The Alumni Magazine of UWC South East Asia
Vol 20 April 2023
CHANGE
MAKERS
THE NEW
Kimheang Chham '16 and other
young Alumni bring the UWCSEA
Mission around the World
Inside
ONE° NORTH
01
MESSAGE FROM HEAD OF COLLEGE
Nick Alchin ruminates on change
THE NEW CHANGEMAKERS
Young alumni bring the Mission
around the World
04 Kimheang Chham ’16
08 Chan Ning ’09
09 Nadiem Makarim ’02
12 Raza Nazar ’14
03
cover story
13
2022/2023 YEAR IN REVIEW
Alumni Foundation Council students look back on the year
15
ICONIC EVENTS
The traditions continue on Dover and East
“If someone told me
as an adolescent
that most of my
early leadership
skills would be
gained on stage, I
would have laughed.
But that’s exactly
what happened.”
Nadiem Makarim ’02
April 2023
One°North is published by UWC South East Asia
annually for alumni, staff and friends of UWCSEA.
Reproduction in any manner is prohibited
without written consent.
We welcome your feedback;
please send comments, suggestions for
future issues and/or address updates to
alumnimagazine@uwcsea.edu.sg
Editors: Sarah Begum, Tina Tsai, Raihana (Rae)
Omar, Lucie Snape and Jules Wainwright
Design: Nandita Gupta
Printed on FSC paper | MCI (P) 022/11/2022 | ALUMNI-2223
Former Cambodian Scholar and current changemaker
Kimheang Chham ’16 posed for a quick portrait when
she visited East Campus earlier this year.
Photo credit: Jules Wainwright
HOW A NETWORK
BECOMES A
COMMUNITY
Alumni give back by
sharing their experience
23
cover
REUNIONS
COMEBACK
Milestone
Reunion 2022
kicks off in-person
alumni events!
19
21
HELLO FROM YOUR ALUMNI TEAM
Presenting a fresh look from a new team
22
MENTORSHIP MATCH
The Alumni Mentorship Programme puts a spotlight
on student innovation
29
STEPPING STONES TO
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
UWCSEA’s Outdoor Education
programme gets back on track
31
THE HOUSE THAT
TABITHA BUILT
A special tribute to
Global Concerns partner,
Tabitha Foundation
35
A COMMITMENT TO
SINGAPORE
Supporting graduates turning
challenge into opportunity
37
FINAL FAREWELLS
Remembering those we’ve
lost this year
39
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Looking at UWCSEA sports
through the years
27
A GIVING SPIRIT
Deepened engagement leads to greater Mission impact
1 OneºNorth April 2023
Earlier this year, we hosted the first breakfast for alum who now have
children in the school, and we also welcomed alum from the then-St.
John’s Club, which was later to become UWCSEA, for lunch and a tour
(these alum graduated before I was born). Both of these were great events
with lively discussion over roti or chicken 65 as we traded stories of
how the school has grown and evolved. For some more recent alum, the
physical College has not changed so very much; for others it was almost
entirely unrecognisable (the iconic roof of the Dover Main Hall being the
only point of familiarity). So what has changed, and what endures? was a
common conversation.
The question is, no doubt, a familiar one to many of us when we return home after
a period abroad; things look and feel a bit different, even when they are largely the
same. There’s truth in Heraclitus’ aphorism that you can’t step in the same river twice
because the river has moved on in the intervening time. More important, though, is
what Heraclitus didn’t say—that we too will have moved on in the intervening time.
When I joined the College in 1995 I was a newly-married beginner teacher; and the
education I saw was marvellous, exciting and inspirational. I left in 2001 to take
my infant kids nearer to their grandparents, and returned in 2012 as High School
Principal, in the early days of East Campus. Now, having also been head of East
Campus, and as I approach the end of one year as Head of College, I’m also looking
on as a parent of two alumna, and a parent of a son in Grade 11. I’ve been privileged
to see the College grow from a secondary school of some 1,500 students to the
largest K–12 international school of its type globally, with nearly 6,000 students
on two campuses. As well as the marvellous, exciting and inspirational educational
pieces, I also now see the organisational, strategic and governance pieces.
So in hearing about the experiences of alum, it’s been interesting to try to tease out
the changes that the school has undergone, and the changes that come from natural
changes of perspective. What looked one way as a student looks very different as a
parent, or from a professional standpoint.
