A sense of place

-Lo Tien Yin

WARM MEMORIES and enduring ties – that’s what the new NUS Alumni Complex will embody when completed. Dr Tony Tan, Chairman, National Research Foundation who officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony of the complex (8 May), said that the new complex needs to be more than bricks and mortar. “It must be about heartware – relationship building, warm memories and enduring ties of friendship,” he said.

Dr Tan certainly has warm memories of NUS – he was a Physics graduate in 1962 and subsequently joined the University as a lecturer with the Department of Mathematics. He left in 1969 to join the private sector and later, the Government. He returned to serve the University as Vice-Chancellor in 1980 – and for the last 25 years has been associated with NUS in various capacities.

IN THE WORKS: Associate Professor Teo Choo Soo, Director, Office of Alumni Relations (extreme left) at the model of the new Complex with Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Chairman, NUS Board of Trustees (centre) and Dr Shaw Vee Meng, Chairman, Shaw Foundation.

The effort of building an alumni complex bears testimony to the important role which alumni plays, Dr Tan said. NUS President Professor Shih Choon Fong described the significance of the event as a “groundbreaking step towards building a home on campus for our alumni”.

“Some of you may remember that the Office of Alumni Relations used to be located at an annex at Yusof Ishak House before our current Alumni House was opened at the former Kent Ridge Hall. When the Alumni Complex is completed and Alumni House relocates here, we will turn a new page in our efforts to strengthen bonds with our alumni,” said Professor Shih.

HOME ON CAMPUS: Dr Tony Tan, Chairman, National Research Foundation (centre and inset) returns to his alma mater to officiate at the groundbreaking ceremony of the alumni complex. The ceremony was witnessed by many in the NUS community which includes alumni and staff.

Dr Tan was also pleased to note that today, NUS keeps in touch with its 160,000 alumni across the globe – 43 local alumni groups and 13 overseas alumni chapters. The Complex will provide a sense of place for home-coming alumni. It will be a gathering centre for alumni across generations and campuses, said Dr Tan. Above all, it will be a warm, welcoming home on campus, encouraging alumni to return to their roots.

Professor Shih also announced that the Alumni House will be named the Shaw Foundation Alumni House, in recognition of the Shaw Foundation’s generosity in contributing towards the Complex. NUSS, the largest organised alumni group, has also shown strong support for the development as well as contributing to deepening bonds, Professor Shih noted.