Graduation Journeys - Class of 2019

C L A S S

O F

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“Thank you to our parents and our teachers, for shaping us in ways we can’t even imagine, for picking us up when we stumble, and for always paying our bills. Thank you class of 2019 for being a perfect blend of the past and the future, those who have left and those who are yet to come, who we are now, and who we are meant to be. Thank you for welcoming change, but remembering who you are.

Thank you for getting your heart broken and being okay with it, for making yourself a home for those who have never had one. It is you who will change the world, but will keep coming back to this home, to these people, and be beyond grateful for them. Thank you Class of 2019, and congratulations.”

Malena Ramnath Class of 2019

Online sas.edu.sg/journeys

Editorial team Kyle Aldous Didi Harikrishnan Charlotte Hewson Kinjal Shah

Design team Haziq Hairoman Amos Ong

Contact communications@sas.edu.sg

Connect

© 2019 Singapore American School All rights reserved.

Class of 2019 The

Singapore American School is known for its culture of excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities. The Class of 2019 took great advantage of the many opportunities presented to them at SAS, from the arts and athletics to service and deep intellectual pursuits. We are grateful for the impact they have made on our community and wish them all the best in this next chapter of their journeys.

293

graduates in the Class of 2019

53% US

12%

Singapore

7

years

average student tenure for the graduating class (at SAS)

26

nationalities in the Class of 2019

9% India

43%

of the Class of 2019 has been with us since elementary school, including

22

who joined in the early learning center

30

in kindergarten

7%

South Korea

25

19%

48

other 22 countries

in first and second grade

in grades three through five

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looking ahead and looking back

Senior Walk Cheers, tears, hugs, and high-fives—the annual Senior Walk through campus allows our soon-to-be graduates to reflect on their time at SAS while the rest of the community turns out to congratulate them! Now in its fifth year, this tradition received a new twist with Seniors Say Thanks, when each graduating student could thank the teachers, counselors, coaches, and administrators who helped them along the way.

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Commencement

As the Class of 2019 received their diplomas, their parents, families, friends, and teachers cheered them on for reaching a turning point in their lives. We know they leave SAS ready to try new things, develop their talents, try, fail, and try again. We’ve seen them show character, leadership, tenacity, curiosity, and compassion for others. They are ready to embrace the next exciting stage of their lives, wherever and whatever it may be!

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To Praise And Honor:

What does it Mean?

SAS INTRODUCES THE CUM LAUDE SYSTEM

Last year, SAS introduced a new way to honor students for outstanding academic achievement. To recognize that there are many roads to excellence at SAS, we embraced the Latin honors commendations used by many universities and, increasingly, high schools. This system encourages rigorous scholarship while widening the pool of honorees and giving students more incentive to work hard, embrace challenges, and explore their interests in and out of the classroom.

Our three honors levels are determined by students’ cumulative high school grade point averages through the fall of senior year. We congratulate the 103 graduates of the Class of 2019 who earned cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude distinctions on their diplomas!

Our three cum laude levels were designed to represent approximately 35 percent of our graduates in total. We will re-evaluate our criteria every four years to ensure that the system is meeting our goals.

Cum laude: Minimum 4.0 GPA. Congratulations to our 57 cum laude graduates!

Magna cum laude: Minimum 4.2 GPA. Congratulations to our 36 magna cum laude graduates!

Summa cum laude: Minimum 4.4 GPA. Congratulations to our 10 summa cum laude graduates!

