV shows and in recording sessions.” He then decided to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. He says, “I wanted to go to Berklee because many of my musical heroes went there, and I felt it would be the right place for me. I grew up playing rock and soul, and wanted to learn some jazz. It’s a great school for contemporary music and for preparing people for professional music careers.” Robin has had a truly amazing career thus far, playing with some incredibly talented artists. He cites playing with jazz singer Lizz Wright in Johannesburg, South Africa, as one of his greatest experiences as a professional guitarist. “The concert was special. I also toured
the city and visited historical sites, which was very moving.” For budding young artists hoping to carve their own musical career path, Robin provides the following advice: “Towards the end of our time at UWCSEA, when everyone was getting their college applications in, I was at a crossroads. I felt pressure to apply to a university to study something “sensible”. My heart was set on becoming a professional guitarist. I was lucky that my mom convinced my dad to support my desire to become a professional musician, and allowed me to take a year off to work before going to music college. It could have turned out very differently had I gone to university to study something like business to make my dad happy! I was fortunate to have the opportunities to play music while I was at UWCSEA. But it was also very important that I was involved in the Singapore music scene at a young age. This gave me the experience and courage to follow my path as an artist. My advice to students is to always be aware of and respect the Singapore culture and the people. If you are artistically inclined, get involved in the Singapore arts scene. Don’t forget that there is a community outside the school—that is part of the education.”
Jessica Wagner graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Commerce specialising in Finance and minoring in Economics. She is currently based in Bermuda, working as a Risk Analyst at an Investment Management firm.
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Jessica Wagner ’06
Physician-physicist with a passion for education Kyong Christopher Oh ’91 Chris Oh ’91, attended UWCSEA from 1985 through 1990, graduating early at the age of 16, when he was accepted into the Honour’s Program in Medical Education (HPME), a combined, accelerated BA/MD program at Northwestern University. Chris, who speaks five languages, currently works as an internist in Chicago, USA, but as the interview below reveals, he does so much more than practice medicine. We caught up with Chris over email and here is his story.
Where did you spend your early years? I was born in South Korea and moved to Malaysia when I was nine. We lived in Johor Bahru, and my two older brothers and I commuted to school in Singapore. Every day we crossed the causeway and went through immigration on both sides twice daily. It was an interesting experience. When you left UWCSEA, where did you go? After graduating from UWCSEA in 1990 I started the HPME at Northwestern. This is a great program for those who know they want to go into medicine but also have another area they want to explore during their undergraduate years. I took three years off from the medical program to study subatomic and particle physics at Caltech, obtaining a Master of Science (MS) degree. Following that, I finished medical school, a threeyear residency in Internal Medicine and started private practice.
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What inspired your interest in medicine and physics? I was drawn to medicine and to physics through my love of science. The inner workings of a living organism have always fascinated me and even though science and technology have advanced a great deal, it still amazes me how little we know about the human body and the origins of life. Medicine also gives me an opportunity to help people, which is
very empowering for me and something I’ve always wanted to do.
2,211 patient visits in their own community.
My passion for physics developed during my undergraduate years. My experience at Caltech was amazing. I had the opportunity to take classes from physicists doing cutting edge research, including John Schwartz, one of the founders of String Theory, as well as Kip Thorne and Barry Barrish who won the Nobel prize in physics in 2017 for their work on Gravitational Wave detection.
I also developed a system where the health promoters submit treatment logs to the main clinic every few months and staff there upload them into an online database. In this way, I can keep track of treatment data in real time, from the U.S. In the future, I would like to create similar sustainable healthcare systems for other rural areas of the world.
