Alumni Testimonials

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I work at Tableau, one of the fast growing software firms in the world, as a Product Consultant. In my role, I empower clients across Asia Pacific to develop a data-driven culture and to make more meaningful business decisions. 

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

I was always keen on studying Psychology because I always knew I wanted to help people. I chose SMU over other local universities because of the unique opportunities only available within a nimble and fast-growing environment and because the small class-size was more conducive to my learning.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

The SOSS is often considered one of the most closely-knit schools in SMU. I have benefitted from this not just on a personal level by making great friends, but also on a professional level as well. I now have a wide network of acquaintances whom I can continue to collaborate with in the workplace.

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I am an Account Manager at Wirecard, a German-headquartered payments technology company. In my role, I am responsible for expanding the organization's business to new markets, maintaining relationships with payment brands, as well as for collecting information for RFIs/RFPs.

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

I was interested in Sociology and appreciated the academic rigor of a degree in Social Sciences. The volume of weekly reading and reflection papers I had to do certainly helped to build up my capacity for work! (laughs) I chose SMU as I wanted the flexibility of being able to choose a second major/degree, be it within SOSS or from other schools. Only SMU offers this kind of unrivalled ability of being able to "customize" the set of modules, which you would like to take.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

SOSS offers a wide variety of modules that kept me intellectually challenged. The most memorable module was Sociology Study Mission to Guangzhou, China to study urbanisation and social policy. The immersive learning experience was truly enjoyable! I also gained a circle of like-minded friends who were passionate about sociology like me.

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I am a Human Capital Consultant with Deloitte Consulting. I work closely with my clients on projects such as Change Management, Organisation Design and HR Operating Model. Depending on the needs of the project, I get to travel around the region. So far, I have had the privilege to work in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. I enjoy the variety of work that I do and solving the different challenges I’m faced with from time to time.

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 learning about the human behaviour and was drawn to SMU’s multifaceted and interactive pedagogy, which I felt would be engaging and intellectually stimulating.

In addition, SMU offered its students the flexibility of taking a second major from SOSS or any of the other disciplines in SMU, encouraging a more holistic approach to learning.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

Looking back, I enjoyed every single bit of my undergraduate life in SMU and my fondest memories of school would be the multiple overseas opportunities I had participated in, which SMU had offered to its students. From the Work and Travel USA programme, to an overseas internship stint in Shanghai, China and lastly an exchange semester in Bordeaux, France, SMU had moulded me into a resilient, independent and confident individual. Besides, all these experiences allowed me to bring my classroom knowledge to life.

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

While pursuing a Master of Special and Inclusive Education at Monash University, I was also working as an integration aide in a private girls' school in Melbourne. I was supporting a Year 6 student with ADHD and muscle dystrophy. I worked with her for 2 years in her classroom (2016 - 2017), which put me in a position to work with her teachers and other students who seem to be "falling through the cracks". This was an interesting role for me because Singapore rarely has a part-time aide for students with learning difficulties or special needs within the mainstream school setting.

I have since left the school to pursue a Master of Teaching in Primary Education, at the University of Melbourne. My previous role inspired me to be a teacher because I saw how I was able to impact and improve a student's learning through targeted intervention. I wanted to do so for more students, so a classroom teacher would be the next step to take in my career. I have since completed 1 placement and will be completing 2 more over the next 1.5 years.

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

I wanted to "go against the system" and do something different. I was looking through the SOSS program and was delighted to see that I could dabble in sociology, psychology and political science in my first year. In contrast, other Universities required students to choose their major from the start, so I felt that it was quite restrictive.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

Attending Prof Chung Wai Keung's module on introduction to Sociology changed my life. Choosing Sociology was one of the best decisions now that I am starting my career as an educator in Melbourne. It helped me develop an analytical min without sacrificing empathy and integrity in my consideration of marginalised groups.

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I graduated in 2015 from the school of social sciences, majored in psychology. Upon my graduation, I commenced my job at IMH as a vocational specialist. My role is to clinical assess and assist patients to secure and sustain a job in an open market.

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

I wanted to pursue a degree in Social Sciences because of my interest in studying about behaviour and mental processes. I choose SMU because of several reasons. For one, the Bidding Online System allowed me to choose and bid for the modules I wanted in every academic term. I started my Year 1 dabbling into different disciplinary of social sciences. This was when I started being very interested in Psychology. The flexibility of SMU’s curriculum has enabled me to hand pick various sub-disciplines of psychology such as social, developmental, cognitive, abnormal psychology, and many more. I then grew a keen interest in studying about mental disorders and how I could help others in the society with what I learnt in school.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

During my 4 years in SMU, I was also a research assistant for several professors. This allowed me to have a better grasp and application of psychology topics beyond mere textbook knowledge.

Looking back, I realised how much I have benefitted from SMU’s style of classroom learning. Because of the deliberate crafting of small seminar-style classes, I was in an environment where I was encouraged to speak up, ask questions, and exchange ideas with my professors and classmates. These skills proved to be useful when I stepped into the working world, where I was given many opportunities for presenting in front of a group and pitching an idea in meetings. The bulk of our assessment stemmed from class participation and project work, which prepared me to be more outspoken and articulate. This skill set is relevant for my job and helps me gain a competitive edge over my peers.

The internship requirement by SMU has also propelled me to explore the job market and gain hands-on experience from the ground before my graduation. The finishing touch programme such as resume writing, interview skills and professional etiquette classes have equipped me adequately for the working world. I am still referring to some of the course materials till today!