“Today our students learn and demonstrate success in myriad amazing ways, and the cum laude approach allows us to celebrate this variety. Learning should not be a competition, and our honors system reflects our view that all students can achieve academic excellence at SAS.” — Dr. Darin Fahrney, SAS high school principal

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SUMMA CUM LAUDE GRADUATES Sohit Gatiganti Rohan Jasani Shivastu Kartik Tanvi Rajeev MariElena Ramnath Rigvedang Saini Angelina Jacobson Saliling Maximus Juan Santosa Yash Santosh Talekar Oscar Garcia Velasco

MAGNA CUM LAUDE GRADUATES Luc Arthur Ah-Hot Megan Lorenza Laconico Cabaero Shivani Chatterji Jonna Chen Sung Ho Cho Joon Choi Valerie Angelina Darmawan Giovanni Battista Maria De Ferrari Aiko Annaliese Decker Anya Devgan Bryanna Grace Entwistle Jennifer Monica Han Ryan Matthew Jung Min Sung Kang Philip Chanmin Kim Seonghoo Kim Jae Hee Koh Daniel Jun Hyuk Kwon Yoojin Lee Zi Tong Lim Peiyu Lin Anisha Nilakantan Jin-Siang Ong Zhiyan Pang Lauren Olivia Pong Niranjana Raghunath Rao Jaehyun Rhee Mila Leah Rose Snyder Robins Sabrina Anjali Sain Chloe MingYan St-Maurice Jeremy Sebastian Tan Diego Jose Largacha Urrutia Karthik Vempati Raymon Yue Madeleine Cecile Zemans Jonathan Alexander Zhu

CUM LAUDE GRADUATES Jaren Mari Sanchez Abergas Ruhaan Ahuja Maria Margarita Dado Antonio

Clare Kyungmin Baik Riley Elizabeth Britson Joshua Chan Elysia Shuyi Chang Jae Hwan Choi Da In Chung Joo Yun Chung Louis Thomas Cowgill Kalia Diane Craig Aaron Yeoh Cruz Hemant Dantam Sophia Mae Datta Maria Lucinda Ellsworth Timothy Ser Myn Goh Cindy Alessandra Gotama Arnav Gupte Aoife Lynn Haakenson David Huang Sebastian Hungate Seoyoung Hwang Mi Le Jang Jaywoo Raymond Jo Min Jung Kim Kimin Kim Benjamin Joseph King Collin Thomas Larke Andore Lategan Oscar Hide Lee Chang Li Andrew Junhao Li Mateus A. Norton de Matos Elizavetta Sophia Makatsaria Fengcheng Miao Aisling M. Murphy Shungo Najima Tae Young Oh Ethan Alexander Pizano Rohini Prabhakar Vidhi Prasad Rahul Vikram Aditya Sahu Devika Sandeep Sharma Lauren Sidarto Nadine Amanda Siddharta Madeline Marie Smith Yasmin Katayun Subawalla Hao Sun Grace Tantra Nathaniel John Taylor Maria Antoinette Tugab Veloso Chloe Jade Venn Chelsea Nadinne Yao Yap Eun Jin Yang Devon Parker Yem Yeh Bin Yoon

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Special Award Winners in the Class of 2019

The SAS high school faculty recognizes a number of students for their high achievements in reaching the school’s desired student learning outcomes and practicing the SAS core values. Nominees are assessed not just on their scholarship, but also on their leadership, character, commitment, and contributions.

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ELYSIA CHANG AND DIEGO LARGACHA

Outstanding Graduates

Two Eagles, one boy and one girl, receive the Outstanding Graduate Award each year.

These awards are presented to students who have been at SAS for at least two years, excel academically, and exemplify the highest qualities of both our desired student learning outcomes and our SAS core values.

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LAUREN PONG

TIMOTHY GOH

This award is given to the senior who has embraced Cultural Competence by devoting time, energy, and talent to actively seek understanding and improve the quality of life of others. Established in 1997 in memory of Blair Sonnenberg, an SAS student who passed away in 1996, this award recognizes a senior who has been a positive role model, embraces diversity and tolerance, and demonstrates through words and deeds that every individual has intrinsic value.

Established in 1999 by the SAS school board in recognition of Dr. Don Bergman, SAS superintendent from 1990-1999, this award is given to the senior who has demonstrated excellence in one or more facets of Communication and Collaboration. The award winner must have a proven track record of advancing ideas, connecting people, and collaborating alongside others in ways that enrich our school, community, or world.