We have a long tradition
of attracting families
and individuals with the
instincts we need to enact
our Mission … If you are
reading this as an alum,
I sincerely hope you saw
and experienced those
instincts in your time
here, that this helped
you develop the instincts
yourself, and that you
are paying it forward in
whatever way you can.
Message from
Head of College
Nick Alchin ruminates on change
ST JOHN’S
REUNION LUNCH
April 2023 OneºNorth 2
So it’s worth affirming what we know we have inherited
from older days. Most of all, we have a long tradition of
attracting families and individuals with the instincts we
need to enact our Mission—this is expressed most clearly
in our values, and informs what we do every day. This may
be, for example, connecting with others; sticking with
things in a difficult time; standing up for the right thing;
genuinely engaging with other perspectives or following
through on commitments. If you are reading this as an
alum, I sincerely hope you saw and experienced those
instincts in your time here, that this helped you develop
the instincts yourself, and that you are paying it forward in
whatever way you can. An extremely powerful instinct is
also the ‘tendency towards action’—whether it’s starting
a local service, connecting with an NGO abroad, leading
a sports team, directing a theatre show, challenging a
wrong—and being, what we have been called—’a place
where things happen’.
These are lofty and perhaps abstract institutional things.
But one alumna said to me the other day that though she
has been away for decades, and it all looks so different, it
all also feels exactly the same. So what, exactly, on a day-
to-day basis has endured?
For our students; the thrill of having one’s mind stretched,
the queue for the naan-counter, the excitement over
project week, the exuberance in sports, theatre, dance,
debate and so on, the laughter among friends, the support
through difficulty, the sharing of cultures and perspectives,
the teenage romances: these have endured.
For our teachers and support staff; the chance to work
with superb colleagues on personally and professionally
enriching projects; to stay young (our student body never
ages!), to serve our community and to shape young minds:
these have endured.
As a proud member of the United World College
movement, what endures most of all is being part of
something that is bigger than us as individuals, bigger
than us as an institution, bigger even than education: the
chance to make a contribution in our small way to a more
peaceful and more sustainable future for our children, and
our childrens’ children. This endures.
Some changes are easy to spot
for anyone who has been away for
any length of time. Singapore does
not stand still, and the reduction
of Dover Campus leased land over
the decades (from 40ha to 20ha to
11ha) has mirrored the increased
intensity of land use nationally (as
the Dover Campus lease ends in
2030, there will no doubt be some
further changes ahead—though we
do not yet know what they are). East
Campus has, at the same time, grown from the newly
constructed start-up feel to the firmly established, green
and highly successful enterprise. Our Learning Programme
has been formalised in the 5 Elements structure that
today’s students know and (err...) love; technology is now
part of school infrastructure, not a shiny new toy; the
presence of four year olds on both campuses is also a huge
change—and the family feel is a huge bonus for us. The
father of one of the St John’s Club shot a crocodile that
had been attacking people near campus; happily, this too
has changed and doesn’t happen anymore!
So much has changed. But look under the surface and
much has also endured, as it does with any strong
institution. And that’s not because we have strict and
detailed standard operating procedures (which we do, by
the way). If that were the case then we would only need
only to get the right procedures or manuals to build great
institutions—but it’s not so simple. Singapore politician
George Yeo put it this way; institutions are not built top-
down but bottom up. They are animated not by instructions
but instincts; human instincts. These instincts are shaped
by culture. We must first know what we are, what we have
inherited from our history.
SO WHAT
HAS
CHANGED,
AND
WHAT HAS
REMAINED
THE SAME?
HEAD OF COLLEGE BREAKFAST WITH
ALUMNI WHO ARE CURRENT PARENTS
April 2023 OneºNorth 2
3 OneºNorth April 2023
CHANGE
THE NEW
Young Alumni Bring the Mission Around the World
MAKERS
Nadiem Makarim ’02
Raza Nazar ’14
Chan Ning ’09
3 OneºNorth April 2023
April 2023 OneºNorth 4
Kim attended UWCSEA East Campus from 2011-
2016 as a Scholar from Cambodia. After completing
a degree in International Studies, Peace Studies and
Sustainable Communities at Luther College in Iowa,
Kim recently returned to her home country where
she is currently Senior Associate, Development
and Communications for Teach for Cambodia, an
organisation that works to provide educational
opportunities for disadvantaged children.
