OneºNorth Magazine Vol 17 - 2019

ONE° NORTH Vol 17 December 2019

The Alumni Magazine of UWC South East Asia

Climate change awareness through art Conserving our rainforests Protecting the Galápagos Engineering for social impact

When our skills and interests meet the world’s needs, that’s where we can make a difference.”

Nathan Hunt Former UWCSEA teacher and Director of Sustainability Read more on page 20

Inside 02 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Carma Elliott speaks of her first 3 months as UWCSEA’s first College President

08 DIVERSITY: DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE Moving towards a shared understanding

16 HANLI HOEFER ’10

28 UPCOMING EVENTS

Pursuing one’s dream: Model, actress, VJ, DJ

Recap of Reunion 2019; Upcoming Reunion 2020; and the 2019/20 worldwide event schedule

17 RIKHI ROY ’16

03 FAREWELL FROM BRENDA

Pursuing one’s dream: Women in Aerospace

Note from the alumni office

10 DZAEMAN DZULKIFLI ’04

18 KATHERINE SHORT ’90 A phenomenal love for the planet

Conserving our rainforests and our planet

04 SUSANNAH SAYLER ’88

12 GRADUATION 2019

Bringing awareness of climate change through art

Dover Guest speaker Pascale Moreau ’79, UNHCR Director of the Bureau for Europe

06 BEN HOWITT ’11 Veterinarian protecting the endemic wildlife of the Galápagos

14 YEAR IN REVIEW A sample of the huge variety of events and activities that take place at the College

22 PRANAV MOHAN ’15 Engineering for social impact

28 ALUMNI SERVICES Stay connected

24 ALUMNI GIVING Celebrating UWCSEA alumni generosity and support

26 RECENT EVENTS Photos from last year’s alumni gettogethers worldwide

20 NATHAN HUNT Former UWCSEA teacher and Director of Sustainability, promoting sustainability at UWCSEA

27 REUNION 2019 Photos from the 12th annual milestone anniversary reunion weekend, celebrating the Classes of 1974, ’79, ’84,’89, ’94, ’99 and 2009 in Singapore

COVER Glacial, icecap and permafrost melting in Peru. From the series A History of the Future by Susannah Sayler ’88 and Edward Morris.

Editor: Brenda Whately; Design: Nandita Gupta Printed on recycled paper | MCI (P) 099/07/2019 | 005ALUMNI-1920

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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 President As UWCSEA’s inaugural College President, I really appreciate this opportunity to reach out to you—our alumni—as one of the most important groups in our large (and ever growing) community. As you all well know, this is a remarkable community; and there is no doubt that the most remarkable part of it is our student body, past and present.

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With my tenure now into its fourth month, I have been privileged to witness a community shaped by a strong commitment to mission, a community which is purposeful and seeking positive impact in all that it does. I have seen so many examples of what the mission means in practice: from hearing our older students talk about the positive impact their teachers have had on their lives during Open Days; to watching even our youngest students pledge to take action on climate change during UWC Day. For my own part, I have in the last three months been meeting individuals and groups to build my understanding of UWCSEA, the wider UWC mission and our role over almost 50 years in Singapore. I have also been more closely defining my role and my potential contribution to the College, and my days have largely been designed to help me do this. I have attended meetings with government Ministers; spoken in

the Primary School about adoption, and the adopted child in class; met with some of my colleagues from other UWCs, including visits to three of our UWC family of schools; reviewed and approved College policies; and delivered a keynote speech at the Women in Leadership in Education Conference in Hong Kong. I have met with incredibly generous donors and senior volunteers; and spoken to individual students about their interest in a diplomatic career. And I enjoyed the riotous alumni reunion in my first few weeks, which gave me the opportunity to meet, and hear from, a small number of you celebrating “big” anniversaries this year. The emotional connection felt to UWCSEA was tangible (and visible, with some teary eyes at times) throughout a long weekend of celebration.

I am proud to be part of this warm and embracing community and, while I am still on a steep learning curve on some facets of UWC life, I understand most clearly now what it means to be part of the UWC family.

I want to end with a quote from a student who spoke during the recent Open Days.

“Without the empowerment I have gained from this community as a young person, I would never have been inspired

to set up a student advocacy platform, join the student council or, yes, still being that kid in class who says actually, I don’t agree. I think this links very nicely to the core of our UWC values.

Through an education here at UWC, we are inspired to be changemakers, world leaders of the future, a force for empathy and compassion. We aren’t lied to and told that the world outside those doors is a great one, that ‘war’ is a made up word and that the climate crisis isn’t real. Instead, we are taught exactly what those issues are, what caused them, and how we can fix them so that our children or our children’s children don’t have to. Because at the end of the day, isn’t that the most important part of an education? Learning how to right all the wrongs?”

I look forward to connecting with you on any issues you would like to raise about this new role in the coming weeks, months and years.

Warm regards,

Carma Elliot CMG OBE Head of College

Farewell from Brenda As I prepare to leave UWCSEA and the alumni team after 13 wonderful years, I want to say what an absolute privilege it has been to have had the opportunity to be part of such a truly amazing environment as UWCSEA, with so many interesting, inspirational and passionate students, staff and alumni who I am sure are already, or will be in future, making a much-needed positive difference in this world.

It has been wonderful to get to meet and know so many of you over the years and hear your stories. It has been great as well to see alumni supporting UWCSEA in so many ways, whether it’s volunteering help and involvement in events, the IDEAS Hub, University Advice Days, Careers Week, assemblies, panels, screening your films to students and staff, agreeing to be part of the alumni-focused UWCSEA Ambassador ad campaign, allowing us to profile you in publications and online, visiting the College when in Singapore, offering internships, advertising jobs, enrolling

your own children, and supporting the Scholarship, Sustainability and Teaching and Learning programmes through your generous donations, to name only some. Thank you for continuing to stay connected with each other and the College.

Unfortunately, we can profile only a very small number of alumni and tell only a very small number of stories about the activities at UWCSEA in this magazine, even though every one of you has a story to tell. Another place to see and submit profiles and articles is the Perspectives/Community News and Points of View sections of the UWCSEA website which can be reached via the home page.

In addition, there are stories of young people pursuing their passions and alumni lending their time to improve the lives of others, as well as an interesting article on Diversity. Please enjoy.

As a parent of alumni and soon to be an alumni staff member, I hope to stay connected with the UWC community and continue to hear the stories of its alumni striving to make the world a better place.

The amazing Siti and Rae, along with the wider UWCSEA team look forward to continuing to keep you connected!

Warm regards, Brenda Whately Director of Alumni Relations

This 17th issue of the alumni magazine has turned out to have a definite environmental sustainability theme, although that wasn’t originally planned.

It’s very appropriate however, in these days of climate change, environmental issues and fears for the future of our planet.

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Promoting awareness of climate change through art

Susannah Sayler ’88 “Art opens a space for belief. And belief makes a space for change.”

Artist Susannah Sayler is an Associate Professor of Art Photography and Transmedia at Syracuse University and the co-founder and co-director of the Canary Project. A collective for art and media showcasing ecological issues such as climate change, extinction, food systems and water resources, the Canary Project’s aim is to deepen awareness and understanding of these issues among the public.

Susannah says what initially sparked the inspiration for the Canary Project was reading a series of articles by Pulitzer Prize winning author Elizabeth Kolbert on climate change. After reading the articles, she and her husband were moved to try to convey the same message about the urgent issue of climate change using images and media, rather than words.