I understand you have initiated several volunteer projects in Guatemala. Can you describe them? In 2012, on a vision care trip to Guatemala, I noticed the lack of basic healthcare in the rural areas where people live on farms far away from a clinic. I proposed that the best way to provide ongoing medical care to rural areas like this would be to teach volunteers living in the villages how to treat basic medical conditions and provide medications so they can treat themselves. Since 2013, our church has provided funds each year to teach volunteer ‘health promoters’, many of whom are illiterate, how to treat common illnesses. The health promoters charge a small fee, which they then use to buy more medicine. In this way, the program is sustainable and does not depend on ongoing funding other than for the initial education. In 2017, 34 health promoters provided
In addition to working with health promoters, we also work with traditional midwives known as comadronas. Comadronas, most of whom again are illiterate, provide prenatal and postnatal care to pregnant women, and deliver babies at home. However, due to lack of training and resources, mortality for both newborns and mothers in this setting has traditionally been high. I created an ongoing educational program whereby these traditional comadronas would come to a central clinic once a Chris Oh evaluating a sick child in Guatemala
Chris Oh with Mayan family
month and watch teaching videos I have created on USB and YouTube, and work with a mannequin to practice what they have learned. I understand that many other Spanish speaking clinics are now using them. On that first trip to Guatemala in 2012, we also found that the clinic we visited had a donated ultrasound machine that no one knew how to use. We knew that teaching a doctor how to use one would be very time consuming and was not something that could be done during a one or two-week trip. So I came up with a strategy of using Skype to teach the team how to do basic prenatal ultrasound scans. The internet connection was slow and there were many technical challenges but after several meetings between a radiologist, obstetrician and myself in the US and the doctors in the clinic, we confirmed that they were able to do basic scans and detect anomalies. They are also now able to send us ultrasound Chris Oh demonstrating ultrasound
images that we can review. The clinic has since informed us that after using the ultrasound technology, their rates of birth-related complications and deaths have been significantly reduced. After seeing the success in this one clinic, I reached out to the Ministry of Health in Guatemala and was introduced to the doctor in charge of the district of Quetzaltenango who informed me that none of the clinics in his district had ultrasound due to funding issues. Through private fundraising I was able to purchase and donate eight ultrasound machines. I have also created YouTube training videos for the doctors, demonstrating basic obstetric ultrasound techniques. I would like to implement this strategy in other rural areas of the world to help reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. I understand you are also passionate about K–12 science education. Can you describe your interests and initiatives in this area?
When my children started attending school in Chicago, I realised that teachers in most cases, appreciate having additional resources made
During my medical trips to Guatemala I had a chance to visit rural schools as well, where it was clear that teachers lacked basic curriculum to teach core subjects like mathematics, so I created a basic maths curriculum based on Singapore maths. I have heard that this is still being used and students are reported to be learning the material well.
To read the extended interview with this amazing alumnus who works tirelessly to improve health and education not only in his own country, USA, but in remote areas of a developing country far away, please visit UWCSEA Perspectives at perspectives.uwcsea.edu.sg
December 2018 OneÂşNorth 13
I believe that education is the most important thing, not just for students but for everybody. Even in my medical practice I try as much as I can to educate my patients on their medical condition and the inner workings of their body.
available to them. I was able to connect enthusiastic graduate students from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Northwestern University with nearby Elementary and Middle Schools to give presentations on science and astronomy. I also worked with Northwestern’s Department of Education to put together an inquiry-based teaching curriculum that the graduate students could use for their presentations. The program has been very successful so far.
Year in review
By Anavi Baddepudi, Serena Liu, Sophia Jia and Yufan Feng, Grade 10 members of the Student Alumni Council.
A sample of life on our campuses during the 2017/2018 academic year.
Service Learning in the Primary School The Starfish Exhibition—A Celebration of Primary Service, inspired by the Starfish Story which tells the tale of a young boy making a difference to one starfish by returning it to the ocean, was held to give Dover Primary students an opportunity to reflect on the service they have been involved in over the year. The intention was that the students recognise the impact of their contributions and understand that many small acts combined, can have a large impact, creating positive change in the world around them.
Student mathematicians put to the test at SEAMC 18 SINGAPORE This year marked East Campus’ first time hosting the competition, a decade after Dover hosted it in 2008. Student organisers produced a training programme to not only incite passion for mathematics but challenge participants and explore the elegance of mathematics in unfamiliar contexts. Ranking second overall, this year UWCSEA achieved its best results in the past ten years.
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TEDx UWCSEA This year’s TEDxUWCSEADover students, in Febuary 2018, guided by the concept of ‘beyond’, drew together speakers, including current staff and students, who inspired the audience to consider, among other things, what it means to have a meaningful life, how to courageously share one’s own mistakes and how to champion innovative practices aimed at protecting the environment.
UWCSEA supports transformational education for refugee youth
Earlier this year, UWCSEA received a visit from the two UWC alumnae—Polly from Atlantic and Mia from Mahindra— who first envisioned Sky School back in 2016 to offer a secondary curriculum for refugee and displaced youth. East Campus Director of Teaching and Learning Stuart MacAlpine serves as the organisation’s pro bono Director of Education, leading the development of the curriculum and modules for a full high school diploma. Several other UWCSEA community members have joined the cause as well, including a student focus group that meets weekly. Sky School launched a pilot in late 2017 using a blended model of online and classroom lessons to youth refugees in Amman, Jordan; Kakuma Camp, Kenya and Athens, Greece. Feedback is overwhelmingly positive.