SOHIT GATIGANTI

CHLOE VENN

Focusing on Critical Thinking, this award goes to the senior who has demonstrated the kind of thinking needed to solve our world’s most difficult problems. Established in memory of Scott Seator, a graduate of the Class of 1987, this award recognizes a student who has become involved in other cultures and has made significant contributions to the global community and to making the world a better place.

Focusing on Creativity and Communication, this award is given to a senior who has brought diverse experiences, ideas, and perspectives to the promotion and implementation of creative pursuits within the community. With preference for a student intending to pursue film, photography or videography after graduation from SAS, this award honors the late David Hevey and his lasting contributions as an SAS film teacher and faculty member.

Blair Sonnenberg Humanitarian

Scott Seator Ambassador Award

Don Bergman Leadership Award

David Hevey Award

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University Matriculation

University is one more step in the lifelong education process valued by the SAS community. Our graduates are impressive young adults who have prepared themselves not only for college, but also for life.

While the list of colleges and universities attended by our graduates is impressive, we recognize that this is only one measure of our success as an academic institution.

USA American University Amherst College Arizona State University Babson College Barnard College Bates College Baylor University Benedictine College Bentley University Berklee College of Music Biola University Boise State University Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Brigham Young University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University Cabrillo College California Baptist University California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California State Polytechnic University Pomona California State University Maritime Academy California State University, Northridge Calvin College Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Cedar Crest College Chapman University City College of New York Claremont McKenna College Colgate University College of William and Mary Colorado College Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University Dartmouth College Davidson College De Anza College Denison University DePaul University Dickinson College Drexel University Duke University Eastern Illinois University Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Emory University Fashion Institute of Technology Fordham University Gannon University George Washington University

The following is the list of colleges and universities that members of the Classes of 2017, 2018, and 2019 chose to attend. We report university matriculation for the last three graduating classes to account for the many students who apply to institutions on a different admission cycle and to include students who complete National Service or take a gap year, and therefore begin university later than their peers. % of Class of 2019 graduates going to:

75% 3% 10% 2% 6% 4% USA

Asia

UK

Australia

Canada

Other

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Georgetown University Georgia College Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia State University Georgian Court University Gordon College Hamilton College Harvard College Haverford College Hofstra University Illinois Institute of Technology Indiana University at Bloomington Johns Hopkins University Kent State University Lawrence University Lehigh University Liberty University Loyola Marymount University Luther College- Decorah Lynn University Marist College Marquette University Maryland Institute College of Art Massachusetts Institute of Technology Menlo College Miami Dade College Michigan State University Middlebury College Montana State University, Bozeman Mount Holyoke College New Mexico State University New York University Northeastern University Northwestern University Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Occidental College Oglethorpe University Oklahoma State University Pace University, New York City Pasadena City College Pennsylvania State University Pepperdine University Pitzer College Portland State University Pratt Institute Princeton University Providence College Purdue University Reed College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rice University Rollins College Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rutgers University-New Brunswick San Diego Mesa College San Diego State University San Jose State University Santa Clara University Santa Monica College Savannah College of Art and Design

90%

8.5%

of 2019 graduates going straight to college or university

School of the Art Institute of Chicago Scripps College Seattle University Skidmore College Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Sonoma State University Southern Methodist University St. Olaf College Stanford University Stevens Institute of Technology Stony Brook University Swarthmore College Syracuse University Temple University Texas A&M University Texas Christian University Texas State University The New School The Ohio State University The University of Arizona The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of Oklahoma The University of Texas, Austin Trinity University Tufts University Tulane University United States Military Academy - Army United States Naval Academy University at Buffalo The State University of New York University of Alaska Anchorage University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of Chicago University of Colorado at Boulder University of Connecticut University of Florida University of Hawaii at Manoa University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of La Verne University of Maryland, College Park University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Massachusetts, Boston University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of New Hampshire at Durham University of New Mexico University of North Carolina at Asheville University of Notre Dame University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Rhode Island University of Richmond University of Rochester