The Canary Project was founded in 2006. Susannah says, “We believe that cultural production is a crucial building block in social movements. Art opens a space for belief. And belief makes a space for change. We use diverse media and participatory projects to investigate and contribute to the development of ecological consciousness. Art opens thought”

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Since its beginnings, the Canary Project has produced more than 20 projects involving hundreds of artists, designers, scientists, writers and volunteers and these have been exhibited in a large number of diverse and public venues in the US and internationally.

One of the foundations for the creation of the Canary Project and the inspiration for its name was a series called A History of the Future—a set of photographs of landscapes from around the world where scientists are studying the present impacts of climate change, vulnerability to future impacts and/or attempts to mitigate and adapt. Susannah says, “When we started the photographic project, we thought of the images as canaries in a coalmine that warn miners of dangerous levels of toxic gas. They are warnings of future danger.”

Another early initiative of the Canary Project involved the Green Patriot Posters. These were launched as a series of bus ads in 2008, and have continued to be created since, as a focused messaging campaign centered on environmental sustainability. Susannah says, “The overriding message is that our individual actions do matter, that we can all be part of the sustainability movement and this can become a defining value of 21st Century patriotism.”

In 2016, The Canary Project acted as producers on a short film titled, The Arctic is, by Mel Chin (L’Arctique est Paris) and a planned website that deliver a message from Inuit hunter and leader Jens Danielsen. “Danielsen tells us of the startling changes he is witnessing in Greenland and lets us know these changes are already making their way throughout the world.

Climate change is not some far away phenomenon” Next of Kin: Seeing Extinction Through the Artist’s Lens, created in 2017 in collaboration with artist Christina Seely and displayed at Harvard’s Museum of Natural History, is an exhibition described as “An immersive experience that evokes

Extreme Weather Events: Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, 2005

Glacial, Icecap and Permafrost Melting: Cordillera Blanca, Peru, 2008

Drought and Fires: Niger, 2007

Johan Huibers’ Ark, The Netherlands, 2010

Extreme Weather Events: Manhattan, NY, 2012

Extreme Weather Events: Coney Island, NY, 2012

Rising Sea Level: Venice, Italy, 2007

Drought and Fires: Umatilla National Forest, Washington State, 2006

a profound sense of empathy with our ‘next of kin’, particularly those that have already gone extinct or are threatened with extinction right now.”

The photographs in A History of the Future were taken in locations where scientists study the impacts of climate change. The series begins in Peru where disappearing glaciers threaten the country’s water supplies.

In addition to the Canary Project, Susannah is also the cofounder and co-director of the Canary Lab, launched in 2015.

The lab is housed within the College of Visual and Performing Arts / Transmedia Department at Syracuse University where Susannah and her husband work and teach. According to the website, ”It hosts a variety of programming, works collaboratively on projects, and offers courses open to students across the university. Each semester, the course focuses on a particular topic (food, shelter, animals, climate change, etc.). Students read, research and make projects in response

Susannah’s work as a photographic artist and her collection of powerful images of landscapes around the world dramatically altered by global climate change, won her a Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2009. There she studied the current ecological crisis and the science, policy and ethics of climate change. In 2014, she was awarded a Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship and was also an Artist Fellow at The Nevada Museum of Art’s Center for Art and Environment. In 2016, she received a NYFA Artist Fellowship and the 8th Annual David Brower Center ART/ACT Award.

To view the work of Susannah and her husband and their Canary Project, please visit the website at: canary-project.org

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These are just a few of the many projects described on the Canary Project website.

to that research, often in collaboration with each other. The cross-pollination of ideas results in publications, exhibitions, events, or public interventions designed by the class. The Lab also creates and supports additional workshops, sponsored speakers, symposia, visiting artists and events.”

Veterinarian protecting the endemic wildlife of the Galápagos Ben Howitt ’11 “The Galápagos Islands are as beautiful as they have always been described.

Along with many different volunteers working on different projects here from different parts of the world, the majority within the National Park or the Charles Darwin Foundation, working with the locals, within their community, and away from tourism has been the most enjoyable aspect of my time here.”

This is how Ben Howitt describes his last six months as Veterinary Practice Manager of the clinic for the NGO Darwin Animal Doctors located in Puerto Ayora in the Galápagos Islands. With his role ending soon in tandem with Darwin Animal Doctors having to withdraw their support to the veterinary clinic, Ben has recently joined the Board of Directors of Nova Galapagos, an NGO looking to restructure and renew the project in the same location.

When asked why he took on the volunteer veterinary position in the Galápagos, Ben said, “I wanted to pursue a career progression that would satisfy my growing desire to both travel and work in small communities that

may not have the access to veterinary healthcare that many of us take for granted. It also gave me an opportunity to expose myself to the challenges of a different world of veterinary medicine; those in the NGO sector.” Language was an additional challenge for Ben to take on, as the vast majority of the local community who use the clinic speak only Spanish. “Developing confidence in the language from the base I already had, is a skill that I have not taken for granted,” he says.

Describing his work there, Ben says, “Overpopulation of cats and dogs has brought huge challenges to the serenity of the Galápagos islands. Not only do these animals start to interfere and challenge the local endemic wildlife but they unfortunately are not all clear of infectious diseases such as Distemper, Parvovirus, and Ehrlichia (Tick Fever), which can also pose great risks to the wildlife.”

Every four to six weeks, Ben says the team would pack the veterinary clinic up and move to another of the inhabited islands to conduct a sterilization

campaign of dogs and cats over an intense three-day period. “As a clinic, we would also treat a huge range of cases from infectious diseases to emergency cases such as broken limbs and open trauma from car accidents. Of course, we are limited in the diagnostics available and at our disposal, which means that clinical decision-making in many of our ill patients is much more based on intuition and experience.

Having worked in a full emergency mixed-discipline clinic previously for almost three years, with a huge team and access to diagnostic equipment that many other clinics do not have the luxury of having access to such as a CT machine, I was able to build the confidence and competence in my veterinary emergency medicine and advanced surgical skills. Nonetheless you never stop learning in this profession and I have certainly had plenty of situations and cases that I had never been exposed to before, nor that I thought I would ever be, and these have been invaluable.”

Any contact with the endemic wildlife is strictly illegal, in an effort to reduce

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Ben in his surgery at Darwin Animals Doctors, Puerto Ayora, Galápagos

human interference in nature. However, Ben has had the fortunate opportunity to be called to help the National Park when they have needed extra vets. He says, “I have had the chance to treat sea lions, Giant Galápagos tortoises and pelicans at various times during my stay here; a very memorable opportunity that I treasure.”

Developing management skills in a fast-paced clinic with an ever-changing team of volunteers has also been very valuable exposure in terms of leadership, he says. “We have had many students and veterinary volunteers with us on a short-term basis, meaning our team was transient in both individuals and their skillset. This has been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding parts of my experience. I have met such a vast range of people from all different corners of the globe, coming to one location for the same reason—to give back.”

After 11 years spent at UWCSEA, arriving in Grade 2 and leaving after graduating from Grade 12, Ben completed five years of veterinary studies at Bristol University. When asked what inspired his interest in this field, he said “I felt that the career would provide me with the opportunity to work practically within science and would combine a love for working with animals and pursuing my interest in the medical field, leaving many doors open to me.”

Referring to his current experience, Ben says, “The work has been incredibly rewarding and I have loved every minute of it. I feel there is a need now and arguably a responsibility to reach out to the larger community to bring awareness not only of the fantastic work that has been achieved thus far and the work that we want to achieve, but also about the challenges that the Galápagos animals face.”

