Valli Letchumanan
Year 4 Accountancy Student
Q: Hi Valli! Tell us, why did you decide to pursue Accountancy with a specialisation in Business Analytics?
A: When I was deciding what degree to pursue in university, I felt that Accountancy was a versatile degree and would give me a wide choice of industries to enter after graduation, since finance is a crucial part of every business. I also appreciated that there was a wide variety of skills that I could learn from pursuing Accountancy.
After taking a Python module in Year 2, I realised that computing and coding was an area that I was interested in, and wanted to hone my skills in this area. With the rise of big data and technology-driven growth, I believed that a Business Analytics specialisation would help me develop useful skills.
Q: What has been your greatest take-away pursuing these programmes, personally and also for the future?
A: I’ve gained exposure to business modules, which has helped me see how different areas of a business are interconnected.
I’ve also learnt so much about both the accountancy and financial sector! For me, it has been really eye-opening to see many of the issues that have been discussed in class happening in the real-world. With my Business Analytics specialisation, I’ve not only found a new interest (coding!) but I’ve also realised how useful computing is for businesses, in terms of identifying demand trends and utilising data to drive business growth.
Q: How has the NUS Business School facilitated your pursuit of these academic interests? Has participating in Case Competitions and doing internships helped you in this as well?
A: I’ve been given many opportunities to pursue Case Competitions and other challenges. For instance, taking part in the National Tax Challenge has helped me apply what I’ve learnt in the classroom and has also allowed me to consider the real-world implications of tax policies. During the summer break in Year 2, I interned with the Career Services Division at Workforce Singapore, which helped me understand how jobseekers are assisted through different programmes as well as partnerships that the division manages.
Q: What is the best advice that you have ever received that you think would help your juniors prepare for university?
A: Seniors have shared not to be afraid to explore new opportunities! Stepping out of your comfort zone helps you gain a wealth of experience. I participated in the CFA Ethics Challenge in 2020 as one of my first case competitions in university. I realised that case competitions and challenges are extremely valuable in learning more about real-world practices and forge closer ties with my peers, while also supplementing classroom learning. I’ve had many learning opportunities from entering case competitions and working with my peers.
Daryl Ng
Year 4 Business Administration Student
Q: Hi Daryl, you are one of our lucky students who have been able to get a global experience during this pandemic. Could you share more about this opportunity with us?
A: It has definitely been tough during this pandemic, as most of the learning experience has become virtual. Nevertheless, NUS Business School has been incredibly supportive to ensure we get the same global experience regardless! I was one of the lucky few to be accepted under the NUS-PKU Future Leaders International Double Degree Program, and it has been an enriching experience learning from my peers with different cultural backgrounds and values. To any prospective students and juniors, I highly encourage you to apply for the overseas programs under the faculty, you will definitely learn a lot!
Q: You are also involved in many CCAs and competitions, could you share about how having these experiences have enhanced your student life?
A: My experience with NUS Investment Society kickstarted my passion for finance and connected me with many likeminded peers looking to break into the industry. Through the club, I met my co-founder Lam Jing Jie and it paved the way for us to establish the NUS Asset and Wealth Management Club (NUS AWMC) subsequently, which allowed us and our peers to apply our theoretical classroom learning in actual industry scenarios. The main takeaways for me from these experiences are: learning to operate outside comfort zones, learning to think outside the box, and learning to lead with a heart.
Q: What has been your favorite memory in NUS Business School so far?
A: The simplest things are the most memorable, like going for group lunches at the Deck after a long lecture, or even studying together with friends to prepare for the upcoming finals!
Q: What advice would you like to share with your juniors coming into NUS Business School?
A: Push yourself and learn as much as you can! Everything is truly achievable, as long as you are willing to try and put in the effort. There are many challenges you will face along the way, but as long as you have the right mindset and are with the right people, it will all come to pass.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add or say to the prospective students or to NUS Business School?
A: Learn to take care of yourself. The learning process is undoubtedly fun and rewarding, but do take stock of your own well-being every now and then. While we are all working towards a successful and meaningful career after graduation, it is important to remember that a career is a marathon not a sprint. Pace yourself!
Arunan Karthikeyan
Year 4 Accountancy student
Q: Hi Arunan! You’ve pursued quite a few internships in a short span of 4 years in NUS Business School. Could you share a bit about them and what their focuses are?