SEASAC 2017/2018 Round-up With a combined 15 SEASAC Championship titles across the College in the 2017/2018 academic year, it has again been a very successful year in sport. Players from the Dover Phoenix and East Dragon teams continue to embrace the mindset that ‘strong habits today will help fulfil our dreams for tomorrow’ and this year’s SEASAC results continue to reflect the students’ ongoing dedication and commitment to strong habits.
Zero Waste Initiatives on Campus
Student and staff groups and individuals across the college are working to reduce the use of disposables—especially singleuse plastics—in our community, and are taking and promoting meaningful action to reduce consumption and waste, including composting initiatives and upcycling of ‘waste’ materials.
Community Fair On Saturday, 3 February, the UWCSEA community gathered for the Community fair organised by the Dover Parents’ Association. More than 12 attractions including a lively student jam session, were spread around the campus. At the International Food Pavilion, more than 45 regional delicacies were on offer, including many healthy and sustainable choices. A zero-food-leftover initiative was implemented, the Community Market highlighted green retailers and interative platforms promoted healthy lifestyle changes.
Students advocating for solar energy
As Solar for East launched in March 2018, what began as a Grade 5 Expo project on Dover Campus in 2008 has become a College-wide mission to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Aside from enhancing environmental activism and awareness within the College, the solar programmes on both campuses provide a wealth of learning opportunities. Activities run each week, and student members lead the marketing, communication and fundraising elements of the programme.
UWC Day UWC Day 2018, took place across all 17 UWC colleges on Friday, 21 September, coinciding with World Peace Day. Planning of events to implement the theme this year ‘Inspire Change’ was completely student-driven. Activities included beach cleaning to transforming the Tent Plaza into an awareness exhibition, educating the community about various causes including the plight of refugees and human rights, and giving students a voice in these issues through a letter writing campaign station. To read more visit UWCSEA Perspectives at perspectives.uwcsea.edu.sg
Students win big at Young Technopreneurs Challenge
OPUS 2018 Congratulations to the UWCSEA Dover musicians and singers on a fantastic evening of music making on 7 March at the Esplanade Concert Hall!
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Set with the task of creating a solution for one of the UN Sustainable Development goals, three UWCSEA teams won the top prizes at the Young Technopreneurs Challenge Expo and Finals ceremony in April 2018. Team COPE (Grade 6, Dover) impressed judges with their idea of building an app to help low-income families order basic necessities, while Team INFINERGY, (Grade 9, East) tackled the issue of providing equal access to affordable and clean energy to all. Team FUTURE won the Most Innovative Prize for the 10-12 year old category (Grade 6, Dover) by coming up with an innovative approach to tackling gender inequality.
Restoring natural heritage on Dover Campus “It just goes to prove that some gifts really do keep on giving.” Nathan Hunt
Class of 2017 Future Forest
UWCSEA is committed to making environmental stewardship a major part of every child’s education. The College community has adopted 304 indigenous trees since 2011, contributing to the conservation and protection of endangered and native tree species from around the region.
A future forest—Class of 2017 Dover In 2017, the graduating class of Dover Campus donated funds to develop the ‘Future Forest’, one of a number of planned planting zones where donors can contribute to UWCSEA’s Adopt-a-Tree project. The funds enabled the construction of a new walkway into this rapidly developing native forest, as well as extensive mulching of trees, and information boards to be installed in coming months. The walkway was essential to allow classes to access this steeply sloping area and the mulching is required while the forest develops on the infertile ground. The gift was the idea of Arjun Krishnan ’17, then Chair of the Student Council and long-standing member of the Rainforest Restoration Project. This mini Rainforest will not only enhance biodiversity on campus but allow many future students the rare opportunity to study and engage in practical nature conservation right here on campus.
A living memory—Class of 1990 Memorial Trees In 2010, on the occasion of their 20th anniversary, the Class of 1990 funded a row of eight lovely Gnetum gnemon trees through the UWCSEA Foundation, in memory of eight classmates who had sadly passed away in the intervening years. A ninth tree, a Shorea sumatrana in memory of another former classmate who passed away later, was added in 2015. That row of trees planted on the edge of the Ayer Rajah football pitch at the back of campus, started to fruit this Spring. UWCSEA Director of Sustainability Nathan Hunt says, “We collected the fruit even though the great height that the trees have already reached made getting all of it tricky! We can now raise more of these elegant trees from seed in our Rainforest Nursery. The trees also provide a protective and attractive frame for our ornamental plant nursery and the entrance to our urban forest that we are creating on the slopes down to the AYE.” Head of Dover Service and leader of the Middle School Rainforest Restoration Project group Frankie Meehan says, “Another interesting fact about the fruits of these trees is that they can be processed to make Emping Belinjau chips, which are available in local shops. They have a slightly bitter taste, but I find them rather ‘moreish’!”
