65 | UWCSEA Annual Report 2019/2020
ALUMNI At the heart of the College’s alumni engagement programme is the opportunity for the UWCSEA community to remain connected—with each other, with the UWC movement and with the ideals of the mission—by encouraging life-long connections and mutually beneficial relationships. UWCSEA alumni are invited to get involved and give back in many ways. The Alumni Relations team continued to offer opportunities for our network of alumni around the world to stay connected with the College through events and communication services including e-newsletters, the website and the publication of the 17th edition of One°North magazine. The challenges of the 2019/2020 year, which started with a well attended alumni reunion in Singapore and a full schedule of reunion events across the world, saw our alumni community rise to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic while making a huge contribution to their communities. Thank you to the alumni who so generously gave their time to participate in UWCSEA’s Virtual Alumni Fair, with over 49 online sessions, and to those who participated in our early Zoom Reunions, which are now the new norm. Our newest alumni, the Class of 2020, graduated from UWCSEA in a virtual ceremony after the cancellation of their longanticipated IB examinations and countless other ‘end of school’ celebrations and milestones. The messages of support and encouragement received for our newest alumni from those who had graduated before were greatly appreciated. Pandemic or not, there are countless examples of alumni giving their time and expertise; whether working overtime in health services, using technology to support vulnerable groups, or creating a lifeline for local businesses and retailers. In responding to the challenges presented by COVID-19, stories of resilience and demonstrations of commitment to creating a better world for all, despite personal disappointments, have continued to tell of the impact that a UWC education has on our alumni. A small number of examples of our alumni stories are included in this report.