Kim recently visited East Campus, where we
had the opportunity to sit down in Santai Cafe
for a conversation about life in small town Iowa,
Covid-19 couch surfing in Europe and education and
empowerment in Cambodia.
From Round Square to Full Circle
After 12 years abroad, former Cambodian Scholar Kimheang
Chham '16 reflects on her journey as she returns home
“UWC taught me to be really
adaptable. So whatever new
environment, whatever new
circumstances, life happens
to throw at me, I know how to
deal with it. UWC definitely
taught me and other students
to know that we are capable,
that we have agency, and that
no matter what happens, we
can persevere and be resilient
and find creative solutions.”
CHANGE
THE NEW
MAKERS
5 OneºNorth April 2023
KIM’S INTERESTS WERE DIVERSE
DURING HER TIME AT UWCSEA.
CALIFORNIA-SUMMER
PEACEBUILDING PROGRAMME 2019.
After your gap year, you embarked
on another big change, flying halfway
around the world to a small town in
the American Midwest. Tell us about
your college experience.
I went to Luther College, a small school in a
tiny town in Iowa—around 2,000 students in a
town of 7,000. It was very different from living
in Singapore, but UWC really prepared me for
college life. When I arrived, I knew I wanted
to do something more with Peacebuilding
and sustainability, so I pursued a degree
in International Studies with a focus on
Peacebuilding. This was a new track there—no
one had ever done it before. So I was able to
make my own focus, and took classes related
to Peacebuilding.
I went to summer school in California to
take additional courses, and a Peace Scholar
programme in Norway (unfortunately online
as it was during the pandemic). I spent a lot
of my time working in Sustainability and
International Studies, exploring a lot of other
things that I started to gain a vision of what
I wanted to do. I also explored fitness and
teaching fitness, which was something I never
had a chance to do as a girl growing up in
Cambodia. I basically did a bunch of exploring
when I was there.
And that’s what university is really about,
exploring and experimenting, embracing
opportunities but also learning how to create
your own experiences.
Please tell us a little bit about your
UWC experience.
When I first arrived at UWC in Grade 8, I was
part of the very first cohort of Cambodian
scholars who came to East Campus, and it was
such a big change. I had never lived in a big
city before, never slept in a bed, never taken
a hot shower. I couldn’t understand ninety
percent of what people said. It was new and
exciting and also quite scary.
But I learned, adapted and grew so much in
my five years at East. One of my favourite
experiences was participating in the IfP
(Initiative for Peace programme). I think we
only met once a week but it was something
I always looked forward to. It was a cross-
campus initiative, so we got to meet with
students from Dover a few weekends during
the year, which was great. When we went to
facilitate our own conference, we went to
Thailand, and it was an amazing experience. I
felt empowered that I could facilitate groups
having important conversations with young
people, and I saw how this could be used as
an effective tool to empower other young
people to go back and solve problems in their
own communities.
This inspired me to bring this model back
home. So when I graduated, I took a gap year,
focusing on creating a peace conference in
Cambodia. I worked with a group of young
Cambodians to create a conference. We
recruited UWCSEA students who were part of
IfP and wanted to do more outside of school,
and they came to facilitate the conference.
We planned everything on our own—it
was very student-led and it was a hit. We
eventually had a group of students running it
every year up until the start of the pandemic.
So it kind of happened on its own, which was
my dream, to make it sustainable.
5 OneºNorth April 2023
April 2023 OneºNorth 6
MAKING UWC CONNECTIONS
IN SWITZERLAND, 2020.
You were in the midst of your college studies when the pandemic hit.
How did that affect your experience?
When the pandemic broke, I was actually in Europe doing an exchange semester
in Malta. I was there for about six weeks and then the world shut down. All my
American friends were able to fly back to the US, but I couldn’t go back because I
had to renew my visa. I was stranded in Malta.
So I was like, “OK, who do you know in Europe? Time to use your UWC
connections.” So I went to stay with one of my previous teachers from Grade 10,
Louisa Radford, who was teaching in Switzerland, and she took me in for three
months. I did my studies online, and finished the semester from Louisa’s living room.