A: I wanted to try out as many different things as I possibly could when I joined NUS Business School. As a result of that, I’ve completed internships in audit, private banking, and global markets thus far. Each of them allowed me to gain in-depth experience about the job at hand, network with industry professionals, and most importantly, help me figure out what I want and don’t want in a future career.
On top of that, I also spent my first summer break working on COVID-19 swab operations with the Singapore Healthcare Corps, a few semesters with 180 Degrees Consulting in NUS and HKU, and my Field Service Project with an investment management firm. These gave me an opportunity to befriend people from various backgrounds and work towards a common goal.
Q: What important lessons did you take away pursuing these internships?
A: Internships are a great way to network and learn skills relevant to the job that are not necessarily covered in class. There’s also more freedom in the workplace; I was given greater autonomy to decide how I want to navigate the workplace and create my deliverables. Many like to go after large, well-known companies, but I learnt that the team that we work with is much more important than the public image or market value of a company, as these are the people we will spend most of our day with. I also learnt that it’s okay to make honest mistakes, as long as we reflect and learn from them.
Q: How has the School and the people you have met or activities you have partaken in, been instrumental in your personal development as well as prepared you for the internships that you are taking up/have taken up?
A: Perhaps the most important thing that helped me over my university life were the friends around me and their willingness to help out or connect me with others when I face any obstacles. NUS definitely has the best alumni network, and I experienced this first-hand when I was learning more about the companies I was applying to and making a decision between offers, as there’s always someone who’s interned there previously or is currently working there now. Even if they’ve never met me, they’re more than happy to share about their experiences or give me honest advice.
Q: What was the greatest challenge you encountered in NUS Business and how did you overcome it?
A: The greatest challenge I faced was prioritising the different commitments I had and managing my limited time and energy. There was one semester where I had to juggle a full-time private banking internship, a consulting project, and a few other commitments. While that semester was extremely fruitful, I felt burnt out at the end. I started prioritising commitments that I was interested in, developed my skills, or were meaningful to me, and this freed up more time to have a balanced life.
Q: Is there any advice you would like to share with the juniors joining us?
A: Come with an open mind, try out whatever opportunities come your way, and make friends with people of different backgrounds. University is the best time to explore different things and learn more about what you want to do. I strongly recommend spending time in clubs that you’re interested in and going on exchange to make new friends abroad. A good CAP and LinkedIn profile alone will not guarantee a fulfilling experience. Enjoy your time in university!
Joel Lee
Year 4 Real Estate Student
Q: Hi Joel! Could you share abit about yourself and why you decided to study Real Estate?
A: Hi everyone! I’m Joel, a final-year Real Estate undergraduate in the process of completing my last semester. I am ambitious and inquisitive by nature and love to partake in new ventures to grow outside my comfort zone. I also grew up with a deep passion for sports. I play tennis regularly every week and enjoy meeting new friends through the sport as well as building connections with people from all walks of life. Outside of studies, I also have a myriad of hobbies such as operating my own Youtube and Bilibili channel centered on gaming. To date, these channels have amassed more than 800,000 views combined and I am excited to continue growing them in the future.
I chose to embark on this journey through Real Estate because I felt it was a holistic programme that represented the best of both worlds – marrying both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the built environment. Real Estate is a diverse asset class that is incredibly pertinent to all of us. It does not just encompass housing but also hospitality, industrial, data centres and many more types that each come with its own set of nuances. As a whole, I feel that the Real Estate degree programme has equipped me with the necessary hard and soft skills to gain a better appreciation and understanding of our vast urban landscape.
Q: Since you have been in NUS, you have had a number of internship experiences, could you share with us abit about what you have learnt so far?