In answer to what his near-future plans are, Ben replied that currently his plans all involve the Galápagos.

“The importance of this project being restarted is paramount to the islands and the need for veterinary healthcare.”

Ben will be the Managing Director of the new veterinary NGO clinic in the Galápagos under the name Galapagos Animal Doctors (GAD), with, he says, “a host of support from those who have been part of the previous project and those who recognise the importance of veterinary healthcare and sterilization programs.”

Part of his immediate plans include launching news of their veterinary work online and on social media. “These NGOs and their projects around the world are incredibly important, and I would love to give the people involved more recognition and support for their work.”

If you would like to reach out to Ben about their exciting plans for the Galápagos, be involved, or support in any way, he is contactable at benh@novaGalapagos.org. Alternatively, he will be keeping us all updated via his Instagram page @bovhowitt.

Ben outside the Darwin Animal Doctors clinic, Puerto Ayora, Galápagos

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“You never stop learning … and I have certainly had plenty of situations and cases that I had never been exposed to before, nor that I thought I would ever be, and these have been invaluable.”

Diversity: different for everyone “An individual has not started living until they can rise above the narrow confines of their individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

Martin Luther King Jr

By Elizabeth Bray, Head of Dover Campus and Erin Robinson, Middle School Principal, East Campus Martin Luther King Jr’s quote sits very comfortably within our community-wide conversation about why we value diversity at UWCSEA and we would be foolhardy to ignore important lessons from the past. The diversity of our community is most definitely one of our greatest sources of strength. Around the world, it is not difficult to find communities struggling with the fear and uncertainty of embracing difference versus the illusion of security found by closing the door and protecting the known.

Kurt Hahn’s vision for UWC recognised the power of an educational system that deliberately brought different people together for a shared purpose. At UWCSEA we welcome and embrace the beauty of our differences because we know that peace and sustainability will only be achieved through the combined strengths and differences of many. Recently, we have asked ourselves hard questions about the ‘look, sound and feel’ of diversity and inclusion on our campuses.

UWCSEA is unique in the world of international school education because we consciously cultivate a diverse student body through our K–12 day students, residential boarders and scholars. In an international school setting, many students will learn how to navigate cultural differences as their social skills develop. However, it is not enough to leave the development of intercultural competency to chance. Supporting students to better understand their identity and the role that cultural differences play in relationships and building strong communities are key themes in our Personal and Social Education (PSE) curriculum. You also see intercultural learning in our Service learning and programmes such as the Initiative for Peace (IfP). A core standard of our membership within the Council for International Schools (CIS) requires us to ensure that our Guiding Statements “endorse the school’s commitment to developing intercultural learning” and from the perspective of the CIS accreditation process, UWCSEA is in many ways a model for embracing diversity.

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And yet we know that there is more to do.

Our mission compels us to strive for intentional and deep intercultural skill building. In turn, this drives our aspiration to have inclusive and equitable organisational learning environments and operational systems. It is because of this, the UWCSEA Strategy highlights diversity and inclusion as a strategic area of focus. As we began to explore how we might support diversity to flourish throughout UWCSEA in the future, our starting point was to engage with the members of our community to learn more about what aspects of diversity matter to them. The ‘world café’ process at the end of Term 2 this year created an opportunity for students, staff, school leaders, parents, governors and alumni to share ideas and contribute to outcomes of an Action for Diversity strategic plan. Structured dialogue provides the means to elicit deep conversation that is important at both an individual level and a collective level. It also allows the participants to deepen their understanding of one another’s perspectives.

What emerged from the two world café’s was fascinating, demonstrating first and foremost that diversity is valued by our community. Through dialogue, it was clear that diversity is complex. While one might initially think that an international school would focus on visual diversity such as nationality, race and gender, our community extends the thinking to embrace notions of cognitive, ability, language, political diversity and so on. Several of our boarding students also pointed to the differences in experience between day students who may have grown up as ‘Third Culture Kids’ (TCKs) and scholars whose childhoods are firmly rooted in their family’s culture. Our scholars are selected in part because of their ability to contribute to cultural diversity but their cultural identity is different from our TCKs in ways that may not be immediately obvious. This adds to the intricate tapestry of student diversity at UWCSEA. More than once we heard the comment “it’s not about ticking a box” made with reference to the concept of diversity. It is clear that the community values these conversations and the opportunity to explore these ideas through dialogue, with a view to addressing bias and uncovering unconscious bias.

There have been numerous requests to hold more world cafés and to further explore and develop opportunities in which our entire community can learn together. Conversation and making meaning together is also a powerful vehicle to raise awareness and push towards a greater understanding of one another.

this further in the next steps of our project. In Term 3 of last year, parents were invited to complete a community survey that included diversity-focused questions. A similar survey will go to staff and students early in this academic year. We expect that this will be followed by focus groups and additional community outreach. We are also engaging with experts in the field, both in education and non-educational sectors. Based on this work, we will develop an action plan.

The peace and sustainability of our planet has always needed communities operating with a high degree of intercultural competence. With hindsight, all educational organisations should have been prioritising these skills and understandings at least as much as—if not more than—other educational priorities. Intentionally infusing intercultural competence throughout our school culture as well as into the individual actions of our students, staff and wider community is well within our grasp—one action at a time. Diversity has always been a part of the UWC journey and we’re thrilled that through a strategic focus our community will have the opportunity to deepen our individual and collective understanding of the power of differences.

We would love to have input from our alumni community. If you are willing to participate, please visit http://bit.ly/alumnidiversitysurvey or scan the QR code to fill out the brief survey.

We know that diversity and inclusion are intertwined in the minds and hearts of our community, and we hope to explore

“The peace and sustainability of our planet has always needed communities operating with a high degree of intercultural competence.”

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CONSERVING OUR RAINFORESTS AND OUR PLANET Dr Dzaeman B. Dzulkifli ’04

Dr Dzaeman Dzulkifli is the Executive Director of the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC) in Malaysia, a nongovernmental organization whose mission is to safeguard and halt the loss of plant species in Malaysia.

“At TRCRC, we do this through our conservation sites called Tropical Rainforest Living Collections, which are located in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Perak. We safeguard our forests’ most endangered tree species and develop both off-site and on-site conservation strategies within the landscapes where they occur. We align ourselves with emerging restoration needs in the region, ranging from national plans such as the Central Forest Spine (CFS) and Heart of Borneo initiatives, to working with corporates with large land banks where some of these species occur, as well as private landowners and townships,” he says.

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TRCRC’s expertise is in forest restoration, where they work on different landscapes with partner organisations. The NGO is currently the secretariat of the MYCFS consortium, which consists of various NGOs working on issues related to forest fragmentation and connectivity in peninsular Malaysia.

Dr Dzulkifli is also a committee member of Malaysian Environmental NGOs (MENGO), an association of various NGOs tackling a wide range of environmental issues. Within the region, TRCRC is part of the South East Asian Botanical Garden network, a programme managed by Botanical Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). “We play an active role in capacity building throughout South East Asia’s botanical gardens in terms of their conservation efforts. We are also about to embark on a partnership with the World Resources Institute Indonesia

“We will have a better world when humans and the environment we live in can better co-exist.” and IDH Indonesia, the sustainable trade initiative, to develop a mechanism to better manage peatlands in order to reduce trans-boundary haze issues throughout the region,” he added.