After that I went to stay with another friend from UWC in Geneva for another
three months because I still couldn’t go back to the U.S. I stayed with an alum
from Dover who I had met through Round Square, a networking conference that
we had attended together. I was really lucky that I had another UWC connection in
Switzerland who invited me to stay.
Eventually I was able to return to the U.S. and finish my studies. When I graduated
I went back to Europe to run a UWC short course through the UWC Germany
National Committee. It was a really good experience having so many young
people from around Europe interested in the UWC Mission. It was really cool to be
surrounded by UWC alumni from other parts of the world and talking with young
people who hadn’t gone to UWC, but were interested in the same ideals as us.
I always try to expand my UWC network whenever I can. We definitely have an
established commonness, even with a lot of diversity, there’s something that binds
us. I’ve always felt connected, challenged and welcomed by the UWC community,
no matter where I am.
And then after that I returned to Cambodia in the fall of 2022, where I started my
current job.
So what are you doing now?
My job title is Senior Associate in Development and Communications at an NGO called Teach for Cambodia, which is trying to address
education inequity in Cambodia.
The public school system here has not been able to adequately prepare students for the job market. So we have partnered with the
government, bringing our own ways of teaching and programming together with the standardised government curriculum. We recruit
recent university graduates to teach in high needs public schools around the country. The students get to learn in a more holistic
and empowering way, and we try to include new programmes like digital literacy and financial education. I’m helping with managing
external relationships with our donors and also creating stories of impact about the work that we are doing. It’s all very new to me.
I knew I wanted to go into a social impact area, and I was actually connected to Teach for Cambodia by a former teacher of mine from
UWC—Louie Barnett—who was my chemistry teacher and also part of IfP. When he found out I was coming back to Cambodia, he
connected me with Teach for Cambodia.
Actually, a few weeks ago another crazy UWC connection happened. We were coordinating a project with another international NGO,
and the name of the person we were emailing with sounded very familiar. So I did a quick search on LinkedIn and it turns out they were
my roommate in Grade 10—a UWC student from Kazakhstan who went to Canada to study. And now they’re working for this NGO that
is connected with my NGO in Cambodia!
It’s crazy, all these UWC connections. They’ve happened so many times already since graduating, and I know it’s going to keep
happening. And every time it happens, it’s really cool, really special.
“It’s crazy, all these UWC
connections. They’ve
happened so many times
already since graduating,
and I know it’s going to keep
happening. And every time
it happens, it’s really cool,
really special.”
CHANGE
THE NEW
MAKERS
April 2023 OneºNorth 6
7 OneºNorth April 2023
One thing that seems constant throughout your story is the continuing
presence of a UWC network in your life. Some connections you’ve
actively sought out, and some have been more serendipitous. How do
you see the value of these ongoing UWC connections?
I have to admit I would have been quite scared and maybe decided not to come back
home if I didn’t have the UWC network of Cambodian alumni who had also returned.
Without them, without the shared understanding of these different ways of thinking,
I would be too scared to throw myself back into a place that I left a long time ago.
Right now they are my main community back in Cambodia. I’m also now part of
the National Committee in Cambodia as well, helping to find new students to
attend UWC.
It’s never really left me and I feel like I find myself in situations with UWC people all
the time, both personally and professionally. Without it, I mean especially during
Covid-19, I don’t know what I would have done in Europe.
So that community, either back home or internationally, is very important. We have
this thing, kind of an unspoken thing, that when we’re in a space with other UWC
people, we just know that we feel safe, and that we have an understanding with
one another.
And I know that wherever I go in the world, I always have that UWC community too.
You’ve had a fascinating journey since you graduated. How would you
say your experience at UWCSEA prepared you?
Two things come to mind. First, UWC taught me to be really adaptable. So
whatever new circumstance life happens to throw at me, I know how to deal with
it. UWC definitely taught me and other students to know that we are capable, that
we have agency, and that no matter what happens, we can be resilient and find
creative solutions.
Second, UWC taught me to be a critical thinker. This is not a skill I had before I arrived
there. Through college and now in my professional career it is such a necessary skill,
it helps me to figure out what I really want to do and what feels right for me and go
into any situation having the questions that I need to ask in order to decide, in order to
figure out what I’m going to do next.
