Unlike the previous edition of NUS RunBIG, the running event which aims to promote a spirit of giving and sports in NUS has gone virtual. This year, the run organised by NUS Development Office (DVO) will happen in September, with planned routes in all five sectors of Singapore.
Year 2 students, Don Cheng, from FASS and Jet Lim, from FoE volunteer with NUS DVO in the organising of NUS RunBIG’21. Both students are excited to have embarked on this project together being the first virtual run for RunBIG.
Being acquainted with cause-related runs in his previous role as the Project Director of RunNUS 2020, an annual run organised by the NUS Students’ Sports Club for the past 14 years, Don decided to join the RunBIG team this year as he believes in giving back to the University.
This year’s edition includes a special category – the 190.5km challenge, where it commemorates the first gift given to NUS in the year 1905. The run raises awareness of the good work done by NUS Giving through NUS DVO through the years.
Don said: “I personally have friends who are beneficiaries of NUS Giving’s bursary and I have seen first-hand how they have benefitted from it, so I believe in the work DVO does”.
At RunBIG, Don and Jet put their experience organising virtual runs to good use. Both students secured sponsors for the run. They also ran student engagement campaigns, especially with the incoming freshmen. Jet reflected: “I was fortunate to be able to experience a fully physical Freshman Orientation Programme and want to spice up the FOP for this year even though it’s going online, hence we are holding giveaways and free race passes for the different FOP camps!”
On the sporting level, both students believe that sports should be enjoyed by all and would like to encourage all NUS students to be a part of this celebration of giving. The competitive pricing and entitlements students can attest to that. For just S$10 (check out with the promo code ‘NUSSTUDENTXXXX’, enter the last 4-digit of your student number) for a 5km race pass, participants get a runner’s tee, a medal, a race pack and free delivery!
Looking back at his journey organising runs in NUS, Don commented that one thing he found interesting was how the things he took for granted as a participant of such events, such as the placement of water points along the running route, and the outgoing messages and communications plan to attract potential participants. He now must look into little details and think about how to execute his plans.
Don’t worry if you have missed the early bird pricing, you can still register using the student promo code mentioned above for S$3 off any categories. For NUS family and friends, use the promo code ‘EBDJ’ for S$2 off any categories.
Share:
Contributor
Jet Lim, Year 2, FOE
Student Organisers with NUS RunBIG 2021