A typical day for him can include the development of new conservation initiatives with various State governments, to being out in the field searching for and collecting endangered tree species. He does this in addition to dealing with the usual email management and administrative duties of running an organisation of 50 staff.

When asked if he feels that he and TRCRC are making a difference, he says, “Our collections hold a wealth of endangered species of trees that we have painstakingly cultivated from their ever-diminishing populations.

We are safeguarding and increasing these populations every year along with developing ways of reintroducing them back into the wild. Each and every programme will benefit our forested landscapes and we constantly look for mechanisms to expand them. All of our time spent at TRCRC takes us one step closer to achieving our goals. I have a great team that is very committed to the tasks ahead and this is what drives our organisation and the successes we have achieved together.”

Maintaining his relationship with UWCSEA over the years since, he has met with its Director of Sustainability to discuss possible joint projects, and has given groups of Grade 11 students the opportunity to become involved in the work that the TRCRC does in Sabah, for their Project Week.

“We are ever so grateful to have UWCSEA students come and experience directly what it takes to restore forests,” he says. “Schools play a major role in a person’s life, and the things we learn from school will determine how we live life. UWC can and should be an example of how we can live and learn sustainably in each and every way possible from the carbon footprint of the campus all the way to sourcing the most sustainable food, to even being a zero-waste facility.

One of the most direct ways it can work towards being a carbon neutral school can be offsetting its emissions with initiatives that sequester carbon, such as forest restoration initiatives.”

UWCSEA is constantly looking at the role it can play in sustainability. Some of the initiatives it has introduced include energy efficient air conditioning systems, rainwater collection and re-use for irrigation and toilet flushing, solar panels, vertical wall gardens, automatic lighting, the banning of tetra-packs and disposable plastics on campus, zero-waste through converting food waste and used cooking oil to biofuel, the planting and nurturing of rainforest trees on campus, and more.

Dzaeman’s interest in rainforest conservation comes from many

different places. “I had a family that always exposed me to the great outdoors from a young age. As I was growing up in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, I was always exposed to the wilderness. Biology and Geography were two of my favourite classes at UWCSEA, not just because of the subject, but also the enthusiasm of the teachers. Going out and learning practical application during field trips was one of the best experiences I’ve had. From then I decided I wanted to pursue a career that would safeguard our natural environment. In addition, my peers came from many different backgrounds and were interested in many global topics. Seeing them pursue their dreams gave me the push to do it myself. The whole experience of being in an environment such as UWCSEA gave me the confidence to follow my dreams,” he said.

His message to young people now is straightforward. “It has often been difficult to find a career that has a positive impact in the world and that you are able to sustain yourself in, but there are social enterprises out there and corporations with positive social impact that are gaining momentum around the world. You just have to look for them. If you can’t find one that supports your cause, you might want to consider starting one up yourself.

We will have a better world when humans and the environment we live in can better coexist; when we ensure that our activities on this planet are as sustainable as possible. We have only this planet, and its resources are finite.

We need to save ourselves—the planet will carry on, and it will do so without us if we don’t adapt to changing times.”

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Arriving at UWCSEA as a Boarder, Dzaeman lived first in Mahindra House and then Senior House. In Grade 11 he moved to the Jakarta International School where he completed his final two years. He says, “Struggling with dyslexia, my parents decided to move me to Indonesia where they were based, so that I could get the support I needed from my family. This move worked wonders, as it helped me focus better

on my preferred learning style, which is more visual and tactile.” Dzaeman then went on to complete an undergraduate degree in 2007 and a PhD in 2014.

GRADUATION 2019 The world beyond UWC isn’t something to fear, because we must remember that it is our actions that shaped our atmosphere. We worked to create this reality, which means we have the ability to do it again, to extend this bubble beyond 1207 Dover Road. So as you go forward in your life, even if you are scared, even if you’re not sure, because none of us truly are, do not let the expectations you set for yourself hinder you from taking risks. I hope we remember that each of us have something to offer."

Teddy Diallo '19 and Ritika Purbey '19 Class speakers, Dover Campus

Societies can only be truly prosperous, stable and peaceful if they include everyone. As citizens, we have rights, but we also have obligations, and you know this because you have had the privilege of learning and living in a multicultural diversity that promotes understanding and tolerance. Please keep this alive. It is one of UWC’s most precious gifts, and each of you can make a difference."

Pascale Moreau '79 Director of the Bureau for Europe of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Dover Graduation guest speaker

When I think of our legacy, I can’t think of a better way to set an example for future grades than the way we did: together. It highlighted how far we've come and showed our exemplary levels of cohesion. The journeys we take and the memories we forge are immeasurably better when we have others to share it with. I would urge you all to carry on the spirit of cohesion that we have cultivated."

Adhwaith Neralla '19 Class speaker, East Campus

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Whether you are a novelist, a filmmaker, a baker, or a data scientist, it’s all about creative problem-solving. It is a common mission. In all this, what I’ve realised is that to believe, to care, to pursue with conviction together, is what strings together meaningful moments in one’s life. I’m really excited for your future today. I’m excited for my future because you are going to be the leaders in it."

Ayesha Khanna CEO, ADDO AI, Founder of 21C Girls, East Campus parent and East Graduation guest speaker

Year in review A sample of life on our campuses during the 2018/2019 academic year.

Uniting Nations Day

The primary school infants of the college came together in December to showcase the diversity of the music programme.

A day to celebrate cultural integration in the community brought students, teachers and parents together. Through this experience, Junior School students gained a sense of appreciation for foreign languages as well as open-mindedness towards pursuing new things.

Solar for East Earlier this year, a dedicated team of Grade 10 students installed solar panels at UWCSEA East. The students went through rigorous planning for two-years that led to the installation of these panels. They emphasised elements of the UWCSEA profile through showing resilience and creativity, leading to the success of the project. The learning that came through the project was incredibly meaningful to the students, as was the impact it had on campus!

Diving in to Boarding

AIDA

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Once in two years, Drama and Music departments collaborate to create an arts production at East Campus. This year’s production, AIDA, was staged in four soldout performances and made up of 78 students. AIDA tells a gripping story and sits against the backdrop of a raging war.

The students brought AIDA’s characters to life through embarking on a journey for several months, embracing new challenges and exploring their capabilities.

Start to Swim Is a learn-to-swim programme comprising of students from the Dover Boarding House. This initiative was started by a Senior Houseparent at the Boarding House and several peer coaches. It gave new boarders the opportunity to be immersed in the joy of swimming and to build stronger relationships between peers.

SHEHACKS 1.0

SheHacks, a platform for female students to embrace opportunities in technology, was founded by a Dover High School student. She hoped to change the negativity surrounding female success in the field and worked alongside IDEAS Hub and four other students to design an all-female hackathon. Over 90 students islandwide participated in the event, making it a success. The students found the most exciting outcome was the creation of a strong female coding community at UWCSEA. This unique team hopes to work on bigger projects in the future!

Supporting the migrant worker community

In December, the youngsters of the college had the opportunity to focus on the heart of the UWC values, encouraging compassion, by giving back.

Prompted through the social initiative ‘It’s Raining Raincoats’, the UWC community donated Christmas gifts to migrant workers. What the students learned through the experience was best summed up by what one student said: “It was only a small thing that we did, but I think it made a big difference”.

Guests from HCA Hospice get UWCSEA experience

On 10 May, 18 guests from HCA Hospice Care were taken on a customised wheelchair-friendly Sustainability Tour of Dover Campus organised by UWCSEA parent volunteer group PACE (Parents’ Action for Community and Education).