I definitely bring this into my work now, just assessing every situation from a critical
lens. It’s something I’m really grateful for and something that I think makes me stand
out too, in work and in moving through different parts of the world on my own. Having
that way of questioning and thinking helps me get in touch with what feels true for me.
“UWC taught me to be a
critical thinker. This is not
a skill I had before I arrived
at UWC. Through college
and now in my professional
career it is such a necessary
skill, it helps me to figure
out what I really want to do
and what feels right for me
and go into any situation
having the questions that
I need to ask in order to
decide, in order to figure out
what I’m going to do next.”
KIM AT GRADUATION IN 2016.
April 2023 OneºNorth 8
Keeping an eye on the Mission
A Dover alum finds purpose in both local and
international service
I attended UWCSEA from 1998–2009 as
part of a family of UWCers; my mother
and father both attended in the ’80s, as
did most of my father’s family. I graduated
from Dover in 2009, with an interest in
teaching, music and sciences, but without
a specific career in mind. All I knew was
that I wanted to make a positive impact
for those in greatest need.
I went on to study medicine at King’s
College London, graduating in 2014, and
started ophthalmic specialty training in
2016. I am currently a senior registrar
undertaking a higher
research degree back at
King’s College, focusing
on my thesis—a clinical
study evaluating novel
methods of screening for
hydroxychloroquine retinopathy.
I currently serve in a variety of other roles,
both in London and further afield including
a tutor for various ophthalmic and general
specialist teaching groups; a violinist and
chamber musician; and a volunteer at
Restart Lives London, a homeless shelter.
I also spend time as a clinical advisor
to charities running eye hospitals in
Republic of Congo, Myanmar and South
India including New Sight Congo (set up
by another UWC alum from Red Cross
Nordic) and Medic Assist International.
The common thread amongst is a
fundamental desire to serve people and
make an impact in their lives. As a family
we all support several charity projects
focused on education and outreach,
sustainable development, and healthcare.
We firmly believe that our time at
UWCSEA was the foundation for all
the ways in which my family and I now
serve. Though we are called to our own
respective fields and talents, we share
the same vision to make positive impacts
on communities, and build towards a
sustainable and equitable future.
Recently this shared vision led us to return
to our roots, partnering with the UWCSEA
music department (via Lisa and Adrian
Hill) to foster a music education outreach
initiative serving community schools in
Indonesia. In this, we count it a blessing to
be able to serve together as a family, and
we aren’t alone. Along the way, we have
found kindred spirits in the parents (shout
out to the Gerber family!) and especially
the amazing teachers at UWCSEA who
have been inspirations to us through their
passion for teaching and dedication to the
college ethos.
As you may have been able to gather, I
am most drawn to the UWC values of
compassion and service, and I’ve always
prioritised opportunities that best align
with them. For example, my decision to
pursue ophthalmology was founded on
the principle that vision is so intimately
linked to education and quality of life, that
so much of blindness is avoidable, and
that in treating physical
blindness one might
also impact on spiritual
blindness.
My time at UWCSEA
served as the foundation
for all that has come after, most especially
how being proactive in service and seeking
to build bridges creates ripples of impact
far beyond what you might imagine. It is
my hope that by sharing these experiences
I can encourage others to consider service,
and in this way we can become a society
that values serving others rather than a
self-serving society.
By Chan Ning ’09, UWCSEA Dover
“Our time at UWCSEA was the foundation for all
the ways in which my family and I now serve.”
CHANGE
THE NEW
MAKERS
CHAN WORKING IN MYANMAR.
9 OneºNorth April 2023
Tumbling
towards success
How theatre arts influenced
one alum's success in
business and politics
9 OneºNorth April 2023
April 2023 OneºNorth 10
With frank honesty and good humour, Nadiem fielded questions
from the audience of curious students. When asked what class
or subject was most influential on his professional life, students
may have expected an answer like Maths or Economics. But his
response, which was quick and unequivocal, may have surprised
many in the room that day: drama.
“For me, doing IB Higher Theatre Arts and doing extracurricular
theatre performances had the biggest impact on my future life
and career,” said Nadiem. “Theatre taught me to be comfortable
taking risks. As a teenager, there are few things scarier than
making a fool of yourself in front of the entire school. Theatre
forced me to overcome my insecurities and gave me the
confidence to speak publicly. It was also the most intense form
of collaboration I have ever experienced at that age, where
any margin of error could be disastrous. If someone told me
as an adolescent that most of my early leadership skills would
be gained on stage, I would have laughed. But that’s exactly
what happened.”
