Commemorative publication chronicles the life at Yale-NUS College

This semester is a meaningful and important one for the College, as it marks the final semester at Yale-NUS College. Since its inception more than a decade ago, the College has seen eight graduating classes pass through its halls, with its ninth and final class set to graduate in May 2025.

To commemorate the College, Yale-NUS College has embarked on a publication, The First & Last Book. I was involved in The First & Last Book project as a project writer.

I first learned about the Book project through a job listing on NUS’ Student Work Scheme platform. To me, it was a meaningful way to give back to the College’s vibrant community. Together with Yale-NUS alumna Charlize Tan (Class of 2024), I worked as a student writer under the guidance of Associate Professor of Humanities (Literature) and Head of Studies, Literature Andrew Hui.

Much of our work involved interviewing staff and students about their time on campus as part of the material that would make up the book. One of the most creative prompts Assoc Prof Hui gave us were the Chair Interviews, where we asked students and alumni which chairs on campus held the most vivid memories for them.

Among others, I remember an alumnus sharing her memories tattooing oranges and apples while sitting on her suite’s sofa. The interviews provided a treasure trove of memories and a muti-layered look into the College’s many years. They also serve as a reminder of the people who have lived here, learned here, and called the school their own.

Such people include Yale-NUS alumnus Sean Cham (Class of 2019), who also worked on the Book project. Sean is presently completing a PhD in History of Art at University of London, and was invited to contribute to this project by Assoc Prof Hui.

With Sean’s previous experience in art practice, he assumed the role of Design Editor. In this role, he steered the creative direction of the book by bringing its visual and written elements together in a cohesive manner.

Sean described how he conceptualised the design for the Book: “I was interested in the idea of circularity—time not as linear but as cyclical. I was also drawn to the heritage tree (the Margaritaria indica in the heart of campus), and how it stands as a marker of that time passing. It was there before the College was constructed and continues to stand there, hopefully, for years to come—even as the College as an entity has morphed into something else.”

“We illustrated these ideas through a tree’s life cycle—germinating from a seed, into a sapling, then branching into a tree,” he continued. “While it might seem like the tree was felled, it takes on a new life through its by-products. It ends with Halcyon taking flight, carrying a seed with it, and the cycle continues.”

To further bring this vision to life, Sean invited fellow alumnus Dave Lim (also from the Class of 2019) to contribute photographs. Sean praised Dave’s images which captured liminal spaces, mundane details, and the traces that each class left on the campus. Within the Book’s pages, these images are paired with written memories and reflections to document the people of the College. Sean hopes the Book will honour the collective legacies of those who have been part of Yale-NUS College and inspire others to create new ways of preserving its history.

At the helm of this entire project was Assoc Prof Hui, in his role as Editor. Having been invited by the President of the College, Professor of Social Sciences (Economics) Joanne Roberts, to work on this project, he brought a wealth of experience, having previously overseen several publications for the College. This includes two issues of the Yale-NUS faculty newsletter, commemorative booklets for departing deans or retiring colleagues, and a memorial for the late Associate Professor of Social Sciences (Anthropology) Professor Bernard Bate.

“I came up with the vision, overall aesthetic direction and design, and the concepts of the contents and chapters,” Assoc Prof Hui shared. “I served as a project manager too—I saw the project from beginning to the end. Luckily, I was assisted by wonderful folks: the Public Affairs office, especially Director Fiona Soh and Deputy Director Valerie Yeo; the students; Charlize Tan, Jamie Wong, and Bryanna Mariñas assisting as Project Manager and Associate Editor; alumni Sean Cham and Khairillah Irwan; as well as Yan Da from the firm “Do Not Design”.

For Assoc Prof Hui, the Book was his way of giving back to the community he had been part of for so long. Reflecting on his journey, he said: “It’s bittersweet to think that I was one of the first faculty to be hired and I’ll be one of the last faculty to leave.”

The First & Last Book chronicles the life of Yale-NUS College, from its founding to its profound impact on the lives of those who walked its grounds. It allows everyone with a connection to the College to see their experiences reflected in its pages. More importantly, it has the potential to offer a fresh perspective on the place they call home.