I also joined Peer Helpers as my CCA and it further honed my skills and fuelled my interest towards people with mental health issues. I was also trained to be sensitive to the emotional needs of others and knowing how to provide support during times of need. There were also various external vendors that came for us to undergo certified courses regarding mental health.

SMU’s curriculum has enabled me to stay relevant to what employers need. When I went for interviews prior to graduation, many employers were impressed by my resume because of the exposure that SMU has given me.

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I am currently working at Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) in the Human Capital Division. The Human Capital Division creates and implements solutions to ensure a sustainable workforce to drive current and future growth industries in Singapore. This includes influencing national manpower policies and strategies, developing a conducive education and capability development ecosystem to build an industry-ready workforce and creating tools and initiatives to enhance talent development across sectors. Specifically, my portfolio looks at pre-employment training, which means I work very closely with institutes of higher learning (IHLs) i.e. Polys, ITEs, Universities on outreach and education strategies to build a talent pipeline for our key industries. In addition, I support the semiconductors industry on their manpower needs.

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

I chose to pursue a degree in social sciences because of my interest in Psychology. I wanted to better understand how humans behave, think and interact and how such behaviours would have an impact on organisations and businesses. SMU provided me with an opportunity to take both Psychology and Business modules, which made my learning holistic, relevant and opened the doors to multiple career pathways. In addition, I felt that the small classes would be more conducive for learning.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

Looking back, my education in SOSS has allowed me to think about problems more critically and holistically, develop new perspectives and generate unique solutions to problems. This comes from healthy debates on theories and perspectives encouraged by my professors, working on difficult projects and interacting with peers from a different major/degree in my SOSS modules.

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.

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I am now working at Aon Hewitt, a consultancy that specialises in Human Capital Solutions. We help clients understand their people better, and devise ways to improve the working experience for them.

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

What drew me to SMU to study Political Science was really a combination of two things: the opportunity to study an interesting topic in an interesting (read: different) university environment, and the various life skills that I was poised to take away. Of course, being centrally located was a big plus too!

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

While my degree content might not be directly applicable in my current workplace, what has been very useful and transferable is the way I structure my thoughts and approach problems. SMU Social Science encourages a critical mind and effective communication - both of these are applicable in any and every workplace.

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I currently work at the European Chamber of Commerce in a public affairs role where I lead the advocacy work of the chamber representing the European business community to the Singapore government and the European Commission.

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

I discovered my interest in current affairs and politics when I was in JC and had decided to pursue a political science major in university. SMU SOSS stood out as my top choice because of the balance of academic training and practical exposure available to students.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

While at SMU, I had embarked on a political science study mission to Brussels, an international exchange to Iceland, and one local and overseas internship to Moscow. These were valuable opportunities that I appreciate SMU for offering. They also proved to be extremely rewarding afterwards as I secured my current role in my company as a result of my internship. The international exposure together with the broad based curriculum had broadened my world view and honed my analytical skills, and also allowed me to communicate across cultures better too.

Please tell us more about where you are currently working at and what you are doing.

I am an Associate, Corporate Giving (Marketing and Events) at National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC). NVPC aims to build a giving culture in Singapore, and a major part of that involves roping in Corporates to contribute in their own ways. I'm part of the team driving the Company of Good, an initiative that hopes to empower businesses to give back sustainably, strategically and impactfully. I plan, manage and execute their marketing campaigns, programmes and events, as well as develop the content that comes out. This involves working with many different partners, from the corporates and various media agencies, to my own internal stakeholders as well!

What made you choose to do a degree in Social Sciences and why did you choose to do it in SMU?

When I graduated from polytechnic with a Diploma in Mass Communication I knew I wanted to contribute my time and energy to giving back, but honestly, at 19, who knows what we truly want? When I thought about it that way, the decision was easy. A degree in Social Sciences was broad enough for me to explore my interests and learn as much as I can, while SMU's flexibility - especially in choosing majors outside the social sciences - meant that I could try out new things and see what I enjoyed! For instance, I always thought I'd pursue Psychology and Marketing, but after taking my introductory Political Science class and exploring my interests, I ended up graduating with a double major in Political Science and Analytics. I also did a lot of fun modules that were completely unrelated to my majors, like Sociological Theory and even Play in History, Culture and Invention.

How has the SOSS experience been for you, and how has it benefitted you?

It has been a crazy rollercoaster! I've been quite privileged to be presented with so many opportunities - I got to join a Political Science Study Mission to Guizhou, China, and even got to pilot a new overseas community service project in SMU - Bike4Change, the first biking-related project that aims to bridge the physical distance between Filipino students and their schools through provision of bicycles and basic bike maintenance. I took on various student leadership roles, and for my international exchange, I spent four glorious months in Chicago, USA. Not only did I get to study social inequality in America and explore Chicago's diverse neighbourhoods (yup, exploring is compulsory and graded!), but I also spent my time travelling to places like New York, San Antonio in Texas, and even New Orleans. These experiences at SMU made me more mature and open-minded - that there is more to the world than just what I see and think, and that I should always stay curious and keep asking and learning from others.

In my final year, I took on a senior thesis with my supervisor, Associate Professor John Donaldson, and I got to research and write about volunteer recruitment and retention in non-profits. I interviewed non-profits all over Singapore to understand their constraints and practices, researched on volunteer management worldwide and of the social sector in Singapore, and wrote a hundred-page paper about it. The senior thesis was painful (hence my "famous" hashtag #thesiscrisis on Instagram, which some of my fellow senior thesis friends adopted in solidarity) but was truly an enriching experience that solidified my desire to give back through my career.