A: My various internships during my time in Real Estate were all invaluable and provided me with an in-depth look into various sectors such as hospitality and the office market. As a business development intern for the serviced apartment operator Oakwood, I was tasked to conduct feasibility studies, carry out financial modeling and prepare management proposals for potential properties within the APAC region to add to Oakwood’s global portfolio of 51 serviced apartments. During my time at Oakwood, I gained a better appreciation of the intricacies of the hospitality market and learned a great deal about the development process of hotels. There were many considerations and factors to take into account when evaluating each location such as the local demand generators and consumer segmentation. As each overseas market can differ by a fair amount from one another, I was grateful to have the expertise of my supervisor and colleagues to guide me along the way. During the last winter semester break, I was also given the rare opportunity to be involved in the launch of a new 5-story co-working and MICE space – the Network Hub. As a commercial leasing intern with Guocoland, one of Singapore’s famed real estate developers, I assisted with the space planning and sourcing of potential partners for the soon-to-be-opened Network Hub. The Network Hub would be an integral part of Guocoland’s newest integrated development, Guoco Midtown. This first-of-its-kind, purpose-built business and social club would also be connected to Guoco Midtown’s 770,000 sqft Grade A office building. It was certainly eye-opening to be involved in the pre-opening of a premium integrated development and to peer into the decision-making process behind the launch of a brand new concept space.
Q: Has your time as a student given you any opportunities to be a leader? How has the experience helped you grow?
A: I think that the great thing about NUS is that there are many platforms for us to exercise our leadership capabilities and its not just confined to those in leadership positions. Whether it’s a case competition, helping out with a student camp, events, group projects or even as a member of CCA, there are many chances for you to step up and take the lead. Going back to my time in Raffles Hall, I was fortunate enough to be part of a tight knit tennis and football team. We looked to encourage one another during trainings and I did my best to lead by example by giving my all in every session. I also took charge of the filming and production of a video covering one of our “pasar malam” events in Raffles Hall. It was a challenging experience coordinating the type of shots we wanted to capture as well as how the editing of the video should flow. Be that as it may, these experiences taught me that every person in a team has a part to play and that together we can be greater than the sum of our parts.
Q: What is something you learnt about yourself in your time here as a Real Estate student?
A: To me, self-exploration is a never-ending journey. I did not expect to develop such a great affinity for the course before I entered. However, throughout the process I found myself intrigued by topics and areas that I hardly considered prior to entering NUS. Prying into our public policies regarding our land, urban planning, the real estate development process and the numbers behind a profitable real estate investment, just to name a few, further piqued my interest in the overall subject matter. It was also satisfying to be able to put the latest news into context with this attained knowledge – such as new cooling measures or the launch of public housing policies like the Prime Location Public Housing model. I was able to form my own opinions about these policy changes and critically evaluate their effectiveness. If I had not gone into Real Estate, I would not have known about these hidden interests and discovered what I was passionate about.
Q: Do you have any advice for your incoming juniors?
A: If I had to sum it up, it would be to ask, apply and explore. Firstly, we have many esteemed professors who have served in the public sector, private sector or have done extensive research on certain areas. Build rapport with them and ask them about their expertise and experiences when you have the opportunity. You will gain countless new insights and perspectives which will deepen your appreciation for the subject matter. Secondly, try to think about how to apply what you have learnt during the process. These can help you in your professional career and when going into your desired field after graduation. Lastly, be sure to explore and have fun. Beyond academics, there is so much more on offer in NUS. Pursue your interests and do not be afraid to try new things, you might just end up finding something you are deeply passionate about. Good luck!
Winnie Kyaw
Year 3 Business Administration Student
Q: Could you share with us why you chose NUS Business School to read the course are pursuing? Maybe also share abit about the course you studied/are studying?
A: There were multiple factors that went into my eventual decision to enroll in NUS Business School. I graduated from Singapore Polytechnic with a Diploma in Business Administration, so it was a sort of natural progression to then pursue a business degree. The way NUS functioned as a university was a big factor – unrestricted electives that gave me the opportunity to explore different fields, special programs (the NOC program itself was a huge draw for me) and the general global prestige of the school that would benefit me if/when I choose to work abroad. Specific to the NUS Business degree, the range of specializations was a big draw. At the point of university applications, I was unsure of which specialization I wanted to pursue but I was considering business analytics, business economics and potentially supply chain operations. NUS Business ended up offering those options and the number of unrestricted electives within the degree allowed me to either try out specializations and switch if I did not like it or do a dual specialization. Overall, the flexibility and the range of options was a huge draw.
Q: Could you share about other experiences in NUS that have enhanced your student life?