of 2019 graduates going on to National Service

1%

of 2019 graduates taking a gap year

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND

University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of South Carolina University of South Florida, Tampa University of Southern California University of St. Thomas University of the Pacific University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Washington University of West Florida University of Wisconsin, La Crosse University of Wisconsin, Madison University of Wisconsin, Sheboygan Utah State University Valdosta State University Vanderbilt University Vassar College Villanova University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Tech Washington State University Washington University in St. Louis Wentworth Institute of Technology Wesleyan University West Virginia University Western New England University Western University Westmont College Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton College, Massachusetts Wichita State University

Australian Institute of Music Australian National University University of Melbourne University of New South Wales University of Otago University of Sydney

CANADA McGill University University of British Columbia University of Toronto University of Waterloo

UK

ASIA Ateneo de Manila University De La Salle University Manila Ewha Womans University Hong Kong University of Science and Technology International Christian University James Cook University Keio University Mita LASALLE College of the Arts National University of Singapore Seoul National University Singapore University of Social Sciences Sophia University University of Hong Kong Waseda University Waseda University School of International Liberal Studies Yale-NUS College Yamanashi Gakuin University Yonsei University

City, University of London Emmanuel College Falmouth University Glion Institute of Higher Education Imperial College London King's College London Leeds Beckett University London School of Economics and Political Science Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts Newcastle University Oxford Aviation Academy Oxford Brookes University Queen's University Royal Academy of Dramatic Art School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Trinity College University College London University of Bath University of Bristol University of Edinburgh University of Glasgow University of Liverpool University of Oxford University of St Andrews University of the Arts London University of Warwick University of Westminster University of York

OTHER COUNTRIES Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam Franklin University Switzerland Grenoble School of Management Les Roches International School of Hotel Management Technische Universiteit Delft Trinity College Dublin Universiteit van Amsterdam

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CLASS OF 2019

College

Spotlight

11 number of countries to which Class of 2019 college applications were sent

6.5 average number of applications submitted per senior

576 number of recommendations written

by SAS teachers

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1,910 number of college applications completed by Class of 2019

NORTHEASTERN, NYU, UC SAN DIEGO, BOSTON UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANACHAMPAIGN universities with the most attendees from the Class of 2019

UC SAN DIEGO, UCLA, UC BERKELEY, NYU, UC IRVINE universities with the highest applicants from the Class of 2019

OVER 250 number of college representatives who visited SAS in past year

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Life After Graduatio

Sohit Gatiganti Passionate about computer science

I’m headed to Stanford University

I’ve always loved making things—whether it be baking a cake, assembling IKEA furniture, building a robot, or programming websites.

I became interested in engineering and computer science, so I will study some combination of the two at university. I chose Stanford not only because it is perhaps the best college for my intended areas of study, but also because of its low student-to-faculty ratio, incredible research facilities, and academic freedom. It is also at the heart of Silicon Valley, just a stone’s throw away from huge tech companies and promising startups.

The weather is perfect, and, to top it all, the campus is breathtaking!

Our Eagles are ready to spread their wings and embrace the possibilities of life after SAS! As they prepare to move on to new adventures, they may feel excited, relieved, nervous, and— sometimes—scared.

We are confident their SAS experiences will stand them in good stead as they take on fresh challenges and opportunities. Here’s what some of our newest graduates have to say about what comes next.

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What makes SAS special is its emphasis on participation in extracurriculars and encouragement to pursue passions beyond academics. This allowed me to apply my learning in the robotics lab and personal projects. SAS has the facilities to ensure that every student can pursue their passion, I would encourage younger students to find something you love and follow it to the best of your ability.

My passion was computer science and robotics, and I invested myself in school activities like SpaceLab and the robotics team, while also pursuing research outside of school and doing internships.

