The second Students Leaders’ Retreat was held on October 8, 2022 and organised for 70 student leaders from the National University of Singapore Students’ Union (NUSSU), its constituent clubs and representatives from the halls of residence, residential colleges and houses, at the Central Library Forum.
Through interactive teambuilding activities and leadership forums led by the Office of Students Affairs (OSA) Deanery and guest speakers Mr Timothy Hoo and Mr Ibrahim, student leaders were onboarded on matters relating to governance, policymaking, training and resources.
Student leaders were also coached on applications of leadership such as managing projects and burnout, applying design thinking to event planning and organisation, and how to navigate conflicts.
Said Assistant Dean of Students Dr Kuan Yee Han: “The forum sessions were organised to explore topics related to 21st century leadership skills and is important in helping student leaders’ ease into their leadership roles.”
“Especially as leadership can sometimes be a lonely journey, it is important to connect them to other student leaders who they will be working together for the next year,” Dr Kuan said.
Dean of Students Assoc Prof Ho Han Kiat also said: “Amidst their loneliness, they can find a like-minded group that share the same zeal and passion. The retreat is really an opportunity for them to pick up some leadership skills and network with others.”
Connecting with fellow student leaders through music
Student leaders adorned bright smiles as they drummed their percussion instruments to a beat, while being led by an instructor. The result was an energetic symphony accompanied by invigorating beats of samba music.
Nick Woo, NUSSU Vice-President (Internal) and third-year Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences undergraduate, expressed:
“Musical samba was a refreshing break from traditional methods of teaching, collaboration, communication and group awareness. Through Brazilian samba music, it taught us the importance of listening to one another and working together by actively using both your ears and your eyes for visual and auditory cues.”
Assoc Prof Ho elaborated, “Such activities instil valuable lessons learned in a subtle way. Students get to wrestle together and attune to each other within a short time.
Goalsetting through letter writing
Next, the student leaders were given the opportunity and space to introspect, reflect and pen their thoughts through letter writing.
“The physical letter writing activity was an excellent activity for my team and I to set goals and expectations for our upcoming term. It serves as a good benchmark for us to see if we had accomplished what we had set out to do at the start of our term,” Nick added.
Accelerating the growth of student leaders
Assoc Prof Ho explained: “Through the years working with students, we have identified critical learning points that will make a key difference for student leaders. OSA is here to work with the student leaders to level them up to meet challenges.”
“We provide the necessary preparation and training for students, such as financial literacy, safety assessment, data protection, among many other resources, so that they will ace through the milestones in their tenure as leaders.”
Furthermore, “OSA staff advisors and Deanery members regularly meet with student leaders to address their concerns and queries. This sharing of experiences will give student leaders greater courage and confidence as they lead the other students in their own respective organisations.”
Dr Kuan added: “OSA will continue to seek and create opportunities to enhance student life and development. We will continue to partner with students to guide them through their leadership journey."
Engaging with OSA Deanery
During the student leaders retreat, student leaders also had the opportunity to engage and delve into various leadership topics with the OSA Deanery, which included the Dean, Deputy Dean, Vice Dean and Assistant Dean of Students.
“This engagement is a platform to allow students to have a direct line to the Deanery, and (signals to) our students that our doors are always open to work with them on ways we can improve student life on campus,” Dr Kuan said.
On the importance of student leadership
On the importance of student leadership on campus and beyond, Dr Kuan said:
“Student life is the key foundation of community building and is part of what it means to have a holistic tertiary education, besides being a platform for leadership training. Student leaders play a critical role in creating a vibrant campus life through motivating, influencing and bringing students together."
Assoc Prof Ho added: “The university is a safe space to learn, to fail and to grow. Students can develop their life skills and embrace a cause that is larger than self. That applies to every aspect of learning, including leadership.”
Assoc Prof Ho said: "The idea of student leadership has changed with time. In fact, it is harder to be a student leader today because many things fight for your attention."
"Why should you be a student leader? What does it mean when you become one?", he posed these thought-provoking questions to eager-eyed student leaders.
The prize and price of student leadership
"Here, I want to quickly share two things,” Assoc Prof Ho continued. “The prize you get as a student leader; and the price you pay as a student leader."
"Many think of the prize as a tangible reward and outcome that you can have on your CV.”
“But let me challenge that it is much more than that. In NUS, it is the chance to be the voice of the students. It is a chance to be heard and to make a real difference."
"In recent years, we have had many examples where student contributions have led to the fruition of new initiatives and important policy changes," he said.
He continued: “Student leadership also gives you the chance to learn and grow among like-minded individuals.”
“As you work as a team and wrestle through issues, you will draw from each other’s strengths and compensate for each other's weaknesses. At the end of this journey, hopefully you will harness important soft skills and become a stronger version of yourself. This will be priceless as you go on to face a volatile and disruptive future.”
"However, in order to reap the gains of the prize, a student leader must also be ready to pay the price to get there. And that price is commitment. It means choosing to devote precious time and energy which could be spent elsewhere. It somtimes means making a hard decision and giving up on some other things that are of value,” Assoc Prof Ho said.
“The price of leadership is also an emotional one. At times, the journey of a leader can be a lonely one,” he added.
“You have to take on additional perspectives of your peers and those that you lead. You have to think for others more than you think for yourself. And this often is not something that comes intuitively. Hence, loneliness is often part of the equation, and I speak for myself too.”
Dr Kuan left with some parting advice to the student leaders, “Enjoy the process. I would like to leave you with my favourite quote attributed to Mark Twain,”
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Assoc Prof Ho concluded, " All the best. We wish you a very good start to your student leadership journey. Your success is ours too, and we look forward to cheer you on along the way, and celebrate your victory at the end of it.”
Read our coverage of the first NUS Student Leaders' Retreat here.
Share:
Contributor
Shanice Poh, Year 3, NUS Business School
Photos courtesy of NUS Office of Student Affairs