The guests were serenaded by the Junior School student singers and soloists, participated in a string-art activity, learned about UWCSEA’s sustainability mission and actions and exchanged stories with students.

OECD Education 2030 Project

East Campus celebrates 10 Year Anniversary

UN Night – Dover Campus, CultuRama – East Campus

The East Campus of UWCSEA was established just 10 years ago and now lies in the heart of one of the fastest growing hubs in Singapore.

This milestone anniversary invited students and faculty to celebrate the achievements of the past 10 years through a series of events and decorations around campus.

Every year, both campuses celebrate the diversity of their community through a day-long showcase of cultural dress, food and dance. Students embrace their national costume during the day and in the evening, showcase their international culture at a lively dance show featuring dances from around the world and a number of international food stalls for the whole UWCSEA community to enjoy.

At the end of Term 2 in 2018/2019, 80 Grade 8 students travelled to Cambodia to build 40 houses in the Prey Veng and Svay Rieng Province for Tabitha, a Global Concern. This trip has taken place annually for 13 years! 2020 will be it’s 14th year.

To read more visit UWCSEA Perspectives at perspectives.uwcsea.edu.sg

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A Cambodian Journey

With an interest in both the UWC movement and our work with Sky School (a global high school for refugee and displaced youth and a UWCx initiative), the UWCSEA Head of Curriculum Development and Research and the Director of Teaching and Learning East Campus were invited by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), an intergovernmental organisation with 36 member countries that seeks to promote global progress, to share its perspectives across a number of project areas. Working groups were made up of educational leaders from across the globe and a variety of contexts. We found several parallels between OECD aims and those of UWCSEA including the relevance of the UWC mission, our development of student agency and creation of a curriculum that enables transfer of learning.

PURSUING O Model, actress, VJ, DJ Hanli Hoefer ’10 Following 10 years at UWCSEA, from Grade 2 ‘til she graduated in 2010, Hanli Hoefer has gone on to become a model, actress, interviewer and live event MC, MTV Asia host and Singapore Radio DJ. Hanli is of German and Peranakan descent. Her entrepreneurial spirit comes in large part from her parents and older brother—her well-traveled father having founded the travel books Insight Guides, her mother encompassing the roles of fashion editor, stylist, writer and purveyor of organic foods from a farm she owns and manages in Nepal and her brother Hans-sen ’09, also a UWCSEA alum and freelance photographer.

At the age of 20, Hanli was chosen for the magazine cover of Her World and has since appeared on the cover of Nylon, Shape and Seventeen as well. Besides modeling for a number of brands and appearing in a number of YouTube videos including a cooking series called Ktchn Up, Hanli has also repeatedly co-hosted huge live Southeast Asian music nights including MTV World Stage Malaysia and MTV Music Evolution Manila, which have been recorded and played to international audiences world-wide. She has done this as the main presenter and host for MTV Asia, which she joined in 2013. In this role she has also spent much time traveling around the region to interview high profile people including FI drivers, DJ’s and musicians like the Foo Fighters.

Traveling for her job has suited Hanli very well as she has a keen sense of adventure, a love of travel and a joy in trying restaurants and foods that she makes a habit of seeking out wherever she goes. Her travel posts are so popular that her Instagram account currently has over 42,800 followers. Meeting and interviewing people also suits Hanli well. She says, “Attending UWCSEA with its vast culturally and ethnically diverse student body helped to give me the ability to feel comfortable working just about anywhere, with any team and speaking to just about anyone.” She says, “I experience no stress about working or traveling in and between different environments, and as a host and media personality, interviewing and working with other people, there are no cultural barriers—I feel able to talk to anyone.”

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Without dropping any of her other roles, Hanli in 2017 joined the Singapore radio station Power98, starting first with a shared night spot, and then moving on to host her own show, ‘Hanging out with Hanli’. And on top of everything else she does, Hanli debuted in 2018 in her first acting role as a cop in pursuit of a serial killer in the Toggle thriller, Intercept, and is following that up with her second acting role in a programme scheduled to hit television screens in mid-2020. She has also recently begun a new podcast.

In the years since leaving UWCSEA, Hanli has developed friendships with three other UWCSEA alumni who work in the same industry in the same region—Paul Foster ’99, actor, model and host for both live events and tv, and Anita Kapoor ’89, multi disciplinary presenter and speaker, both of whom attended the College in years prior to hers, and Fiona Fussi ’14, a model who attended after her. Hanli says, “Paul and Anita are role models for me in this industry, with the added bonus of having had a similar UWC and TCK (Third Culture Kid) background. I have worked with them on programs around body positivity, empowerment and positive living. Those are the types of values that I too prefer to promote.”

On MTV’s VJ profile of Hanli, her Life Philosophy is listed as: “Always be kind, do what makes you happy, just smile!”

For more information about Hanli and her activities, you can find her @hanlihoefer on Instagram, or visit https://hanlihoefer.com

ONE’S DREAM Women in Aerospace Rukmini (Rikhi) Roy ’16 Rikhi Roy attended UWCSEA for four years, graduating in 2016, having developed a love for Math and Science and a great interest in aerospace.

In 2014, a couple of international events took place that had a profound impact on Rikhi. She says, “While I was in Grade 10, there was a surge in global terrorism and Malaysian Airlines plane MH370 went missing on a routine flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and was never found. Although I could do nothing about the acts of terror that had occurred, I could direct my education toward trying to make a difference in the aerospace industry.”

So Rikhi chose an IB package that included Higher Physics and Math and procured an internship between Grade 11 and 12 with a company that does non-destructive testing on faulty plane parts, using x-ray technology. Having cemented her interest in the aerospace field, Rikhi then applied to, and was accepted by Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in the Aerospace Engineering program. Interestingly, one of the other features of Georgia Tech that drew her to it, was that they had a nationally competitive Indian classical dance team.

Managing a busy schedule was not new to Rikhi. At UWCSEA she had started and led for two years a dance group named ‘Kahaani’ which means ‘story’, showcasing dances from across India. She led CultuRama (East Campus’ version of Dover’s UN Night) also for two years. She was a member of the MUN (Model United Nations) team in 9th grade and the IfP (Initiative for Peace) team in 11th grade, along with a number of other clubs and activities along the way. Again, at Georgia Tech Rikhi immersed herself in everything she could, becoming captain of the competitive dance team, a member of the Design Build Fly Club and the Aerospace Student Advisory Council, managing a wellness blog and carrying out research at the Experimental Aerodynamics and Concepts Lab. In addition, Rikhi continued to volunteer for UN Women Singapore as well.

During her third year at Georgia Tech, Rikhi became a Brooke Owens Fellowship recipient. The fellowship is designed, according to their website ‘to serve both as an inspiration and a career boost to capable young women and other gender minorities who aspire to explore our sky and stars, …’ and it provided Rikhi with an internship at Bryce Space and Technology, working on Aerospace Analytics this past summer.

Rikhi is currently in her final year of university studies. We look forward to hearing what she does next.

Photo top to bottom: Rikhi at Lockheed Martin in D.C in front of their Orion capsule mock-up; Rikhi at a Future Space Leaders event; Rikhi meeting the previous NASA Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan and current Director of the Air and Space Museum; Women in Aerospace Conference that Rikhi organised in Singapore, held at UWCSEA East.