A: My NOC experience so far has been great! Breaking up my “best parts” into personal and professional:
- Professionally – My internship experience at my company, Mavennet, has been beyond great. Prior to joining, I had no knowledge of blockchain and very limited knowledge about the tech world in general. When I got the offer to join Mavennet, a blockchain venture studio, I remember feeling very daunted by the idea of it. Eventually, I decided to accept the offer and I am thankful that I did. Working in a blockchain and tech company, I gained knowledge about the industry and the technology purely from my own work and the conversations I had with my colleagues. Admittedly, I am unsure if I would have educated myself specifically on blockchain otherwise. My company has also been very nurturing and has provided me multiple opportunities to learn and lead. I was never limited by my title of an “intern” and gotten the opportunity to do some impactful stuff.
- Personally – Living abroad has always been a dream of mine but I knew it came with its own set of challenges. Having the opportunity to do so with a strong foundation (my NOC friends and program director) has really made navigating the challenges a lot easier. I really enjoyed the thought-provoking but fun conversations that arose purely from being in this environment and surrounded by driven individuals both within and outside the program.
Q: What has been your favourite memory in NUS Business School so far?
A: Other than NOC which at this point has become a significant part of my student life, back in Singapore, I was an active member of the NUS Fencing club. Fencing was a sport that I picked up in Polytechnic and was really glad to be able to continue at NUS. Trainings were something I looked forward to because of not only the sport but also the people.
Q: How has the School been instrumental in your personal development as well as prepared you for the career that you plan to pursue?
A: Unfortunately, I do not have many memories of NUS Business School so far due to entering university during COVID-19 so the majority of my classes for my first 3 semesters were online.
Might sound like a broken record at this point but the NOC program and the opportunity to intern at the company I ended up at has really given me exposure to different functions of both business and product/project management. I now have a better understanding of my strengths and the potential careers I can pursue.
Q: What advice would you like to share with your juniors coming into NUS Business School?
A: My advice to juniors is to
- Take advantage of the large amount of UEs that BBA provides you to explore different fields that you may be interested in or participate in special programs. I had used two UEs to learn Bahasa Indonesia which I also thoroughly enjoyed and the UEs allowed me to join NOC without delaying my graduation.
- Do not disqualify yourself from opportunities! Most of the time there is absolutely no harm in applying for things that you feel you are under-qualified for because who knows? You may end up getting it!
Johnny Chan
Recent NUS Accountancy Alumnus
Q: Could you share with us why you chose to accept NUS Business School’s offer to read the course you are pursuing now? Maybe also share abit about the course you are currently studying?
A: I chose NUS Business School’s offer to read Accountancy largely because of the strong recommendations by seniors who have enrolled in the course. Prior to accepting the offer, I have always received positive reviews about the rigorous curriculum and teaching that the school offers. After going through the course personally, I strongly agree and endorse this view too. In the course of Accountancy, NUS Business School strives to offer more than the core requirements and challenges students to put their theoretical learning into real-life implementation. For instance, other than Assurance and Taxation which are the bread and butter of the accounting profession, NUS Business School offers ‘Integrated Perspectives in Accounting and Business’ as its capstone module. This pushes students to consolidate what they have learnt throughout their course of study and apply them to real-life business cases. Moreover, the compulsory internship exposes students to the experience of working for professional organisations even before graduation. This holistic experience adequately prepares Accountancy students for their career, and to become valuable members of any organisation. Other than the curriculum, the decision to join NUS Business School was made easier given the school’s prestige and vibrant campus life.
Q: What have been the most impactful experiences you’ve had in NUS Business School?
A: One of the most impactful experiences I had in NUS Business School is the Field Service Project that I embarked on with 3 close friends of mine. We partnered with an established organisation based overseas and formulated a Go-To-Market project for our client. The experience was certainly exciting and memorable as we were tasked to conduct extensive research on an unfamiliar field and propose valuable recommendations based on various frameworks that we had learnt in school. I managed to learn a lot from the organisation’s leaders, expand my professional network and gain new perspective into the real world. It was definitely satisfying when the organisation applauded and valued the recommendations that we came up with.
Another impactful experience that I would like to share would be my time with the student-led consultancy, 180 Degrees Consulting Singapore (Kent Ridge). During my time as a student consultant, I had the opportunity to work with multiple social enterprises and helped them address some key operational problems. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the consultancy as I managed to hone my technical skillsets and make a significant impact to the social organisations that I collaborated with. Through the services offered, the social organisations were able to sustain their operations and expand their outreach to more beneficiaries.
