Q: What were your personal and career goals when you joined NUS?
A: Recognising that university could possibly be the final stretch of my formal education, I felt the urgency to check some boxes off my “bucket list”. While my polytechnic graduation was a significant milestone in my life, as I looked back, I found a gaping hole – I had been so focused on qualifying for a local university that I devoted all my time to academics, leaving no room for a co-curricular life. My sacrifice paid off, but left me hungry for more, so I made sure my NUS experience was a full one.
I set myself three goals:
To compete: As a competitive basketball player, I knew I wanted to continue channelling my energy into challenging and pitting myself against others at a high level. I believe that healthy competition drives improvement, so I did not shy away from such opportunities, be it in sports or academics.
To lead: John F. Kennedy once said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” A leadership role may be taxing, but the added responsibility and pressure encourage ownership and learning. So I readily took up any roles that were offered to me.
To mentor: I learnt the value of mentorship during my polytechnic internship. My manager personally mentored me, gave me constructive feedback, and encouraged me to develop myself through co-curricular activities. This inspired me to someday become a good mentor myself.
While I had clear personal goals, I had no definite career goals. I fully expected to follow the “traditional” path of joining a large accounting firm upon graduation. But thanks to my NUS experience, I am now in a career beyond my wildest imagination.
Q: How has NUS guided you toward that objective?
A: One freshman event that brings University Town to life is the Student Life Fair. It is an annual showcase of every club, society and interest group in NUS, and just what I needed to start curating a life outside of the classroom.
Eventually, I chose to join the NUS Investment Society and play competitive basketball with the NUS varsity team. These experiences provided me the room to explore my interests beyond academia, build a solid network of like-minded peers, and enjoy a holistic university life.
Gideon (player #30) and his NUS Basketball team mates. (Photo taken before the pandemic)
Gideon (foreground) at an NUS Investment Society event. (Photo taken before the pandemic)
Another aspect of the NUS programme that benefitted me greatly was the grade-free first year. I was able to assimilate into the university environment and pace of studying without the pressure of having to instantly excel. It also gave me the space to experiment and discover without a lingering fear of being penalised. This suited me perfectly, as I consider myself someone who learns through making mistakes.
Q: How has NUS Business School transformed your life?
A: In so many ways! Having sufficient time and space to explore, even with the business programme has made a profound impact. Instead of specialising from the get-go, we were required to complete introductory modules for different disciplines such as accounting, finance, marketing, operations, data analytics and management. This solid foundation empowered us to make sound choices when we had to choose our specialisations.
The academic rigour also stretched us tremendously. Mandatory class participation forced us out of our comfort zones to effectively verbalise our thoughts before an audience. Despite being innately outspoken, I found room for further improvement, and learnt to be more concise.
Group projects taught us to work with different personalities and styles. Our instructors posed us challenges through the coursework, but were also there to support us. I fondly recall an Independent Study Module project I did with Goldman Sachs where our professor remained available to us for round-the-clock consultation through text messaging!
Gideon (second from right) with his Goldman Sachs case group. (Photo taken before the pandemic)
The school has also provided me with excellent career guidance and resources, from a bevy of internship and career opportunities handed out through a dedicated career portal, to interview workshops, and a strong senior-junior mentorship network.
Q: What are the biggest takeaways from your time here?
A: The friendships I’ve forged! From classmates, teammates, seniors, juniors, professors to even administrative staff. These people in my life have made me the person I am today. I cannot emphasise more the value of a like-minded community that has both supported and challenged me these past four years. In fact, some internship interviews came through senior referrals.
Even after a year, I remain in close contact with this network of peers. We remain committed to one another’s success, and are always ready to share what we know with each other. Help and advice are just a phone call away. I have also realised my dream of being a mentor, and continue to advise and coach my NUS Business School juniors. This brings me great satisfaction.
Gideon (front row, extreme right) with his NUS Business School peers. (Photo taken before the pandemic)
Q: What are the memorable moments of your time at NUS?
A: The rush of the classroom rigour, the people I hustled with, and winning my first ever basketball championship title after 12 years! It was in the year I was appointed Vice Captain too, which made it extra special.