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As part of her application for the fellowship, Rikhi had discussed the need to inspire girls interested in STEM subjects and aerospace, and encourage them to challenge these male-dominated industries. To turn words into action she decided to organise a conference to do just that. Ignoring the voices that told her it was too much to take on by herself, she went ahead and single-handedly organised a very successful event that took place in May 2019 in Singapore, attracting an audience of 70 young students from around the island, and featuring a number of high level female speakers from the aerospace industry including NASA, who skyped in one after the other from the US, as well as female UWCSEA alumni who had recently entered the industry and spoke about their experience, and local speakers from Microsoft and Women in Aviation.

A PHENOMENAL LOVE FOR THE PLANET Katherine Short ’90 A lifelong nature lover, I am now a passionate marine conservationist. I was one of the few lucky students in my graduating class to go through the whole seven incredible years at UWCSEA. Since completing the IB Diploma, I have done a Bachelor of Ecology at Victoria University of Wellington and Master of Conservation Science at Imperial College London.

I worked with WWF, the conservation organisation for nearly 17 years globally to grow healthy and well-managed fisheries.

Returning home to New Zealand in 2011, I created and now

own F.L.O.W. Collaborative (Fisheries.Livelihoods.Oceans.Wellbeing) Ltd as well as co-own Terra Moana Ltd. My key inspiration for being a professional conservationist is my inherent love of nature. Ecology was a legitimate ‘in’ to that in career terms. Growing up, nature was a big part of my life as in my garden in Singapore, there were big rhinoceros beetles amongst other wondrous tropical wildlife; I dove into tropical waters on the east coast of Malaysia at Pulau Aur, when I was only six years old; David Attenborough was big of course, and my

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“We’re beginning to creep our way back to those wise roots of how to live more lightly on our Earth.”

“A healthy environment supports healthy people and healthy communities.” mother always encouraged my love of nature and that girls can do science, too.

I first met WWF when my class visited Endau Rompin. I remember there was a huge panda on the wall in the forest research camp there because WWF began and ran the national parks in Malaysia for many years. That there was this organisation, caring for the rainforest that I loved in such a practical way, made a massive impression on me when I was 13. I wanted to work for WWF from that moment. It took me another 13 years, but I got there in the end!

Since leaving WWF, in the last five years, I’ve been a business owner and partner in a sustainability consultancy called Terra Moana Ltd. It’s called Terra Moana to deliberately illustrate how we combine earth and sea, and Western and Polynesian paradigms in our sustainability consulting. We are very fortunate to be sustainability advisors to the largest Māori-owned seafood company, Moana New Zealand. We also have other projects and contracts on fisheries’ and oceans’ sustainability and health in New Zealand and around the world.

Day to day, this job includes running projects for Moana, for example, we are doing an ecosystem service review of their oyster operation and its catchment in the far north of New Zealand this year. I’m also the secretary of the sustainability team, so it’s everything from day-to-day implementation to the strategic planning and design of the sustainability strategy.

Moana’s sustainability strategy encompasses all of its business and operations to identify and progress ongoing improvements that can be made to treat the Earth more lightly as well as working across the bigger picture issues through careful conversations with Māori, civil society and the government.

The most impactful UWCSEA learning experience for me is epitomised in just one event. I learnt self-reliance. We were up in the Himalayas when I was 15 and I got very, very sick from the altitude. The healthy ones were walking in front and the walking wounded were plodding on behind. I was put on a pony, and at the top of the pass, the guide said, "Alright, you can walk now!" They told me to follow the footprints in the snow. Before I knew it, I was up at 16,000 feet, alone, doing just that, following footprints in the snow. I had no other choice but to do so. It was an incredible test of resilience and courage. It’s so clear in my memory, I’ll never forget it.

me that peace and international understanding are necessary and possible, and how to live that way. It gave me a strong educational foundation and a phenomenal love for the planet.

I am thankful to Mr Gibby who took us on adventures and taught us biology, to Julia Hodgetts who taught me History and Ms Meisel who inspired a lifelong interest in her ceramics class.

All have shaped who I have become; I still do pottery as a hobby and it is a great joy. I’m really rather good, having started at age 11!

While UWCSEA helped to fan my interest in a career in conservation, it was also instrumental in shaping my view of a better world, which is one where people understand that caring for the planet and caring for themselves are intertwined; that our healing is inter-dependent and where everyone has access to the peace and tranquillity of nature regularly in their lives. While at the time I attended UWCSEA we weren’t exposed to thinking or discussion around gender and personal relationship choices, it did encourage us to examine the world with a mind primed to be open which helped me onto the path I have followed. I find myself now in a place where, following a 25-year journey through wonderful partnerships with some wonderful women, I understand that the human condition is to heal. Heal our relationships with ourselves, heal our relationships with each other and heal our relationships with those we share the planet with, so that the planet can heal too. And that all of that is a virtuous circle of regeneration, love and, ultimately, peace. I am now a huge fan and proponent of Māori healing approaches.

The better, more sustainable world that the UWC mission aspires to help create is well encapsulated in the WWF mission, “People living in harmony with Nature.” I spent nearly 17 years working for WWF with this ambition in mind. There is a growing body of scientific proof of why and how a healthy environment supports healthy people and healthy communities, and how people caring for the environment helps them and the environment. These intertwined elements are things that indigenous people the world over have known for eons, including indigenous European societies. We’re beginning to creep our way back to those wise roots of how to live more lightly on our Earth. We’re beginning to feel that doing so helps us help ourselves too.

I am honoured to have recently been appointed WWFNZs first Trustee-in-Training, which will enable me to give back to the organisation that’s given me so much.

Studying at UWCSEA had a profound effect on me, shaping me for the seven years I attended and my life ever after. It taught December 2019 OneºNorth 19

Promoting environmental sustainability at UWCSEA Nathan Hunt, Former UWCSEA Teacher and Director of Sustainability now at UWC Maastricht With a Master’s degree in Geography from Cambridge and a background in environmental policy work, Nathan started his first career in environmental policy research. It was while he was filling some of his spare time as a tour guide for American students visiting the UK however, that Nathan, luckily for UWC discovered his passion for working with students, and made the decision to pursue a teaching career. Not giving up his interest in environmental issues, while pursuing his PGCE in Education he took part in a number of cross-curricular environmental studies and wrote a research paper on that subject.

Nathan first taught at UWCSEA from 2002 to 2006, and again from 2009 until 2019. He left this year after 14 years teaching Geography, Environmental Systems and becoming Head of TOK (Theory of Knowledge) and subsequently, Director of Sustainability.

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Arriving back at UWCSEA in 2009 after achieving a MSc in Sustainable Agriculture from Imperial College London, Nathan immediately began bringing his interest in environmental sustainability into his teaching of Geography, TOK and environmental systems. Over the next few years, more and more students and teachers across both campuses were becoming interested in starting environmental projects, and it became clear that coordination across the College as a whole in this area was needed. So, supported by a donation to the UWCSEA Foundation, an Environmental Stewardship position was created and Nathan was appointed to head up that role.

Students throughout the whole learning program have the opportunity to work in this area. Some of the work supports the academic program so students studying Biology and Environmental Systems for instance can carry out work in the Rainforest Nursery or be involved in waste management projects. Nathan has supervised several extended essays based on sustainability subjects and the number he says, is growing each year. Through the service programme, students are involved in a number of groups with environmental themes, Outdoor Education includes sustainability themes and the PSE programme provides opportunities to get actively involved in this area as well.

The Rainforest Restoration Project has been one of Nathan’s major initiatives. He says, “It’s a passion project of mine and I have done a lot of learning on the job. We are working increasingly with National Parks, Botanic Gardens, getting students involved on campus, getting other members of the community involved in tree planting and more importantly, learning about the trees and looking after and raising the trees.