Gnetum gnemon seed
“At a time when our natural environment is so threatened, we hope that these trees on campus serve as both a living memory of our friends as a well as a call to action to current UWCSEA students to fight back.” Sumi Dhanarajan ’90
Class of ’90 tree
EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES 18 OneยบNorth December 2018
https://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/mystory
What is your alumni story?
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Our UWCSEA alumni are an amazing global community who remain connected to our UWC mission throughout their lives. Our latest advertising campaign, launched in August 2018, highlights individual stories of our alumni who are bringing the mission into their lives every day. Remaining connected to our alumni is a cornerstone in strengthening the bonds of our united UWCSEA community, by providing opportunities to create and maintain connections. This series of alumni profiles is another way to celebrate the unique UWCSEA community—whether in Singapore or wherever you are in the world. The following alumni will be added to the ad campaign over the coming months: 1. Astrid Hogestol ’07
11. Drew Hulton-Smith ’88
2. Mayank Singhal ’92
12. Tui Britton ’98
3. Peter Van Veen ’88
13. Achini Wijesinghe ’08
4. Meenakshi Venkatraman ’16
14. Peter Breuer ’88
5. Molly Bradshaw ’15
15. Kees Van der Beek ’83
6. Varun Jain ’17
16. Jody Conibear Tangredi ’88
7. Robert Milton ’78
17. Dennis Taraporewala ’88
8. Anna Bradshaw ’11
18. Tom Foster ’98
9. Antara Ashra ’08
19. Nic Carter ’11
10. Eric Suan ’78
20. Sophie Syed ’09
And more to come … if you have a story about yourself or another you’d like to share or suggest, reach out to us at alumni@uwcsea.edu.sg #myuwcsea www.uwcsea.edu.sg/mystory
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New York Times best-selling author Yang Sze Choo ’92 Yang Sze Choo is an award-winning author whose debut novel, The Ghost Bride, published in 2013, is a New York Times best-seller, a Carnegie Medal nominee, a Goodreads Choice Award and an Oprah.com’s Book of the Week. Her second book The Night Tiger, is due for release in February 2019. We got in touch with Yang Sze recently and she very kindly agreed to be interviewed.
I believe you were a boarder at UWCSEA from 1988 through 1991, leaving a year early in order to attend Harvard University? Yes, my dad’s job relocated us every few years. My family had been living in Japan, when my dad got a job posting to Mali, West Africa in 1988. There were no international secondary schools there at the time so I was sent to board at UWCSEA, while my older sister finished her last year of high school in Tokyo. I still remember the day I got the acceptance to Harvard. They sent a telegram to the housemaster’s office and I was told to go and see him. I was very worried because I thought something might have happened to my parents in Africa. We didn’t have email in those days, so I used to send them aerogrammes. It took a week or more to get a reply. Luckily, it was actually good news—what a relief. What did you study at Harvard? I did Social Studies, which is the Harvard equivalent of the PPE (Political Science, Philosophy, and Economics). It was very interesting, though with an intimidating amount of reading. I remember looking at the requirements and feeling panicked at the sheer volume—how was I ever going to finish this?! Then I realised that most people didn’t do all the reading every week anyway …
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Did you write while you were at UWCSEA? No more than any other student although we had creative writing classes, which I always enjoyed. I’d been reading Victorian gothic novels and I remember submitting an attempt for my GCSEs—a dark, rather badly written story about a were-
mouse. Strange to think that many years later I’m still writing about shape-shifters and murders occurring in old houses! What did you do after graduating from university? I worked in management consulting for a few years, in both Singapore and Boston and then joined a start-up. I really enjoyed working in Singapore. It was a strange, yet liberating feeling to be back in Singapore as a working adult and not a boarder with a curfew. What inspired you to start your first novel? When I started work, I kept writing short fiction, mostly to amuse myself. I think if you like to write (or do anything creative) you’ll always find a way to do it, partly because it’s fun. I wrote some terrible short stories when I was younger, mostly in the style of various writers I admired. I never thought I’d be able to write a full-length book, but eventually I started a very long novel about an elephant detective. That story didn’t really go anywhere, partly because it was written in first-person-elephant, but one of the side stories in it became The Ghost Bride. I’d been doing research and while looking up some old microfiche newspapers, I came upon a brief mention about “the decline of spirit marriages amongst the Chinese”. It took me a few minutes to work that one out, but I realised that they were talking about the marriage to the dead, which I’d previously heard about from relatives. That was really interesting, and much easier to write about than pachyderm detectives. In my mind, I had a picture of a girl sitting in the darkness with an oil lamp, talking about how her father had just suggested she become a ghost bride. I sat down and wrote it just as it was, and that became the first chapter of the book.
