Alana Goh Peizhen
Class of 2017
Degree: BSocSc major in Sociology
Marketing Executive
Acceset
Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.
I’m currently working at Acceset, a mental health tech start start-up founded by my classmate, a fellow SOSS Alumni. We are building a communication platform that facilitates anonymous text-based conversations, and build an eco-system around linking user needs to relevant social services. Given that we’re a lean team, we take on generalist roles to build the business together. So my work shifts across functions, from business development work (proposal writing, pitch deck preparations, research, etc.) to marketing (content production or curation, social media) or planning internal workflows.
What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?
I have always been interested in understanding how people change, why they do what they do. Sociology was a discipline that provided a different lens to how we can view the world, ask better questions, and understand the social problems that governments and businesses are trying to solve. I chose to do my Social Sciences degree in SMU because I was attracted to the small class sizes, seminar-learning environment instead of lecture-tutorial style. As a quiet and mostly introverted individual, I wanted to throw myself out of the comfort zone as a personal challenge.
How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?
I have always been interested in understanding how people change, why they do what they do. Sociology was a discipline that provided a different lens to how we can view the world, ask better questions, and understand the social problems that governments and businesses are trying to solve. I chose to do my Social Sciences degree in SMU because I was attracted to the small class sizes, seminar-learning environment instead of lecture-tutorial style. As a quiet and mostly introverted individual, I wanted to throw myself out of the comfort zone as a personal challenge.
Do you have any advice for your juniors that are currently in SOSS or for those who are planning to join the SOSS family?
How you wish to approach your degree is highly dependent on the ultimate value you place upon it. Will it be a qualification mainly to serve as a gateway to a well-paying entry-level job? Will it be four years’ worth of experience that allows you to grow in both personal and professional ways?
I will advise with a caveat that this will not work for everyone. What worked for me was picking up modules, in and out of my main discipline (Sociology), that I was really interested to learn about. Enjoy what you would be learning, and make time to explore out of your scope of discipline, as you will never know what opportunities you may chance upon!