Most of our planting materials are provided by the Singapore Botanic Gardens and National Parks. Their director goes about the Southeast Asia region rescuing trees from forests being cut down, and we have become basically a satellite nursery of theirs.

They are trying to involve other schools too, so we can save a lot more trees, doing ex-situ conservation [outside the forest].

We work with Yale NUS and NUS also, and one of our students has just written an extended essay supervised by a NUS lecturer,

http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals

“10 years is going to go quickly. Our current Grade 2 students will graduate in 2030 and by that time we are meant to have solved climate change, poverty, hunger, peace … I think people understand the urgency and hopefully that will catalyse action.” which may hopefully be published. Biodiversity loss in our region tied to climate change is devastating—we are losing the forests.

Trying to stress that in a way that allows kids to get involved is really crucial. Twenty trees were planted just this week by 20 classes of students.”

In addition, Nathan has developed formal certification in tropical forest restoration for those students most interested and involved, “in the same way that students can achieve formal certification in social entrepreneurship through the IDEAS Hub.” Another big sustainability initiative that Nathan and students have worked on is zero waste in the canteen. “LEAF GC (Global Concern), Middle School Environmental groups and parent groups have worked with Sodexo over eight years to gradually reduce single use plastics and start a composting project which has really taken off. Because of the size of UWCSEA, we make a difference. Other schools contact us to understand what we are doing in this area, to learn from us.”

Along with working with current students, parents, staff, and community partners, Nathan also involves UWCSEA alumni. He says, “Being in touch with alumni involved in sustainability some of whom come back to the college to get involved, and finding out what they are doing is very interesting. Two groups from East Campus just went out to Sabah to work with Dzaeman’s project this year [Dr Dzaeman Dzulkifli ’04 is the Executive Director of the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre,

TRCRC in Malaysia] and we are hoping to do another long-term carbon offsetting project with him as well. It’s great to have that expertise. So many amazing and important things are happening in the region—it’s hard to leave because of that.”

But leave he is—unfortunately for UWCSEA, but not for the movement, as he is moving to UWC Maastricht. He says, “I am so happy to stay within UWC. Other schools are good international schools, but to work with this mission is a privilege.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were launched in 2015 and that is the better world we are aiming for—we all need to step up our role. Not everyone has to do biodiversity conservation or zero waste or sustainability—you need to work out where you can use what you are good at, to meet the needs of the world—and the needs of the world are clearly expressed in the UN SDGs. Everyone can touch one of those. You can be a skilled business person who can perhaps unlock the ability to finance the move to renewable energy. There are artists doing fantastic work raising awareness. What I love most is working with kids in nature, so that’s what I’ve done—someone else will come into this role and do something else that will use their skills. When our skills and interests meet the world’s needs, that’s where we can make a difference.”

“10 years is going to go quickly. Our current Grade 2 students will graduate in 2030 and by that time we are meant to have solved climate change, poverty, hunger, peace … I think people understand the urgency and hopefully that will catalyse action.”

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Engineering for social impact

Photo L to R: Pranav Mohan ’15; Pranav with a group of women at Sheroes’ Hangout, Agra, a café run by acid attack survivors, where a menstruation and menstrual cup workshop was held.

Pranav Mohan ’15 In the autumn of 2018, a doctor at the Children’s hospital in Oklahoma reached out to Mechanical Engineering students at the University of Oklahoma to see if they could improve the design of the mouth piece that helps Christopher, an 11 year old boy with a muscle disorder that makes him unable to move his body from the neck down, to manoeuvre his wheelchair.

Four students, including Pranav Mohan volunteered and worked almost 200 hours, creating and adapting tools for the boy’s wheelchair. Pranav says, “When we met Christopher, we realised that we could do a lot more than just improve the mouthpiece. We together decided that we needed to improve his independence, increase his mobility, enjoyment, convenience and performance, reduce perceived effort and lesson his pain.”

This included providing a laptop with voice command and eye movement tracking to help him do his homework and a new Xbox controller equipped with special sensors that allow him to use his mouth and breath. Pranav says, “He can be a little bit more independent now, which builds his confidence also, and it’s easier for him to have some fun too.”

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Pranav worked on this life-changing project while completing his Mechanical Engineering degree, serving on the Dean’s Leadership Council for the College of Engineering, acting as Math Tutor, VP of the Robotics Club, Research Assistant at the Systems Realization Laboratory and student assistant in both the Davis UWC Scholars Program office and Bizzell Memorial Library.

Also while pursuing his undergraduate degree, Pranav, along with two other students received a Davis Projects for Peace grant for their proposal to better the lives of women in rural India by improving the way they manage their menstruation.

Pranav says, “We reached out to over 800 women through our menstruation workshops to help break the stigma and taboos attached to menstruation, as well as to educate them against the potential harm of various menstrual management techniques. We also gave out sustainable menstrual cups, which eliminate disposal issues, are more comfortable and affordable over time, and contribute to the empowerment of women by freeing them up.” After the workshops were completed, Pranav and the team then conducted a fivemonth-long usability test around the use of the cup. What they found from a sample of about 200 of the women, was that 50% said it is now easier to talk about menstruation and 81% had convinced one or more women to try the cup; 89% reported relating bad odour to their menstruation before trying the cup, while after trying it, 98% reported to have no odour issues; and finally while 30% of the women reported being environmentally conscious before the workshops, the number rose to 92% afterwards. Pranav says, “In many cases it was heart-wrenching to hear what some rural women in India face growing up, with few resources to learn from, and I feel overjoyed that a programme we started out fairly naively

“We need more philanthropy; we need to provide more support to underprivileged people. The idea is not to give them answers, but to focus on the technique to get to the answers.”

Photo L to R: Group photo in Gargaon Sitapur, at a menstruation and menstrual cup workshop. Over 50 women from several different rural villages attended to learn and then disperse the information to other women in their communities. Many workshops like this were held around North India; Pranav explaining to Christopher the myriad opportunities that can make him independent.

has led to this positive change for so many women.” Pranav has since co-founded a company called Menstrual Mates that is working to create an interactive and global menstruation education book in addition to manufacturing menstrual cups.

Pranav’s values come to him from many parts of his background and upbringing, including his family, his personal experiences and his involvement with the Davis UWC scholarship programme. He says, “We need more philanthropy; we need to provide more support to underprivileged people.

The idea is not to give them answers, but to focus on the technique to get to the answers.”

Over his four years at the University of Oklahoma on a Davis UWC Scholarship, Pranav received a number of prestigious awards including First place in Mechanical Engineering Capstone in Prototyping and Manufacturing, Dr John E. Fagan Creativity and Innovation Award for the Gallogly College of Engineering, Letzeiser Award for good citizenship and achievement, Big Man on Campus Award for outstanding leadership, service and commitment, Outstanding Sophomore in Mechanical Engineering, Rita H. Lottinville Outstanding Freshman Award, Distinguished Honors Research Award and NSF Design Essay Competition Winner.

At UWCSEA, it was clear that Pranav would go on to do great things. His former UWCSEA Higher Level IB Physics teacher Andrew Ware says, “Pranav is not only a brilliant young man but a memorable character in so many ways. He is one of the most endearing, talented and unique students I have had the pleasure to teach in my last eight years at East Campus. Pranav openly speaks from the heart and his curiosity and expressive passion for Physics was an inspiration for his peers. I am smiling now, thinking about his time in my class.”