How did you feel when your first novel, The Ghost Bride became a New York Times bestseller? It was a lovely surprise. I was very grateful to be published at all, and having looked up statistics for debut novelists, figured that I’d be lucky if I sold a couple of thousand books. I really have to thank my literary agent for doing such a wonderful job selling the book, and my publisher for believing in it. I think fiction is an emotional connection for each individual. There are some books that you love, and others not so much, so it’s rather like a lottery. Your bio says you live in California with your family and several chickens …? The chickens came about because my husband is sadly allergic to dogs, cats, rabbits … I love animals and when I was a child, my dad was constantly bringing home strays. Unfortunately, my husband and I can’t keep indoor pets because of the allergies, so that’s how we ended up with the chickens. And of course, my kids promised they would clean the chicken coop but that job has strangely fallen to me … The chickens are not very bright, although they are entertaining! You have now completed your second novel, The Night Tiger? Yes, The Night Tiger will be published in February 2019 by Flatiron Books in the US, and Quercus in the UK. I’m very excited about it, because it’s been four years in the writing.
quite run down and subsequently demolished, but there was something so melancholy and yet glamorous about them. The Night Tiger came out of the secrets I imagined hidden in those houses together with many of my favourite obsessions: Chinese dancehall girls, twins, tigers who turn into men, a train that takes you to the world of the dead. And of course, lots of tigers (man-eating and shape-shifting). Can you describe your writing process? I believe it involves a lot of dark chocolate? I like to write sitting on the floor, at a low table. That’s probably a habit from spending part of my childhood in Japan. Also, if you sit on the floor it’s much easier to roll around in despair when things aren’t going quite right! But generally, I tend to write without planning, following the story as it unfurls in my mind. I don’t think this is a particularly good way to do it. I have writer friends who outline the whole novel, so they know what happens in which chapter, but I find it hard to plan like that. On good days, writing by the seat of one’s pants can be quite exciting. On bad days, when I’ve no idea what’s happening next, I eat chocolate. Confession: Actually, I eat chocolate all the time, on both good and bad writing days.
For more information about Yang Sze and her books, visit https://yschoo.com/
What inspired that story? December 2018 OneºNorth 21
I’ve always been fascinated by the black and white colonial houses in Malaysia and Singapore, left behind by the British. Many of the ones I saw when I was younger in Malaysia were
Contemporary surrealist Fiona (Hollis) Carney ’96 Fiona Hollis Carney describes herself as, “a contemporary visual multi-media artist with a passion for surrealism, who is inspired by music, street art, architecture and nature’s own exquisite designs, and one who blends images to both bring beauty and prompt questions.” Fiona attended UWCSEA from 1990 through 1994, leaving after Grade 10, (called ‘Year 5’ at the time), to move with her family to the USA. She completed her freshman year at Boston University, studying Communications, Design and Visual Communications and then returned to the UK where she completed a degree at the University of Leeds in the History of Art and Communications, Communication and Media Studies. Last year, Fiona’s Singapore Streets collection was taken on by Addicted Gallery, a Singapore online art gallery that sells work from international artists. The collection was, Fiona says, inspired by her UWCSEA 20-year reunion that she had attended the year before, in Singapore. We spoke to Fiona recently and she kindly agreed to answer a few questions. Can you describe how your 20-year reunion inspired your Singapore Streets collection? I have been back to Singapore a few times since I left, but this time was different. It was so much fun to be back in a school scenario with so many familiar faces. I didn’t anticipate it pressing a ‘reset’ button and throwing me back to that time when life was so filled with beauty and wide eyed wonder. The smells, architecture, flowers, fruits and raw awesomeness of Singapore, was the best time warp ever.
Friedlander, also Class of ’96, saw my pictures on Instagram and asked how much they were to purchase. At that point they were not for sale, so I proposed she cover the cost of printing and in exchange recommend me to other expats who may like Singapore memorabilia. The rest is history!
