Yale-NUS DDP students setting the bar above and beyond

In May, Robin Buxton-Leow and Koe Chua Jia Ying (both Class of 2025) will be graduating from the Double Degree Programme in Law and Liberal Arts (DDP), jointly offered by Yale-NUS College and Faculty of Law of the National University of Singapore (NUS). Combining their education background and their experience in various College programmes and communities, the two students share their aspirations for the future.

Robin (first from right) at a certification course partially sponsored by the Yale-NUS Athletics department. Photo provided by Robin Buxton-Leow. 

Fitness is a big part of Robin’s identity. After a decade-long journey of working out, Robin discovered his passion for gym coaching when he joined the Student Associate gym team under the Yale-NUS Athletics department. “For the first two years, I was coaching friends. It gave me a window to see what it’s like. I got quite a lot of positive feedback from friends and really enjoyed my time. Doing that felt very fulfilling, so I thought about pursuing [coaching] more,” Robin recounted fondly. He pursued this newfound interest by taking numerous courses and earning certifications, which are pivotal for pursuing a career in the fitness industry.

Robin explained, “I got a certification from the National Council on Strength and Fitness, which is the basic certification that you need to be a personal trainer in Singapore. I also took a certification from the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association. If I were to join any gyms in the future, it’s really this certification that would help to open doors to more clients and more experience.” Through these upskilling efforts, Robin hopes to turn his interest in fitness into a viable alternative career path. Robin also wishes to work at several gyms upon graduation. Already working at two gyms, Robin intends to add another to his list so that he “can get as much experience as [he] can”.

During this time, Robin will also be taking courses to be admitted to the Singapore Bar. As a lawyer, he will work in a legal field that involves developing clean energy projects and infrastructure.

“I’ve tried to craft my law field experience in a way that my environmental studies education can contribute as well,” he remarked.

Similarly, Koe will be taking the bar and plans to train at a law firm. Beyond focusing on qualifying for law practice, Koe has actively been exploring various internship opportunities and part-time stints that align with her passion for the environment and teaching.

Koe at Antisana in Ecuador during her School for International Training’s International Honours Programme Climate Change. Photo provided by Koe Chua.

The College has played a big role in anchoring Koe’s love for sustainability. The residential living experience allowed for frequent cross-major conversations with people outside of law school. “[These conversations were] what got me interested in exploring Environmental Studies in the first place. And then I started doing classes, and the rest was history”, Koe shared. Campus organisations such as the Inter-University Environmental Coalition also gave Koe the chance to explore the sustainability sector and work with different stakeholders. Her climate change-focused semester abroad programme, where she travelled across four different continents to explore environmental policies, and her summer abroad experience in Bhutan granted her the chance to learn about alternative ways of living with nature. Reflecting on her summer in Bhutan, Koe said, “I think that was what got me interested in reimagining different narratives of the future, which nicely complemented a class I am currently taking on Ecological Economics, taught by Associate Professor of Social Sciences Marvin Montefrio.”

Hoping to put what she has learnt in College to use, Koe’s next big project after graduation is co-chairing the inaugural Sustainability Youth Festival in August. For the festival, Koe works closely with passionate individuals from the sustainability sphere, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, and the non-profit organisation arm of environmental advisory and innovation firm EcoBusiness. Beyond attracting people interested in sustainability, Koe hopes that the festival can reach out to primary and secondary school students.

Underlying this wish to reach out to students lies Koe’s other interest – education and teaching. Throughout her years at university, she has worked as a private and volunteer tutor. She greatly enjoyed the opportunity to provide her students with knowledge beyond the standard classroom curriculum. Her studies at NUS’ Faculty of Law complemented her tutoring ventures by strengthening her ability to think critically and communicate effectively, which helped to enhance the quality of her teaching. These skills, for example, have helped her guide students in crafting strong, persuasive arguments when writing essays.

Like Robin, Koe wants to explore her extracurricular passion by looking into the feasibility of teaching as a potential full-time career. She hopes to get an internship or part-time working opportunity at a tuition center after graduation. Both students will be taking their bar examinations in December. Before that, they hope to make the best use of their time exploring their specific interests beyond law.