“Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something”, this is Class of 2024 Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences graduand, Tan Wei Shuang’s philosophy in life. This is especially apparent when one reviews Wei Shuang’s efforts in contributing to and giving back to the community.
As President of NUS Students’ Community Service Club (CSC) in 2022 and 2023, Wei Shuang championed Project We Are One, the first NUS community service project to reach out to migrant workers in Singapore. CSC hosted a donation drive to rally NUS to donate essential items for our migrant friends. Her team succeeded in collecting items like toiletries and clothes to help at least 200 migrant workers with their daily essentials. Wei Shuang holds this project extremely close to her heart as she is grateful to have been able to work with the migrant workers when COVID-19 first hit Singapore, where we have all seen how drastically the pandemic affected their health and livelihoods.
For her efforts, in 2023, Wei Shuang became the sole recipient of NUS Achievement Award (NAA) Distinction in the Leadership category. The Social Work major applied for the award at the encouragement and recommendation of her peers at CSC, which speaks of the impact of her leadership.
Wei Shuang (third from right) at “T.H.E.Seniors Regular Volunteering Programme”, a signature NUSCSC event.Â
OSA caught up with Wei Shuang to find out more about her leadership journey and how her NAA Distinction award has impacted her.
OSA: How do you feel about attaining the Leadership Distinction award at NAA?
I feel extremely grateful to all my members who have supported me during the time of award application. As President of a student club, we mostly work behind the scenes, pushing our members beyond their comfort zone to make an impact on the community. To be able to receive the award is a further validation of my leadership skills and an honour.
Wei Shuang (middle) with the NUS “CSC Day XVII (Special Project)” Project Directors at last year’s NAA ceremony.
OSA: How has receiving this award impacted you?
Receiving this award has helped me to have more confidence in my own leadership skills, and through the testimonials I have received from my members during the application period, I better understood the impact of my actions. This award has allowed my family to appreciate my commitments beyond academics and witness my growth holistically in NUS.
The award has also boosted my job applications as it provided an official recognition of my CCA efforts. It has also gained the attention of many prospective employers when they look at my resume and I am happy to be able to talk about the work I have done at NUS CSC at interviews.
OSA: What are you most passionate about?
I love seeing smiles on people’s faces, and I think this is one of the core reasons why I got into volunteering. I feel a sense of fulfilment and happiness from not just seeing our beneficiaries happy, but also when the volunteers and students working with us have their own takeaways after completing a project.
OSA: You are graduating this July, what are your immediate plans?
I am looking to start off my career as a Medical Social Worker. I still do volunteering in external organisations like nursing homes, and I hope that I can continue using my soft skills as a leader to better impact the community even in my course of work.
I have also been taking the effort to spending time with my family to make up for my absence during my leadership commitments before I start work. I have been trying to organise more family trips out and doing some self-care as my hobby now before starting work!
Wei Shuang (first row, second from left) at NUS CSC’s 21st birthday celebration.
The Winning Moment is a two-part series where OSA catches up with recipients from NAA 2023.Â
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