I came into high school thinking that I would be the perfect student—the best at everything from math to English. That’s impossible. SAS has such a talented student body that I quickly shifted from the hyper-competitive attitude to a more humble, open-to-learning attitude. I realized that my peers could teach me so much more than I could achieve by myself; and in fact, my academic performance improved after my shift in attitude.

Aoife Haakenson

Jae Hee Koh

Musical theater devotee

Aspiring economist

I’m headed to

I’m headed to

Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, London

I have been involved in almost every aspect the performing arts at SAS, and I look forward to pursuing musical theater at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London.

Mountview has incredible industry relations and lots of connections to the West End, where many of its alumni end up. I have always loved performing, and by studying MT I can get the benefit of acting, music, and dance training so I am industry-ready. I am also intrigued by the prospect of theater serving a bigger purpose: to reflect reality and to make a change in today’s society. I mean, there is a reason theater still exists after centuries!

It is tough to pick one thing I will miss about SAS, but besides my friends and teachers, I will miss the auditorium! It is such a high-quality facility, and it has definitely become a second home to me. My favourite SAS memory is the opening night of Anything Goes. It was the biggest role I had ever played, and I was only a sophomore at the time. I am a nervous performer and I had hardly slept the night before, yet I still remember the moment the auditorium curtains closed and I was buzzing with adrenaline. It’s still one of my happiest moments ever.

I am most looking forward to focusing 100 percent of my studies on what I am truly passionate about. SAS has taught me to face challenges with grit. In college, especially in the field that I am about to enter, I know that being able to stay determined in the face of challenges will be vital. My one piece of advice to rising seniors is to remember that everything will work out. You just have to keep your chin up, trust your gut, and smile.

UC Berkeley

Learning is fun, but what I really value is being able to apply what I learn to create a bigger impact. Having worked at a fintech company and published a book on bitcoin arbitrage, I have used economics to help me understand the world around me using mathematical and behavioral models. In college, I will continue my journey as an aspiring economist, along with possible minors in data or computer science, which I also find interesting. One of the main reasons I chose UC Berkeley is that it has one of the strongest economics programs in the world, with some of the best faculty and an academically intense culture that will help me thrive as a learner.

The person at SAS who most inspired me is Rohan Jasani, my best friend and biggest cheerleader. When I was struggling with selfesteem issues in junior year, he was one of the very few people by my side, helping me to believe in myself. He is incredibly selfless, uplifting, and genuine, one of the smartest and most talented people I have ever met, but at the same time one of the humblest. At Berkeley, I look forward to not only learning from extraordinarily hard working and talented people, but also forming more everlasting friendships and memories.

One lesson that I learned at SAS that has prepared me for college is to pursue the things I genuinely enjoy. Though grades, reputation, or other things may seem most important at times, I have learned that what really matters, in the long run, is that I have spent my time and effort on doing something I love or think is right. I think this lesson will help me persevere to achieve my goals and pursue my passions in college.

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Life After Graduation

Shungo Najima

Mila Robins

Applied mathematics at the next level

Liberal arts aficionado

I’m headed to

I’m headed to

University of California San Diego

Since I’m the first one in my family to apply to a school in the United States, I decided it would be best to apply somewhere that felt like home, and I thought that a school in California with a lot of Asian culture would be most comfortable.

I’ll be studying applied mathematics at University of California San Diego. This field applies math to real-world problems, like analyzing statistics or solving engineering problems. The flexibility of applied math will allow me to either stay in the major or change to an alternate if I wish.

I will miss my friends here at SAS. They’ve supported me through times of stress, and they’ve been fun during hangouts. I’ll miss how much we inspire each other. I’ll miss how I learned to read and speak some Korean because of friends from Korea. I’ll miss how my Woodlands friends and I have become cost effective by travelling to Orchard on the MRT. I’ll also miss the SAS teachers, who were so friendly and good at teaching that I ended up falling in love with subjects I hadn’t ever liked before. Administrators and counselors also did their absolute best to address any concerns, which helped me during rough times.

