Kingfisher families gather in the new academic year!

Parents and family members of Yale-NUS College students have always played a key role in our students’ educational journeys. To enable our Kingfishers to flourish, the College conducts engagement sessions for parents and family members where they can meet with members of the College’s leadership team and find out more about the different opportunities available for enrolled students.

On 7 August 2022, the College kickstarted the new academic year with an exciting Welcome Back event, comprising Convocation and Balik Kampung – a fun-filled carnival with events and games to reconnect with one another and ease into the new academic year. Parents and family members of our Kingfishers were also invited to join in the celebrations and meet Yale-NUS College President and Professor of Social Sciences (Economics) Joanne Roberts, and the College’s leadership team for a reception on campus.

About 60 parents and family members attended the session and engaged in meaningful conversations with President Roberts and her team. They also had an opportunity to better understand the College’s plans for the new academic year.

President Roberts and the senior leadership team engaging with parents at the reception. Images provided by Alan Seah and JX Soo (Class of 2025)

President Roberts shared that she enjoys having such opportunities to meet and chat with Kingfisher families as it helps to build the collective community spirit that is deeply valued at Yale-NUS. The reception marked her first physical engagement with parents and family members, since beginning her new role as Yale-NUS President last month. “Speaking with the loved ones of our Kingfishers is something I really look forward to. With the overlapping support on campus and at home, our students thrive and create an impact in the communities around them. Together, we help our Kingfishers soar to greater heights.”

In addition to providing a solid academic foundation, the college also focuses on opening doors to a myriad of opportunities for students. “I am glad that Yale-NUS graduates are regarded as valuable employees professionally,” shared Mr Richard Lim. After speaking with Yale-NUS College’s Director of Career Services, Norvin Ng, he also mentioned that he feels assured that the college remains focused on providing quality education. “Getting excellent professors onboard is a good example,” said the amiable father whose daughter is back after the summer break to begin her second year of studies.

Parents speaking with Director of Career Services, Norvin Ng. Image provided by Alan Seah (Class of 2025)

Mr Richard Lim with his wife, parents of a Kingfisher from Class of 2025

Parents of Kingfisher, Tesha Sengupta (Class of 2025), shared that having such engagement sessions has allowed them to be more involved in their daughter’s learning journey and play a part in the wider Yale-NUS community. Mr & Mrs Pinaki and Manideepa Sengupta mentioned how the college’s community has allowed their daughter to grow holistically. ”Yale-NUS College has enabled my daughter to develop herself academically while evolving to become a remarkable individual. We are glad to see Tesha thriving here.”

Mr & Mrs Pinaki and Manideepa Sengupta with their daughter, Tesha Sengupta. Image provided by Alan Seah (Class of 2025)

Establishing open communication channels to engage with more parents and families remains a key focus for the college. More in-person and online engagement events are being planned to enable families to stay connected and play a prime role in ensuring the success of students.

As much as college life is a phase for students to embrace the new relationships forged on campus, the journey is also a shared experience for loved ones. This close-knit community that has developed over the years both on campus and off highlights the uniqueness of the Yale-NUS experience.