Nadiem said one experience in particular has stayed with him
through the years. During a theatre production, he had to
execute a jump with a sword during a choreographed stage fight.
Unfortunately, his balance failed him at the crucial moment, and
he awkwardly fell off the stage. As he was tumbling down towards
the audience, his thoughts filled with fear and dread, “this is it,
everyone is going to laugh, the audience is going to absolutely kill
me.” Trying to recover as best he could, he fell, rolled, jumped up
brandishing his sword and acted like it was planned all along. The
audience erupted in applause.
It was just a small moment in Nadiem’s High School experience,
but one that even now, 20 years later, he fondly recalls as a
reminder that with the right attitude and the willingness to react
quickly and improvise, there is a chance to turn a mistake or a
challenge into an opportunity, and even a success.
Nadiem also spoke about how the UWC Mission has played a role
in his life since graduation.
Nadiem Makarim ’02, Minister of Education,
Culture, Research and Technology for
Indonesia and founder of Zalora and Gojek,
visited Dover Campus in August 2022 for his
20th anniversary reunion. After a campus tour
down memory lane with his wife Franka, he
stopped by the Main Hall to speak to Grade 11
and 12 students about the path he took since
graduating from the College, and how the UWC
Mission continues to play a role in his life.
“If someone told me as an adolescent that most
of my early leadership skills would be gained
on stage, I would have laughed. But that’s
exactly what happened.”
UWCSEA-IFP
MAESOT 2015
CHANGE
THE NEW
MAKERS
11 OneºNorth April 2023
“UWC had this constant narrative that was part of every
student experience,” he said. “Whether in class, extracurricular
activities, or special events, we always celebrated being global
citizens. And it wasn’t just a celebration of diversity. There was
always a mission to make things better in the world. There was
rarely any discourse about financial success that I remember,
it was always about impact. Even as complicated teenagers,
I remembered this narrative constantly reminding us that
our true value in the world would be measured by how we
improved it, not how we gamed it.”
Nadiem has worn several hats through the years, from startup
entrepreneur to his current role as Indonesia’s Minister
of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. He said
elements of his UWC experience now influence his approach
to public education policy, with concepts that would be
familiar to UWC alumni now part of the core curriculum—for
instance, more choice for students and flexibility for teachers,
and a move away from standardised testing.
“One of our 6 pillars of the Emancipated Learning Policy
is ‘Global Citizenship’,” he said. “We have mandated
Project Based Learning to be part of the core curriculum,
with themes such as ‘Diversity’, ‘Climate Change’, and
‘Entrepreneurship’. Just like the IB system, our new curriculum
gives high school students choice in their subjects for the
very first time. Teachers are given a lot more freedom to
co-design curriculum, and take charge of creative projects
with students. We’ve also removed all national testing that
focused exclusively on rote knowledge, and opted instead
to assess logic and reasoning (numeracy and literacy). These
are all global best practices that UWC has championed since
its inception.”
It was fascinating hearing Nadiem talk about the influence his
UWC education has had on his life, and we eagerly await more
news from his adventures in being a changemaker.
“UWC had this constant narrative that was part
of every student experience, whether in class,
extracurricular activities, or special events, we
always celebrated being global citizens. And it wasn’t
just a celebration of diversity. There was always a
mission to make things better in the world.”
NADIEM TOURING
DOVER CAMPUS WITH
WIFE FRANKA.
April 2023 OneºNorth 12
“It is incredibly exciting to think
about the idea of ‘Education for Peace’
being tabled at the highest levels of
government. … Particularly with the
potential for UWCSEA to leverage its
thought leadership in that space.”
The expertise, thought leadership and rich exchange of ideas
that took place at last year’s UWCSEA Forum: Learning to
Shape the Future extended far beyond the stages and screens.
Meaningful connections were made as a result of the many
conversations that took place, connections that hold the
seeds of great potential to create impact well beyond the
UWC Movement.