Back at home all I wanted to do was create images to help celebrate those feelings and times. UWCSEA classmate Elaine
Elaine linked me up with UWCSEA’s Global Concern, Blue Dragon, and I came back out to Singapore just three months after the reunion. I donated some artwork for a student fundraiser and also did a one-off piece for the charity. At that point, Addicted Gallery picked up three of my pieces to promote and sell—Raffles in Technicolour, City Window and Queenie, and
Raffles in Technicolour. Singapore scenes from Clark Quay, Orchard Road and Sentosa representing the vibrant colours and rich history of this beautiful island.
Year of the Dog 2018, a collage blending East with West and offering a mini world of surrealism to lose yourself in.
asked me to produce three more for a collection. When I had finished Tiong Bahru, Little India and Black & White Flora and Fauna, my ‘Singapore Streets’ collection was launched. Things have gone from strength to strength and I am now stocked by a few different shops as well as the British Club in Singapore, and I recently participated in the Hong Kong Affordable Art Fair. Can you describe your creative process? My process is basically an amalgamation of ‘noticing stuff’. I collect things, journal, sketch, photograph, write. Then each picture comes together in little stories. The prints are limited edition giclee (fine art digital prints) and screen prints by Jealous Gallery, London. My background was always in the media and creative industries, primarily Public Relations (PR). Some may say that PR is being creative with the truth … I did in-house PR for record labels, then new media agencies and tech PR. When I had my son, I did a lot of design work, content management and editing for various websites. I increasingly created on the computer and translated my ideas digitally—my children have a Banksy streak that often ‘added’ to paintings of mine in the house. Coming from an artistic family, art felt tangible and something I have always deeply loved. Photography became a passion at 16, photographing people and details from the streets and situations that I found interesting. I have folders and folders of images from places around the world, all holding memories and ideas.
I hadn’t noticed before in Singapore. In London my photos are mainly grey and gritty, with bright stickers and glorious graffiti silently screaming from the sidewalks. There was definitely a new edge to Singapore this time round which was captivating. Naturally, architecture has to be celebrated in anything depicting Singapore, the only country I know that can constantly improve buildings and not cause an eye sore. ‘Upgrading to serve you better’. All of my pictures have an element of story-telling, fine detail, humour and are hopefully something to treasure. Singapore Shophouses is a popular print, and I have done some bigger bespoke versions for people’s homes. The beautiful Peranakan colours and details from local streets evoke a lot of nostalgia. Did your education at UWCSEA influence you in any way? I didn’t do Art at UWCSEA. The closest I got was Design Technology (DT)—I was a DT nerd. My teacher, Mr Garrett was such a rock star, he posted my project to me in the US after it was graded. UWCSEA gave me the confidence to do many things. It shrank the world to a community that I felt part of, no matter where I was. That is a gift, and, something when we all met in 2016 for our 20th reunion, we felt very passionately about. We were very privileged to enjoy such an experience.
For more information about Fiona and her artwork, please visit www.holliscarney.com.
The impetus to create images from Singapore was purely to remember, and not forget the magic that has shaped so much of my life and view of the world. I wanted to capture vibrancy of colour, the beautiful detail, but also this raw street side that
Shophouses was created to celebrate the historic Peranakan shop houses, famously coloured and ornate. A montage of buildings, details and designs, with eyes looking out from behind the shutters, breathing life into the picture and each looking at something within the picture.
Award-winning producer Romilla Karnick ’96 Romilla Karnick is an award-winning producer who has produced content for documentaries, investigative programming and national news. Her work has appeared on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), The Documentary Channel, National Geographic International, Discovery Science, CNN, Gimlet Media and TV Ontario. She has won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Editorial Research. Her work has won the IndieFest Award of Excellence and been nominated for a Gemini in the Best Documentary Series category. Before launching into journalism, she says she was a certified ‘science nerd’, and holds a degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry. She has lived in Canada, USA, and Singapore. Romilla has been kind enough to agree to share some of her story with us. “After graduating from UWCSEA, I went to the University of Western Ontario for Biochemistry and Chemistry. I then worked for two years at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto before going back to school for my journalism postgraduate degree at Ryerson University.
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After graduating from Ryerson, I started working for Canada’s public broadcaster
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC); first in the newsroom and then within the documentary and investigative units. It was an amazing chance to work with some of the best journalists and documentary filmmakers in Canada. Working with the science documentary program The Nature of Things with David Suzuki, I produced shows ranging from nanotechnology, to geology, to a show that followed David Suzuki and his daughter around Europe in search of sustainable living solutions. Being able to fuse my science and journalism backgrounds so early in my career was really a dream come true, and it was rewarding to produce TV that was engaging, entertaining and educational. As a science kid, I grew up having read David’s books and watching David on TV, so to have the chance to work with him and the whole team that puts that show together was amazing. A highlight at The Nature of Things was developing a five-part series on geology, which filmed in hidden geologic corners around the globe. Our team’s result was nominated for the Best Documentary Series award at the Gemini’s (Canada’s equivalent to the Emmy’s). I also did a short stint with The Fifth Estate, CBC’s investigative show.