SAS prepared me to be versatile. With courses in a multitude of subjects and flexible courses like Catalyst, I was able to foster my interests and develop new ones. I am also proud of my versatility outside of academics, as I play baseball regularly and am a self-taught pianist.

To put it simply, I am looking forward to the next level. Whether it be academics or sports, I am very excited to be part of everything at a higher level.

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New York University

I am will be in a liberal studies core program for my first two years of undergrad, and I’ll spend my first year at New York University's London campus. I expect a heavy emphasis on the humanities, writing, discussion, language, and, in London, certainly lots of European history and culture. I chose this program because I wanted to stay abroad and I feel like a solid foundations in liberal arts is a good precursor for any post-grad endeavor.

What’s my favorite SAS memory? Interim Semester in Kenya! Taking bucket showers, being completely isolated from wifi/phones/ social media, and spending a week in communal tent was an experience second to none. Not only was the trip a perfect balance of service, safari adventures, physical activity, and cultural immersion, but we had Ian Coppell with us. 11/10 recommend that trip!

Other favorite memories include basking in the aircon when you enter the library. Looking out the window onto the impressive pitch as the sky opens up and the lightning alarm screeches. The smell of Mr. Ho’s chicken and beef fried rice. My favorite auntie muttering to herself about the state of the bathroom. Mr. Ly perusing the caf draped in various uniform infractions.

For those heading into the college application process, have an open mind. There is no rush to make decisions, write essays, prep for standardized testing, or perfect your résumé, but simultaneously, it is never too early to start considering everything. Talk to as many people as you can and don’t save everything until the last minute. Know that whatever happens, if you’re part of the SAS community, you are more than qualified to take on the world head on.

Yash Talekar

Lexie Walling

National serviceman and possible engineer

Swimmer and future speech pathologist

I’m headed for

I’m headed for

Singapore National Service

Since I am a Singapore citizen, I will not be going to a college next year but will instead be starting National Service (or as it is more affectionately called, NS). I did not apply to college this year, but the school I wish to attend is Imperial College London. ICL is known for its engineering programs, a field that I intend to pursue in college. My decision could definitely change after two years of NS, but for now, ICL is where I seek to go.

I am proud of the friends that I have made, who allow me to be myself and understand me. I am also proud of my drive to keep challenging myself. I never thought I would be able to do a research project in engineering or reach the top of the climbing gym, but perseverance led to some of my proudest achievements. I am proud that I will try hard to never give up and believe that “Yash, I can!”

What I’ll miss most about SAS is the sense of familiarity I have enjoyed for the past five years.

I’ll miss walking down the long corridors of SAS to go to each of my classes, and I’ll miss the people that I met along those little “journeys”.

I’ll miss the teachers that I have known for so long, and the friends that I meet every day. I’ll miss the library silences and the loud cafeteria conversations. I will dearly miss this everyday familiarity as I move on to an unfamiliar world.

My advice to younger students is, “Why so serious?” Yes, it is important to focus on doing well and being competitive in school, but it shouldn’t be your sole focus. We are all high schoolers in the end, and everyone in the room is probably under similar pressures as you. So, loosen up from time to time and don’t forget to have fun while you make your four-year journey!

California Baptist University

Last December I visited California Baptist University solely as a backup plan. I wanted to keep my options open by looking at a lot of different schools. I’d been to CBU many times before because my brother studied there. During my visit, I felt so welcomed by the staff, coaches, and swim team. The campus is beautiful and CBU has the major I hope to study. And above all the school has a great Division 1 swimming program where I can grow and thrive as an athlete.

Two people have really influenced me at SAS. My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Schwarz taught me that having good character and being respectful is most important in life. Looking back, I learned a lot in kindergarten about being a kind and loving person. Then for my teacher apprenticeship during Interim Semester this year, we met Ms. Canon, elementary school speech pathologist. After hearing her story, I decided that speech pathology is the career I want to pursue.