Q: How has the School been instrumental in your personal development as well as prepared you for the career that you plan to pursue?
A: The School offers a myriad of CCAs which encourages individuals to pursue their own interests. Personally, I am thankful for the various clubs and societies that allowed me to gain essential skillsets and expand my social network. By joining these CCAs, I had the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and forge close friendships with them. In addition, the School’s career services office provides ample job opportunities and guides students on how to pursue the dream career that they have in mind. For instance, the career services office would organise workshops to ace various types of interviews and invite external speakers to engage students.
Q: Who are the people who have impacted you the most at NUS Business School?
A: I am very grateful to my seniors who have provided me with guidance regarding my coursework and advice when applying for internships and jobs. Also, I really appreciate the professors’ sharing on knowledge beyond the classroom and constant availability as an avenue for students to seek help.
Q: What is something you wish you could have told your past self when you were choosing what and where to study for university?
A: If given the chance to go back in time, I would still stick with my decision of studying Accountancy. Regarding where to study, I would place less emphasis on the duration of the course of study as a factor when making a decision. After spending 4 years at NUS Business School, I realised that it is more crucial to have a robust learning experience than rushing through the completion of the course. Although NUS Business School might not offer the shortest route to graduation, it has certainly allowed me to gain more exposure to different industries through modules and internships before deciding on a career to pursue. This information would have helped with my decision-making back then.
Stephanie Lam
Recent NUS Accountancy Alumna
Q: Hi Stephanie! You were quite the global citizen during your time at NUS Business School! Where have you been and what were the opportunities about?
A: NUS Business School has given me so many overseas opportunities, I’ve been to eight countries with the School just in four years!
In my first year, I went for a summer exchange at Imperial College London, and lived on my own overseas for the very first time. It taught me a lot about independence and resilience. For my Year Two summer, I was lucky enough to secure an internship with Unilever in the Philippines, where I spent three months working on projects with people of different cultural backgrounds and values. It was a real eye-opener for me.
I then went on to take part in international case competitions across the globe, including in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, the USA and Serbia. During these competitions, my team pitched business ideas and solutions to Multi-National Corporations and start-ups who sponsored the events.
There’s a lot to learn from visiting new places and talking to people who have lived different lives. The only way I could properly immerse myself in these cultures was to visit different countries extensively.
Q: You were also heavily involved in case-consulting as one of your CCAs. How have such out-of-classroom opportunities sharpened what you learn during seminars?
A: My experience in the Case Consulting Group was amazing. It connected me with brilliant minds from universities all over the world. I’ve spent time at Copenhagen Business School, Queensland University of Technology, University of Southern California and a few more. I would say the three main takeaways that have helped me the most back in school are time management, analysing unfamiliar business situations and working in a team with diverse skill sets.
Q: Do you have any advice for your juniors?
A: Learn a lot! I think the best advice I’ve received is to just keep learning, wherever I go. There’s always something to learn from anyone and anywhere. Whenever I encounter something new, it reminds me of just how much more there is to learn. I feel that this has guided me well throughout university because when my focus is on learning, I take away so much more from every moment.
Rika Ogawa
Recent NUS Real Estate Alumna
Q: Could you share with us why you chose to accept NUS’s offer to read the course you pursued at NUS Business School? Maybe also share a bit about the course you studied?
A: I chose to accept the NUS offer as I was very interested in Real Estate and NUS was the only school that had both a Real Estate and Business Degree. Additionally, the open house was well-positioned, convincing me that this would be a course that promised a lot of fun and would give me a variety of career choices. The real estate course consisted of a wide range of disciplines including Urban Planning, Real Estate Economics, Real Estate Management, and Real Estate Finance just to name a few. All courses that we took were very relatable and we could experience them in our daily lives. The business course consisted of Marketing/Organizational behavior etc. Both degrees complemented each other, Real Estate giving the specific asset class view, while Business gave a broader picture.
Non-academic reasons for accepting the NUS offer included the campus life that NUS provides – hall life and the diverse CCA’s.
Q: What have been the most impactful experiences you’ve had in NUS/NUS Business School?