Currently in the first year of his PhD programme at Purdue University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he is developing computational fluid dynamics schemes towards the enhancement of current medical lithotripsy procedures, Pranav says, “In my perspective, walking towards a defined target should be everyone’s goal, keeping in mind that while things don’t go as planned, still the target should remain unchanged.”

We wish Pranav all the best in his PhD goals and his targeted quest to improve the lives of others and make the world a better place.

To view a video of the Menstruation Project visit www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YnNuDZyWWVQ&t=4s or scan the QR code.

“OU students, doctor go above and beyond to create tools for boy born with muscle disorder,” KOCO 5 News.

This is my MENSTRUAL CUP/ ये मे र ा माहवार ी कप है

December 2019 OneºNorth 23

To view a video of Pranav’s project with Christopher visit www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=GiFN6VRSm3I&feature=youtu.be or scan the QR code.

The power of collective giving: making Alumni support is making all the difference. In 2018/2019 thanks to generous support from the alumni community, we were able to open the doors to more scholars, build and grow our sustainability projects and welcome additional refugees and Internally Displaced Person scholars to UWC campuses worldwide. Read below just a few of the wonderful stories about how alumni giving is impacting life at the College and advancing the UWC mission globally.

Transforming the lives of students of incredible potential The Lizanne ’83 and Robert A. Milton ’78 Endowed Scholarship Fund

KBZ Scholarship awarded to the second recipient

Zhuldyz, Kazakhstan

Wera, Myanmar

Lizanne ’83 and Robert A. Milton ’78 created UWCSEA’s first Endowed Scholarship Fund in 2011. Now into its eighth year, five talented students have benefitted from the gift of a UWCSEA scholarship.

Lizanne and Robert’s current scholar, Zhuldyz ’21, from Kazakhstan, has just started Grade 11: “UWCSEA is a valuable experience in my life which will open me up to new horizons, not only new academic possibilities, but also a more wellrounded vision of the world. Here I am going to learn not only to celebrate diversity but also all the meanings of the word diversity; turning differences into strengths; combining differences to turn them into something really great.”

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Previous recipients of the Lizanne and Robert A. Milton UWCSEA Endowed Scholarship Fund have gone on to exciting further studies.

Through KBZ Bank, alumni sisters Nang Lang Kham (Nang) ’07, Nang Kham Noung (Marlene) ’09 and Nang Mo Hom (Tracy) ’14, co-created a scholarship programme supporting lessprivileged students from Myanmar. Their second scholar joined UWCSEA in August. He comes from a small town in Myanmar, about three hours away from the Thai border and is passionate about Computer Science. He says “I have never seen such a huge school with a beautiful campus with the best facilities.

The teachers are so amazing and they are really helpful and kind. Here at UWCSEA, every class is based on discussion and it really helps improve my learning. I am very grateful that I had been given a scholarship for UWCSEA.” With the support of the sisters, he is thriving at the College and we can’t wait to see what the future brings for this young man as he returns to his community imbued with the UWC values of positive change.

Thank you to all the alumni who have so generously given their time, treasure and talent. Your generous support is making dreams come true across the College every day and helping to advance the UWC mission.

100% of gifts are invested back into the UWC experience, learn more at www.uwcsea.edu.sg/supportus

dreams come true

Class of ’86 giving brings Iraqi refugee scholar to study at UWC Mostar

Mikael and Luuk Summits for Scholarships

Baraa, Iraqi refugee

Mikael Morn ‘92 and current student Luuk, Netherlands

Impassioned alum and Foundation Leadership Council trustee, Tord Stallvik ’86, kickstarted a class-wide fundraising drive to fund a UWC refugee scholarship. Tord worked tirelessly to whip up enthusiasm amongst his classmates and we are thrilled to announce that scholar Baraa started Grade 11 at UWC Mostar in August.

Nothing will stop alumni and Foundation Leadership Council trustee, Mikael Mörn ’92, from climbing to new heights to bring another scholar to UWCSEA! This August, Mikael and current UWCSEA scholar, Luuk, braved sub-zero temperatures and pushed themselves to the absolute ends of their mental and physical limits to climb mighty Pik Lenin (7,134m) on the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, all to raise funds for another scholar to join the College.

Baraa grew up in Mosul and was forced to flee to Baghdad when Mosul came under ISIS occupation. She says: “My life before UWC was studying while looking through the window.

After coming here to UWC, I now realise that I can take my books with me and go to see what is behind those windows.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.”

Learn more about these passionate changemakers and help ensure their incredible efforts do indeed manifest into the truly lifechanging opportunity of a UWC education for a young person in 2020.

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In the past, the Class of ’78 has also rallied to give to a scholarship, and now, thanks to Tord’s passion and singular vision, the Class of ’86 is the first class to create a refugee scholarship through The UWC Refugee Initiative—what an impressive achievement. Thank you Tord!

Their ascent story is the stuff of true explorers, tests of incredible mental and physical fitness that are truly impossible to imagine and for most people to even contemplate. And after long days of treacherous climbing, from the top of the mountain, they issued a rallying call to the UWCSEA community to come together and raise funds to bring a young person from the region to UWCSEA. Their campaign is one-third of the way to reaching its goal and is still open for donations.

London Finance event and panel (November ’18)

Hong Kong (November ’18)

Dover Alumni University Advice Day (December ’18)

London young alumni (2014–2018) (November ’18)

East Alumni University Advice Day (January ’19)

Kuala Lumpur (January ’19)

Seoul (January ’19)

East Alumni Careers Week (January ’19)

RECENT ALUMNI EVENTS around the globe

Dover Alumni Careers Week (January ’19)

Dubai (February ’19)

New York (March ’19)

London (March ’19)

Brisbane (April ’19)

Bangkok (May ’19)

Jakarta (May ’18)

Dover Alumni University Advice Day (June ’19)

REUNION 2019 celebrated the Classes of 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999 and 2009 in August

Reunion 2019

Reunion 2020

Over the weekend of 23–25 August 2019, 335 alumni and guests from the Classes of ’74, ’79, ’84, ’89, ’94, ’99 and ’09 from 38 countries around the world gathered in Singapore to celebrate their milestone anniversary. The energy and excitement of alumni meeting old friends and classmates over reunion weekend was palpable.

Singapore 21–23 August

The reunion weekend 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 a young student of promise from a refugee or internally displaced person status to follow in their footsteps and receive a UWC education.

63%

of Reunion 2019 attendees participated in Reunion Class Giving which supported the UWC Refugee Initiative

Thirteenth annual milestone anniversary reunion weekend, celebrating the classes of 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2010 will take place in Singapore, August 2020.

Join us for a weekend of fun, fond memories and reconnection with friends, old and new.

Registration will open in early 2020.

Upcoming 2020 reunions • Kuala Lumpur January • Seoul February • London February • New York March • Boston March • Jakarta April • Bangkok May

Check the alumni website (alumni.uwcsea.edu.sg) 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

28 OneºNorth December 2019

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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. When you are in Singapore and would like to drop in for a visit and/or tour, we would be more than happy to show you around. Please book ahead by sending a note to alumni@ uwcsea.edu.sg to receive an electronic invitation which will grant you access, or you may register at the Security Post for entry. We hope to see you sometime soon.

Foster’s fashion tip – the UWC OnePeace – spotted at Reunion 2019! Paul Foster ’99

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: uwchub.org

UWCSEA Dover 1207 Dover Road Singapore 139654

UWCSEA East 1 Tampines Street 73 Singapore 528704