After seven years with the documentary unit, I decided it was a good time to check out the independent filmmaking life. I had always wanted to live in New York City, so I moved to see what opportunities there were there. As an independent producer, I have had the chance to work with brilliant, talented people and have filmed some really interesting stories. My crews and I have filmed inside maximum-security prisons in Houston and elementary schools in Harlem. Last year, my film My First 150 Days followed a new immigrant family as they settled into their new home. The documentary captures the true ups and downs of what it means to be an immigrant in North America. The film premiered at the Toronto Hot Docs cinema and has appeared on national television. I have also been a volunteer judge for the Canadian Science Writers Association book awards youth category for more than ten years, and team leader for six years, as well as a mentor and tutor at various youth centres in Toronto, Canada. No doubt our exposure to service and global concerns at UWCSEA has had an influence on me.”
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” –Nelson Mandela Alice Whitehead ’98 Having spent ten years of my life on the Dover Campus at UWCSEA, five as a student and five as an educator, this quote by Nelson Mandela resonates deeply with me. It summarises some of my core beliefs regarding education, particularly the transformative power of education when it is delivered in an altruistic, meaningful and conscious manner. It was this potential that prompted my decision to retrain as a teacher after spending my twenties immersed in the world of business, and why I continue to dedicate a significant part of my life to educating and learning. With some of my most influential years spent at UWCSEA as a student, returning to the school as a teacher seemed a natural progression. My five years spent teaching in the Primary School, prior to leaving this past June, has been action-packed and incredible! I have adored working with the Infant children and revelled in the experience of the young learners as they enjoy their early years of school, which is such a crucial time for them to ground and embed the vision and values of the UWC education. These are the years that children develop their sense of self and come to understand their place in the world more clearly, and it is essential that they learn in an environment as safe, supportive, dynamic and progressive as the Dover Campus Infant School. Beyond my classroom teaching the highlights of my experience at the College have included a deep involvement in the Service programme and time spent supporting the Outdoor Education programme. To me, it is these two elements of the UWCSEA education that really set us apart from other International Schools.
My involvement with the Outdoor Education programme was an eye-opener and undertaken with huge gratitude on my part. The opportunity to return to Ladakh, 22 years after making the trip myself as a Grade 9 student, was powerful for me as a individual and a significant learning experience. Whilst the mountains hadn’t changed, I most certainly had, and it was a chance to reflect on my path since leaving the College in 1996. Other experiences with the OED programme included taking students mountain biking in Northern Thailand, trekking in Bhutan and climbing in China. Absolutely mind-blowing experiences which solidified my belief that it is through teaching young people the value of connection that future generations will have the drive and aptitude to change the world. Amongst many other opportunities, the Outdoor Education programme offers students the chance to learn about connection in an experiential manner, connection with self, others, and the natural world around them which is crucial for young people in this day and age. It is my belief that the mission of the UWC education—‘to educate for peace and a sustainable future’ is one that needs to be spread beyond the reach of the campuses. In our rapidly changing world we need some far reaching and collaborative action in order to ensure that life on our planet is a positive and fulfilling experience for all, not just the privileged few. It is my vision that I will be able to continue to do my part to change the world through education, and I see my move to leave the College at this point, with a wealth of experience and knowledge as the next step in doing this. I extend my thanks to all my teachers at UWCSEA over the ten years I spent there. This includes teachers in the conventional sense, but also all the students, colleagues and friends with whom life in Singapore has been a constant and transformative learning experience which has changed me in a manner more positive and profound than I could ever have imagined.
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Securing the role as Global Concerns coordinator for the Primary School enabled me to fully immerse myself in the conceptual understandings and practicalities of Service Learning. Our Service programme is second to none and the opportunity to be heavily involved in it was such an honour for me. Learning from incredibly skilled and experienced colleagues, and supporting the planning and implementation of the new Service curriculum was a once in a lifetime experience and one I am extremely grateful for. Daily interactions with our compassionate and visionary learners was an absolute pleasure. Having an eight year old hand over their birthday money from
their Grandad, and ask me to give it to someone in Cambodia who is supported by the Tabitha organisation as they need it more, was one of the many profound experiences that brought tears to my eyes and are testament to the power of the UWC education. I also carried out the role of Local Service leader and Miniscol advisor for much of my time back at UWC—each equally potent opportunities to work with our high school students and support them to learn through Service.