At the centre of some of these exciting exchanges was Raza
Nazar ’14, an alumnus from East Campus’ inaugural graduating
class who was visiting Singapore during the Forum. An active
and engaged alumnus, Raza has participated in Alumni
University Fairs, attended London Alumni gatherings and
has continued to connect with former teachers, including
Nick Alchin, Ted Cowan and Pamela Wetzell on his journey
beyond UWCSEA; specifically his enduring vision to transform
Pakistan’s education system by introducing values-based
learning inspired by the his experience at UWCSEA. “I think if
we could universalise concept-based learning, critical thinking
and education for peace, we could empower billions of people
to discover themselves and take control of their own destinies,”
Raza noted.
Raza went on to study law at the London School of
Economics (LSE) where he became the first Pakistani to be
elected president of the LSE Law Society. At the age of 19,
he also founded the largest student-run developmental
forum in the world: the LSE Future of Pakistan Conference.
The second conference hosted then Prime Minister of
Pakistan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and made headlines
globally for enabling students to hold the government to
account. The conference remains an annual event at LSE
which sees current students and sitting ministers go head-
to-head on issues of government policy.
Following four years practising international commercial
law in the UK, Raza is poised to take his vision for
educational reform in Pakistan to the next level. He
has been accepted to pursue the world’s premier law
course, the Bachelor of Civil Laws, at Trinity College, the
University of Oxford, this fall. He plans to take courses
in constitutional law and theory, which he considers
to have parallels with the design and functioning of an
education system, as well as the conceptualisation of the
human right to education. In his free time, Raza works
on various education projects in Pakistan, including two-
week ‘short courses’ to sample concept based learning
and agency-led growth in local communities.
Raza’s passion for education reform in Pakistan continues,
and he recently helped support a milestone as the National
Curriculum Council Secretariat approved a core curriculum
for Grades 1–12, following input from subject experts from
all provinces, for the first time in Pakistan’s history.
“It is incredibly exciting to think about the idea of
‘Education for Peace’ being tabled at the highest levels
of government,” says Raza. “Particularly with the
potential for UWCSEA to leverage its thought leadership
in that space.”
Creating
SOCIAL IMPACT
Raza Nazar '14 looks to transform
Pakistan's education system
CHANGE
THE NEW
MAKERS
13 OneºNorth April 2023
2022/2023 YEA
As told by members of the Alumni Foundation Council consisting of Grade 11 and
DOVER CAMPUS
Community Fair 2023
by Mia and Huaiyao, Grade 11
The first Community Fair since
Covid-19 was brimming with energy
and a roaring success! The community
rallied together with an amazing
international array of games and food
stalls hosted by Global Concerns and
Parents’ Association (sprawling all the
way from the Pavillion to the Main
Hall!) and a Jam Fest showing off the
musical talents of students in the Tent
Plaza. Efforts from all the parents,
students, staff, and alumni raised over
$63,530 for all the service groups
with many stalls completely sold out.
Legally Blonde by Meg, Grade 11
Oh My God You Guys, after four whole years of not having a musical due to COVID, Dover Campus
produced Legally Blonde the Musical this year. A collaboration between the Drama, Music, and Dance
departments, the show starred triple-threat talents from the entire High School, with over 100
people’s involvement and months of rehearsal, this renowned musical was brought to life in the Roy
Bennett Theatre for four amazing performances.
Special shout out to Grade 12 students, Tom Diggles and Ella Hennessy, and Arabelle Siemsen ’22 for
all your contributions to the productions in the school!
Dance Show by Meg and Kaira, Grade 11
This year’s Dance Show explored the theme of Unleashed. Produced
by students, Dance Show was a unity of different genres from ballet to
reggaeton. All 16 dances were choreographed and performed by students
across High School, some being veteran participants and some new to the
show. Regardless of experience, all dancers showcased extraordinary talent
on stage, treating the audience with a breathtaking performance.
DOVERMUN (Dover Model
United Nations) by Ahmet, Grade 11
DOVERMUN is the Model United
Nations conference created and
hosted by UWCSEA on Dover
Campus. After holding the past two
DOVERMUN conferences online, the
Executive Committee was excited
to host their first-ever in person
conference in March 2023. Under
the theme of ‘Peace, Power, and
Prosperity’, the conference hosted
both international and local school
students in 10 interesting and unique
committees.