My favorite SAS memory would have to be winning IASAS swimming in my sophomore year. Going into the meet, we weren't expected to win. In fact, we were hopeful for third place. Over three days, we swam our hearts out and somehow managed to place first. After the last relay everyone was in shock, including our coaches. That was definitely a time when I was proud to be an Eagle, and I will never forget it.

SAS is special because of the facilities and the endless opportunities. Students have so many options as to what passion they might want to pursue. My advice to younger students is to remember that high school is a place to find who you are. Never feel like you have to follow a group to fit in. You are you. Pinpoint your passion, find the people who will be true to you, and never forget to be kind.

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JOURNEYS 18

Nursing a

Dream

My Catalyst Journey

By Jeniffer Park

Built from the ground up, Singapore American School’s journey of success started with a culture of possibilities. Every day, students adapt a growth mindset as they explore, take risks, innovate, create, and pursue excellence. Known for an unmistakable culture of excellence, extraordinary care, and possibilities, SAS encourages among students a commitment to deep intellectual and personal exploration.

From TRi Time to Catalyst projects, Quest, and even Advanced Topic courses, programs are designed to address real-world competencies and reflect the types of learning and work people do every day outside of the classroom. Students across all divisions produce meaningful projects as they exercise voice and choice, research and create, reflect upon their own ideas, and make decisions that impact project outcomes and their own learning experience.

Catalyst was a golden opportunity for me because it provided the doors to experiences and encounters that not only guided me in my career path, but also provided life skills that I will cherish forever. During my first semester in Catalyst, I knew my project would be focused around nursing. Through discussions with my Catalyst teachers, I decided to find an internship to further my knowledge about the nursing field and job scope. After contacting several different doctors,

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nurses and healthcare professionals, I landed a threeday internship at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where I was able to get hands-on experience with what the job entailed. Additionally, I felt a sense of community in the hospital, something I really appreciated.

That internship then led to another opportunity for me: a summer job as a Health Care Assistant at Tan Tock Seng’s Neuro Medical Surgical ward. This experience showed me the brutal sides of nursing.

The amount of work that one nurse had to finish in an eight-hour shift was sometimes close to impossible, and at times nurses didn’t get the respect they deserve. I also noticed that perceptions of nurses seemed drastically different between the US and Singapore. These perceptions inspired me to take another semester of Catalyst to write a research paper on perceptions of nursing around the world.

Finding a mentor for this project was challenging, but after several phone calls and messages, I ended up connecting with the head of nursing research on the Singapore Nursing Board, Ms. Ang Yih Shin.

Conducting the survey and writing the research abstract was just the beginning of the process. I also wanted to publish my paper for public consumption.

In order to make my vision happen, it was crucial that the paper I wrote had no statistical and grammatical errors. At the time, I didn’t know how to analyze

statistics and through the support of my mentor, I not only learned this, but I also gained communication and networking skills. Learning to talk to different professionals who were not students or teachers forced me out of my comfort zone and taught me to be more organized and a better communicator. The long nights and calls with my mentor finally paid off when my research was accepted for presentation at the International Conference of Nursing 2019, which fortunately this year will be held in Singapore in June! At the time of writing this article, I am looking forward to speaking in front of 200,000 healthcare professionals and sharing my research with the wider public.

Most recently, I’ve been working towards getting my certified nursing assistant degree, which will allow me to dive even deeper into the field as I continue my studies at Ohio State University with a full scholarship. OSU has one of the best nursing programs in the US, and I’m sure my essay about my Catalyst experiences helped me gain admission there. The Catalyst program has shown me the effect of personalized learning and how students can impact adults and inspire schools to adopt a program that supports students and their interest.

Catalyst has taught me life skills that other traditional classes couldn’t and the program itself was definitely a catalyst for my future.

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JOURNEYS 20

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