A: Going on exchange was one of the most important and impactful experiences I had. The exchange provided me opportunities to interact with people from diverse cultures and experience how people in other countries live. I went on exchange to the University of California San Diego and I learned through conversations or courses about the issues they face. It is very different from Singapore and made me appreciate the things we take for granted but also see how there are things in Singapore that can be improved. For example, the homeless issue in California is very prevalent and there are many ground-up initiatives to resolve them. Obviously, the travel experience was very fun as well, and it also taught me to be adaptable as my exchange was cut short by COVID-19, and there were a lot of last-minute changes.
Q: How has the School been instrumental in your personal development as well as prepare you for the career that you plan to pursue?
A: On one level, the professors and career team under the real estate division were really helpful. As the real estate faculty is smaller, the professors were able to give individual guidance and from the start, we were given a mentor. The overall business school itself also has a very good team of career advisors and was part of our curriculum to go through compulsory modules to help us enhance our resume and interview skillsets. So, from the onset, we learned what we should and should not include in resumes. There were also numerous workshops on case interviews, mock interviews, and financial modeling, together with numerous career talks that NUS helped to coordinate. All of these resources were pivotal in me preparing for my interview and helping me project my career path.
Q: Who are the people who have impacted you the most at NUS/NUS Business School?
A: Prof Joseph Ooi and Prof Ong Seow Eng in terms of career guidance.
Prof Ooi was my mentor and since Year 1 he has helped me shape my career, helping me reach out to people in the industry to guide me. We also had catch up sessions where I could ask him questions whether it was academic or career-related. He was always there to give me advice and provide support for real estate-related matters. His module in real estate development was very interesting as well, it was taught in case study format and the project was for us to do a project which involved deciding the bid price for a plot of land. The contents of his modules gave me perspective on how the industry actually works.
Prof Ong Seow Eng was also instrumental. His module was very interesting as well, there were a lot of life lessons embedded in his lectures. He facilitated discussions on previous landmark real estate cases or deals and it was very interesting. Outside of the curriculum he also helped us organize mock interviews with people in the industry and facilitated talks with them. It was truly a special module, that was interesting and engaging, and changed my perspective of the industry and life in general.
Q: What is something you wish you could have told your past self when you were choosing what and where to study for university?
A: I had a mentor that told me it doesn’t really matter what you do as long as you are passionate about it and you are the best at what you do. That is something that I would tell my past self and would be my advice to my juniors. I think from a pragmatic standpoint, there is very strong pressure to do something that is conventionally viewed as successful from a societal perspective; like Law Medicine, but I think everyone is good at different things and as long as you excel, you will end up in a good place.
Deborah Khoo
Recent NUS Business Administration Alumna
Q: Hi Deborah! In NUS Business School, you have taken up a number of leadership roles in various committees and CCAs, how has this experience been for you?
A: My experience as a student leader has been extremely enriching from the get-go. In Year 1, I took on multiple leadership roles as part of NUS Bizad Club, which allowed me to learn the ropes of leading teams while meeting new friends.
In my later years, I took on higher-stakes positions, such as being the Consulting Director of Bridges for Enterprise, a student-led non-profit organisation that provides pro-bono advisory services to social enterprises. During which, I guided social entrepreneurs based globally and students across various universities through consulting projects. It was incredibly meaningful interacting with individuals across the world and knowing that I was leading projects toward a greater social cause.
I also joined the NUS Case Consulting Group, where I got to hone my passion for case competitions. What truly awed me about the club was how seniors and alumni members were always willing to take time out of their schedules to help us prepare for competitions and offer advice beyond casing. Eventually, I took up the position as Managing Partner, which allowed me to give back to a club which I was passionate about and guide new batches of juniors as they navigated their academic and career decisions.
Q: How has NUS Business School been instrumental in your personal development as an aspiring leader for the future?
A: NUS Business School has constantly given me opportunities to lead teams at every stage of my student journey. From leading smaller committees as a freshman, to helming larger student clubs in Years 3-4, these experiences allowed me to test various leadership styles and learn what works and what doesn’t. The added flexibility behind curriculum planning has also enabled me to take on various scopes of leadership responsibilities amidst pursuing my academic and career goals and personal interests.
