The second iteration of the NUS Achievement Awards (NAA), held on 26 October 2024 at the University Cultural Centre, brought together students, alumni and family members to honour and celebrate the stellar contributions of the recipients across the spectrum of student life, an integral aspect of an NUS education.
NAA is the most prestigious and only University-level award recognising the exceptional achievements of student life beyond academics. This year’s awards ceremony showcased the extraordinary talents and dedication of NUS students in six categories: Arts, Community Impact, Competitions (General), Leadership, Sports, and Recognition. The awards honoured 78 recipients and over 560 students for their outstanding contributions in these six categories.
Referring to the NAA as a “cherished tradition”, Guest-of-Honour, NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye, said in his opening address, “This momentous occasion brings us together to honour the remarkable accomplishments of our students. Student life plays a pivotal role in the NUSOne initiative that we have recently embarked on. This holistic approach is designed to foster personal growth and development, equipping our students to become well-rounded individuals who are future-ready.”
“The theme for this year’s Awards, Celebrate Passion, resonates deeply with the spirit of this event, honouring the passion that drives you to excel in each of these diverse areas,” Prof Tan added.
Unveiling of new awards memento
Starting this year, a specially commissioned memento, crafted with sustainability and durability in mind, was given to the award recipients. Presented in two sizes, for individual and group recipients respectively, the versatile porcelain memento was developed over a year-long collaboration between the NUS Office of Student Affairs and the Design Incubation Centre at the College of Design and Engineering.
“NAA celebrates the pinnacle of student success beyond the classroom. This height is reached when students’ passion drives their boundless creativity and strength, where each find their own definition of individual and social impact,” said NUS Dean of Students Associate Professor Ho Han Kiat.
“Therefore, instead of an off-the-shelf trophy, a specially designed memento will help reflect the same spirit in its creation, and one that is built-to-purpose and accomplishes more based on your imagination,” Assoc Prof Ho added.
Fresh focus on the arts and sustainability
Two new categories in the areas of sustainability and the arts were added to NAA this year.
In celebration of the vibrant campus arts scene, the Arts category honours a range of artistic achievements by individual students, co-curricular activities, and hostel groups, reflecting the University’s commitment to fostering an Arts-for-All campus.
Among the arts CCAs, NUS Indian Instrumental Ensemble (IIE) was the most prominent, receiving a total of four group awards, including one Distinction for their production, Desi-Lah: The Rhythm of Home. The music showcase featuring the stories of migrant workers living in Singapore through music from their hometowns, saw the IIE members demonstrating their commitment and hard work by learning new languages and instruments to accurately represent the six different Indian states.
“We are incredibly proud to receive these awards. It is an honour to have our efforts recognised, as it shows that our desire to create meaningful music has resonated with so many,” said Uma Gowri Ramanathan, former President of NUS IIE and Year 4 Sociology undergraduate.
The other new category―the Eco Champions award, recognises student groups that have made significant contributions to environmental sustainability. The inaugural recipients were the NUS Students’ Union, SunNUS and Tembusu College, in recognition of their efforts in encouraging sustainability principles throughout the organisation and implementation of student events.
Community spirit shines bright
A common theme among this year’s Distinction award recipients was care for the community.
NUS Malay Language Society’s Pentas Budaya, a production exploring the social phenomenon of child fostering through dialogues and guidance from Teater Ekamatra, received the Distinction award for Original Artistic Work of the Year. The student-led production creatively incorporated tableaux scenes and live Oud music in their storytelling.
Project Athlead by the NUS Medical Society, which received a Distinction award in the Community Impact category, brought the joy of sports to children from disadvantaged households. By partnering with Beyond Social Services and Singapore Children’s Society, the team members provided the children with wider access to sports such as diverse sports activities and training with coaches.
“Our team felt really passionate about providing unique sporting experiences to kids who may not have had such experiences. I undertook this project because I wanted to work with the Singapore Concert Society branch which works with children in my neighbourhood. We feel absolutely happy and acknowledged with this award from NAA,” said co-team lead Selvaraj Vijayaragavan (Year 4, NUS Medicine)
One of two Distinction Awards for Leadership this year was presented to Year 3 Pharmacy undergraduate Nicolette Koh, who championed community causes and raised awareness for people with disabilities among her peers during her term as President of NUS Enabler.
Nicolette, who was diagnosed with profound hearing loss during childhood, introduced Singapore Sign Language classes taught by deaf instructors to the NUS community. She was also instrumental in rallying support within NUS to field the University’s first contingent at the Purple Parade, a national platform to promote awareness and celebrate the abilities of persons with special needs.
“This award means a lot to me as an inclusive leader who values working alongside peers to ensure each voice is heard and valued. It signifies my commitment to empowering the persons with disabilities community as equals and advocating for the best inclusive practices within our NUS community,” Nicolette said.
Strength and resilience embodied
The spirit of determination and resilience was another theme that resonated amongst award recipients, including Year 4 Architecture undergraduate Eugene Tan, who took home the Distinction award in the Competitions (General) category. On his seventh time competing at The Architecture Drawing Prize 2023, he emerged top in the Digital Category with his winning design. Developed during his final year at NUS, it used an unconventional circular composition of Pedra Branca to convey new understandings of time, ecology, and orientation.
“The award is a recognition of all the hard work and effort that I have put into developing my architecture projects beyond my studies. It is work that is not seen on the transcripts and truly validates the time and effort that I have committed,” Eugene said.
TeamNUS Silat exponent Nurul Irbah Binte Muhammad Razali and swimmer Nicholas Cheong, who received Merit awards for Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year respectively, recalled how they bounced back from significant sports injuries to emerge triumphant in their respective sporting events.
It was an inspiring return to international competition in 2023 for final-year Life Sciences undergraduate Irbah. After a three-year absence from the national team, she represented Singapore at the 2024 ASEAN University Games. Persevering through the pain of an ankle injury sustained during the finals, Irbah emerged victorious to score a hard-fought gold medal. This was her third gold of the year, on top of the two other gold medals she received at the Tertiary Silat Competition, where she was also named Best Female Athlete.
Nicholas, a Year 2 Business student, sustained a wrist injury that required surgery, followed by a period of rest for four months before he could return to training. He bounced back to represent Singapore at the 2024 ASEAN University Games, clinching a silver medal in the 50m breaststroke. His win was especially significant as his elder brother, Christopher Cheong, had also received the same award five years ago.
Togetherness and human connection
Though absent in person due to being on an exchange programme, Distinction award recipient for Performing Arts Student Leader of the Year, Lim Kai Ling (Year 3, College of Humanities and Sciences) still managed to find her way ‘on stage’ not just once, but twice – thanks to the efforts of her teammates from NUS Arts Production Crew (NAPC). In good humour, they created a life-sized standee of her and used it to great effect to accept the award on her behalf, along with the NAPC’s Arts Group of the Year Distinction award.
Visit this page to find out more about the NAA and to view the full list of this year’s recipients.
By NUS Office of Student Affairs