As the deputy chair for the US Senate
Committee, I oversaw robust debates
and conversations around the two
key topics: Addressing the implied
right to privacy in the 14th amendment
and the question of regulating illegal
immigration and the right to citizenship.
13 OneºNorth April 2023
AR IN REVIEW
12 students who support and inspire the work of the Alumni and Foundation teams!
EAST CAMPUS
The Bin Project
by Hanming, Grade 11
Four East students created an innovative solution to
food waste management on campus: using AI object
recognition to classify waste, inform advocacy, and
provide Sodexo with insightful data. Supported
by UWCSEA’s fabulous Innovation and Service
departments, the team implemented their first
prototype and became a finalist in the Young Aurora
Prize. They look forward to continuing their journey
in using emerging technologies for sustainable
development next year.
Pi Day by Krishiv, Grade 11
14 March saw the first-ever
instance of the Pi Day Festival
at East Campus, an event
dedicated to discovering
and appreciating the
intricacies of mathematics
that are otherwise often left
unexplored. This year, student
leaders presented topics
ranging from algorithms and AI
to probability and game theory
to what was a highly engaged
high school community.
Family Festival 2023
by Roberto, Grade 11
The annual Family Festival
returned to East Campus for
the first time in three years,
bringing fun and exciting
activities for all members
of the community to enjoy.
During the eventful day, those
attending indulged in rides, a
bazaar, Global Concern stalls,
performances, international
cuisine and more!
A Servant to Two Masters by Seo Yee, Grade 11
A Servant to Two Masters was the 2023 High School IBDP Theatre
Production. As Covid-19 regulations were lifted up this year, it allowed
the production to take place in the Black Box. The IBDP students
worked together to direct, design and act in the production as a
method to not only develop acting skills but also leadership and
designing skills.
April 2023 OneºNorth 14
15 OneºNorth April 2023
Iconic
EVENTS
The traditions
continue on
Dover and East
This past year will be
remembered fondly as the
year we returned (for the most
part) to normal. And nowhere
was that more felt on our
campuses than in our signature
events—Graduation, SEASAC,
UN Night and CultuRama.
Students were able to create,
compete and celebrate together
in-person, along with staff and
families and other members of
our college community. What
a welcome sight to see the
games, performances, cultural
sharing and ceremonies filled
with emotion again!
GRADUATION
Last year we returned at last to the National University of
Singapore to congratulate the 583 members of the Class
of 2022 on High School graduation. The cohort completed
the challenge of their High School Diploma almost
entirely within the challenging restrictions created by the
pandemic, and it therefore seemed particularly fitting that
our community were able to gather together to celebrate
their achievements and to say our farewells in person.
The 2,400-strong live audiences of graduates, proud
family members and educators who attended the two
ceremonies were joined by a global audience of over 2,535
viewers in 75 countries.
Congratulations Class of 2022, our newest alumni.
Stay connected!
April 2023 OneºNorth 16
SEASAC
UWCSEA was a founding member of SEASAC (South
East Asian Student Activities Conference), which offers
students “opportunities for healthy competition, pursuit
of excellence, social and cultural interaction and the
development of friendships within the region of South
East Asia.”
Predominantly for High School students in the 18U
age group, member schools are located in Singapore,
Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar
and Indonesia and students travel to host schools to
compete against peers in the region.
While competition continued in some disciplines,
the pandemic halted much of the excitement for
competitors and spectators alike. This past year both
East and Dover campuses were delighted to welcome
visiting schools back to Singapore to compete in
Football, Softball, Volleyball, Swimming and Climbing.
April 2023 OneºNorth 16
17 OneºNorth April 2023
UN NIGHT
UN Night is one of the most memorable
and beloved annual events at UWCSEA
Dover with a longstanding tradition
of over 40 years since 1979, just eight
years after the College was founded! The
festival transforms our Tent Plaza into an
exciting international food fair manned
by students, sharing a vibrant mix of
cuisines along with Global Concerns
(GC) merchandise in support of our GC
project partners.
On top of that, the evening includes
a spectacular showcase of creativity
and innovation by 300 students
representing 30 countries through dance
performances. UN Night as a whole
is the culmination of months of hard
work and dedication by students and
staff, celebrating the diversity, unity and
generosity of our UWCSEA community!
Iconic
EVENTS
17 OneºNorth April 2023