Ultimately, leadership is a people-skill and here at NUS Business School, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with so many individuals from various backgrounds. These experiences have taught me what it means to be adaptable as a leader when working with different individuals, something I believe will be extremely applicable when going out into the workforce.
Q: When did you realise you had the potential to be a leader? What motivated you to take on these roles?
A: I think leadership came to me gradually as I experienced working with different people. I’ve always loved being on-the-ball when it comes to producing work and this manifested itself in taking initiative in group projects in my early schooling days.
Of course, taking up a formal position wouldn’t have been possible without the encouragement of those around me. The leaders I’ve met throughout my journey here at NUS Business School have truly inspired me, from my own peers and seniors to faculty members and industry leaders. I’ve been fortunate to have interacted with various leaders who have positively shaped my student journey and continued to offer advice beyond school-related matters. These interactions have pushed me to want to similarly influence and make a lasting impact on the lives of others, spurring me to take on multiple leadership roles throughout my time here.
Q: Share one thing you have learnt through your leadership experience that you feel would inspire your juniors to take on the mantle of a leadership role?
A: One of the most important things that I’ve learnt is that good leadership it isn’t just about titles or positions but how you influence the lives of others. I’m someone who is motivated by relationships and taking on formal leadership roles have given me the ability to get to know and help a wider pool of individuals. To me, the most rewarding part of being a leader is seeing my team members grow and succeed under my guidance, whilst knowing that we’ve achieved our desired results together.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add or say to the prospective students or to NUS Business School?
A: Be open to new opportunities that push you outside of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid of failure! Treat every experience as a chance to learn something new – You never know what you might be good at or interested in until you try it for yourself.
Richmond Lim
Recent NUS Business Administration Alumnus
Q: Could you share with us why you chose to accept NUS Business School’s offer to read the course you pursued/are pursuing? Maybe also share abit about the course you studied/are studying?
A: I chose to accept the BBA offer from NUS Business School as I was excited about what the school and the larger NUS ecosystem had to offer.
As an aspiring entrepreneur, I wanted a curriculum that can offer me above and beyond what a typical business degree would provide – immerse in entrepreneurial programmes abroad, access to a diverse network with complementary skill sets, and a wide selection of academic courses.
With NUS’s reputation as a leading enabler of entrepreneurship in Singapore and the region, the variety of courses and support provided by the Business School and othdr faculties, I knew that NUS would be my choice from the get-go.
Q: What have been the most impactful experiences you’ve had in NUS Business School?
A: While there have been many highs in my 4 years at NUS, a particularly memorable experience I had was a case competition workshop organised by a student club (Case Consutling Group) and its alumni.
Firstly, it was my first exposure to consulting. This piqued my interest to pursue consulting internships, which further validated my passion for the career.
Secondly, I got to witness the affinity that NUS alumni had with the school. The alumni came down to deliver the workshop over the weekend, with some of them having to fly down from abroad. This was something I continue to witness through other events involving alumni organised by NUS Business School, which enabled me to benefit tremendously.
Q: How has the School been instrumental in your personal development as well as prepared you for the career that you plan to pursue?
A: The flexibility of the NUS BBA programme and the support of the career office have been pivotal in my personal development.
With regards to the former, I was able to pursue multiple credit-bearing internships during the semester, take different unrestricted elective modules from other faculties, and enroll in online courses. This was a key enabler to my self-discovery journey, where I got to not only explore various career paths through internships, but also understand more about the arts and sciences.
With regards to the latter, I was able to gain insights about various industries and network with professionals due to the myriad of events organised by the career office. These events enabled me to understand how to set myself up for success as a consultant and entrepreneur.
Q: Who are the people who have impacted you the most at NUS Business School?
A: I am grateful to Theresa from the career office for making a difference to my undergraduate journey.
From the time when I was a clueless sophormore keen on exploring consulting to receiving a full-time offer, Theresa suported me at every step of the way: from resume writing, to arranging case practice sessions with external coaches, and sharing nuances about the application process.
Through her generous support, I was able to land a job at my dream firm!
Q: What is something you wish you could have told your past self when you were choosing what and where to study for university?
A: If you have a clear idea of what you want to do in the future, choose a school and programme that best support you on that front. Otherwise, choose a school and programme that open the most doors for you, so you can explore boldly and pivot if needed.