Perth (November ’17)
Young alumni London (November ’17)
Hong Kong (December ’17)
Shanghai (December ’17)
Singapore (December ’17)
Dover UAC Alumni days (January ’18)
Yangon (January ’18)
East UAC Alumni days (January ’18)
East Alumni Careers Week (January ’18)
Seoul (February ’18)
Dover Alumni Careers Week (February ’18)
RECENT ALUMNI EVENTS around the globe
New York (February ’18)
Washington, D.C. (February ’18)
London (March ’18)
Dover Alumni Awareness event (March ’18)
East Alumni Awareness event (April ’18)
Jakarta (May ’18)
Kuala Lumpur (May ’18)
Bangkok (May ’18)
Dover UAC Alumni days (June ’18)
Delhi (September ’18)
Mumbai (September ’18)
Melbourne (September ’18)
REUNION 2018 celebrated the Classes of 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998 and 2008 in August
Reunion 2018
Reunion 2019
Over the weekend of 24–26 August 2018, 396 alumni from the Classes of ’73, ’78, ’83, ’88, ’93, ’98 and ’08, gathered in Singapore to celebrate their milestone anniversary. It was the biggest turnout for this annual event ever, and the energy was infectious.
Singapore 23–25 August
The reunion celebration gave alumni the opportunity to reconnect with the College and with each other, and also to lend their support to making it possible for more young students of promise to follow in their footsteps and receive a UWC education. Donors from the Class of ’78 supported a UWCSEA scholarship and those from the other five celebrating classes supported the UWC Refugee Initiative.
Join us for a weekend of fun, fond memories and reconnection with old friends and new.
53%
Of Reunion 2018 attendees participated in Reunion Class Giving
S$35,446 Reunion Giving
Twelfth annual milestone anniversary reunion weekend, celebrating the classes of 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999 and 2009.
Registration will open in Spring 2019.
Upcoming 2019 reunions • Kuala Lumpur January • Seoul January • Dubai February • London March • New York March • Brisbane April • Jakarta May • Bangkok May
Check the alumni website for details and updates to the list of events. If you have questions, please contact the alumni office at reunion@uwcsea.edu.sg. We hope to see you at an upcoming event soon!
Alumni services Every student who leaves UWCSEA, regardless of how long they were enrolled, automatically becomes a member of our alumni community. Some of the services we offer include: One°North: The alumni magazine is published annually. Please send contributions and/or suggestions to alumnimagazine@ uwcsea.edu.sg.
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Alumni website: Our password-protected alumni website allows you to maintain your own profile, search for and contact other registered members, stay informed about news and events and more. Reunions and get-togethers: A reunion of the 40, 30, 20 and 10 year anniversary classes is held each August in Singapore. Additional class reunions and alumni gatherings are held in various locations throughout the year, planned by both UWCSEA and our alumni. Watch the alumni website for updates and details, and let us advertise your events! Alumni and Parents of Alumni eBriefs: These are emailed to alumni and parents of alumni throughout the year, containing news and information to keep you updated and informed.
Mentor opportunities: Volunteer to be listed in the mentor section of the alumni site and/or sign up on the UWC Hub if you are willing to be contacted by current students or other alumni for information or advice regarding your university or career, or visit the pages if you have questions of your own. Career services: Check this section of the site for career opportunities, or post your own job opening. You can also set up alerts to be notified of new postings. The UWC Hub: Join the UWC Hub, a web platform and mobile app that brings together the UWC community around the world. Year books: Let us know if you would like a soft copy of your Interscols (Dover) or Epochs (East). Visits, tours and other requests: We are happy to help in any way we can. If you are in Singapore and would like to drop in for a visit or a tour, we would be more than happy to show you around, any time. Send your requests to us at alumni@uwcsea.edu.sg.
Stay connected Websites and email www.uwcsea.edu.sg http://alumni.uwcsea.edu.sg alumni@uwcsea.edu.sg
Social media and app ‘official’ UWCSEA alumni page: UWCSEA Alumni various locationspecific groups: UWCSEA [location] Regional Alumni Group LinkedIn group: UWCSEA Alumni Community Twitter: @UWCSEA_Alumni UWC Hub: UWC.vineup.com
UWCSEA Dover 1207 Dover Road Singapore 139654
UWCSEA East 1 Tampines Street 73 Singapore 528704